Business Problem Paper
The Amazon Kindle is a wireless, "convenient, and portable reading device with the ability to download books, blogs, magazines and newspapers" from almost anywhere in the United States (Amazon, 2008). Michael Lewis, the author of Moneyball and Liar’s Poker predicts, “this (the Amazon Kindle) is the future of book reading. It will be everywhere.” (Amazon, 2008). This report will determine whether the current $399.00 price tag is reasonable to successfully support and sustain the sale of the Kindle. It will clearly define the dependent and independent variables of the study, state the null and alternative hypotheses, and the methodology used to test the hypotheses. It will compute the sample size required which will provide clear support for the criteria used. The samples that are selected and produced are described, including the methodology used to collect the data and a description of the survey instruments. A final recommendation is offered regarding whether the Kindle is a good buy at $399, or if Amazon needs to alter the price or product.
What is the Amazon Kindle?
The Kindle is Amazons version of an eBook reader. It has been in the making for three years, first offered to the public in November 2007. It uses eInk, a screen that offers non-glare viewing, and no backlighting which mimics a traditional paper publication feel. Using Whispernet technology and the Sprint network, the Kindle uses wireless access at no cost to the consumer. It offers over 120,000 eBooks that range from $.25 to $2,386.80, with the average eBook costing $9.99. There are 10 national newspapers available for a monthly fee of $5.99 to $13.99 (for the New York Times), as well as 333 blogs, and 15 magazines. See Table 2 for a list of specifics. The Kindle has a QWERTY thumb-keyboard on the top, and holds like a folded book. Other interesting features include the long battery life, adjustable reading fonts, the ability to holds more than 200 titles at a time, and it only weighs 10.3 ounces (Amazon, 2008).
Independent Variables
Independent variables are the presumed cause, stimulus, “predicted from…” manipulations, and predictors (Cooper, 2003). The focus group for this study was interested in the relationships between the independent and dependent variables. The primary independent variable for this study was consumer age. Age seems to indicate other independent variables, such as income levels, available disposable income, and the current interest level.
Schiffman, L., O’Cass, A., Paladino, A., D’Alessandro, S. & Bednall, D. (2011). Consumer behaviour. (5th ed). Australia: Pearson.
This year’s Kindle Paperwhite makes it clear that Amazon is going a full throttle into ebooks – with the release of its new product line - Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, 2013 edition. This new ebook reader is an updated version of the 2012 edition with added features like: Wi-Fi ereader, faster processor, distraction free screen, easy to hold, and with a longer life battery .
Tablets are effective tools used to improve user’s productivity and online experience, whether they are used for business or life in general. Tablets are smaller than a laptop and larger than a Smartphone, so they are perfect to take on the go. Users can browse the internet, create presentations, stay connected with their boss, download games, watch movies, share photos and much more with their tablets. Just recently tablets have become very popular. Therefore, there are over 47.5 million tablets sold in the United States today. Two of the most popular tablets on the market are the Apple iPad and the Amazon Kindle Fire. Evaluating their battery life and capacity, screen size, and price, a user will soon figure out which table is best for them. Though each of them had good qualities, I preferred the iPad more than the Kindle.
If you had the choice between your phone and a book,you would probably without thinking grab your phone. But what if you knew that reading is crucial to a future. In “Reading for pleasure Is in Painful Decline” by Stephen L. Carter and “Twilight of the books” by Caleb Crain, both authors argue about the state of reading in The United States. Within both passages they give valid points as to why and how the state of reading are negatively affecting the country. Stephen L. Carter represents how the decline in reading for fun is the main concern, while on the other hand, Caleb Crain shows it’s technology and social media that actually are the main contributors.
Where a student once had to travel to the local library or bookstore to find information, they can now find information almost instantly in their “smart” phone. In this technological age “we are raising our children in a multimedia environment. Before writing and books, information was carried in songs, dance, and storytelling. Today, the average person has a cornucopia of information readily available at home.” (Withrow 44). Anyone in possession of a computer, digital e-reader, laptop, or “smart” phone has an almost immediate access to any kind of information they are seeking. In today’s society, a two-year-old child knows how to operate a tablet or “smart” phone before they know how to read. It is this interest in technology that leads to a decline in reading as children age. Where once it would take hours to find information, there is now an almost immediate response to queries. Through the instant gratification technology provides, children begin to lose interest in reading. According to Michael, the disinterest in reading is “because reading takes time, and we have an instant gratification generation who can’t wait to read the book when they can just watch the movie” (Michael). Instead of spending days discovering a new world in a book, a child can instead spend a couple hours in front of a television and watch
Amazon Kindle Fire: Case Analysis Danielle M. Torres Ivy Tech Community College Author Note Case Analysis Paper composed for BUSN 204—Case Problems in Business Instructed by Amanda J. Doxtater April 3, 2018 Amazon Kindle Fire: Case Analysis As the market demand for physical books continue to diminish, tablets with the capability of e-books are taking over the market. Amazon leveraged on the market and developed the Kindle Fire. In nearly three months, the sales captured half of the non-Apple market share (Sawhney, Owens, & Goodman, 2014, p. C13-C29).
