Spill Over

[APP]

At one time, I was under the impression that some potential customers (not many--but some) use Amazon to search for books, but then purchase them elsewhere (Apple, B&N, Kobo, etc.). However, when I've tested this by running AMS ads (sponsored keyword campaigns) for several months, I've had absolutely NO spill over. Now the return on my AMS ads was definitely not great, but not bad either (for me). Yet I've recorded no sales on any other platforms while these ads were running (I'm wide). Note: as of today, I'm no longer running AMS ads.

Has anyone else experienced a nice spill over?

[Bill Hiatt]

For whatever it's worth, I don't know anyone who searches on Amazon