In recent years, the number of individuals who switched from printed to digital texts has been significant; therefore, the change proved that people tend to read more digitally than they do with printed texts. Sales of online novels have grown and the amount of hard copies being sold has rapidly declined. Over the last few years, the Pew Research Center has revealed that 27% of people switched to the digital consumption of books rather than physical (Ramasubbu). The consumption of digital texts or novels continue to rise as the population grows, influencing younger generations to focus on working within a technological society. Pushing publications to be made digitally, printed novels are to be used only as a later resource, compiling information
Amazon Kindle is one of Amazon’s recent remarkable products. Kindle is a portable device which allows user to read, download, and store e-books due to its wireless connection and internal memory (Amazon, 2009). The first version was originally launched in US market in 2007 and achieved success as sold out in five and a half hours (Patel, 2007). Later, Kindle has been through several upgraded versions; Kindle original, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, Kindle DX Graphite, and the most recent version Kindle 3 with improvements mostly on the shape, contrast, memory capacity, and operating system. Earlier versions of Kindle had been criticized for its aesthetic and user interface issues. Reviews from customers and gadget experts motivated Amazon to further improve the product.
Consumers make choices every day that affect the economy we live in, and in return these choices impact one’s personal finances. Take for instance, buying clothing at retail establishment that is trending,
Shiffman, L.G. & Kanuk, L.L. 2010. Consumer behaviour. 10th ed. Upper Saddle River. NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
In conclusion, I believe that the advertising can affect and manipulate consumers to buy things they do not actually need. Nevertheless, if we want to buy something, our decision-making processes will be additionally influenced by our income, relatives and lifestyle.
In addition, Amazon has also given the customer the opportunity to sell goods. The customers have a huge amount of power when researching and choosing products of the thousands of products at the tips of their fingers. Amazon has just about every department of a store you can imagine, from gardening and lawn accessories, to kitchen machinery, to shoes, and to the strongest departments in my opinion, which is the reading and electronics. The book was the very first product and vision behind Amazon as Bezos “narrowed the list to what he felt were the five most promising [products to be sold via Internet]: compact discs, computer hardware, computer software, videos, and books…”: then deciding to create the worldwide selection and platform to sell literature in print. Little did Bezos realize at the time, that his print literature idea would develop into the foundation of the electronic department. This transformed into varying products and services to be offered to the consumers: from actual devices to purchase, to the Amazon exclusive “Kindle” E-reader and accessories, developing growth into the “Kindle Fire” TV, and the exclusive purchase of “Audible”, which is now an Amazon company audio book
Why is this topic of interest important? It has been suggested and viewed that print media is on the decline while digital media is on the rise - which leads to a possible assumption that digital media is a better medium and print may eventually be replaced someday. To address these conflicting views, the aid of relevant sources will help us find out the reasons why print media is on the decline and digital media on the rise, the advantages of print media as compared to digital media and the demographic differences between users of print and digital media respectively. All these questions will be answered in the following literature review.
In the United States, using a smartphone or tablet has been an unstoppable trend. According to the report from Pew Internet, in the United States, 56% of all adult population is smartphone user, 35% have cellphone, which is not a smartphone, and only 9% do not own any cell phone (Smith). At the same time, the tablet computer has been growing substantially since 2010, especially with the advent of Windows 8. Pew Internet shows that 34% of the United States adult population owns a tablet computer, representing a growth of more than 30% in three years (Zickuhr). Although these reports were based on the adult population, many children their own mobile devices. Such a device will provide them the accessibility to browse the Internet, listen to music, watch videos, play games both instantly and with unlimited quantity.
Getting educated is one of the most important things in life when it comes to getting a good future. By developing good knowledge of schooling, it helps establish and maintain new information as needed throughout the real world. As books are one the essential tools in learning, eBooks are being used in a everyday lifestyle. Traveling to get away places from city life, helps give reading a comforting feel. Students that use print books are eventually going to use ebooks in the future. By educating students with ebooks, it is more efficient than carrying textbooks; ebooks is more convenient and reliable to read, write and store notes. Print books are being replaced by eBooks, it helps on keeping files together and it makes notes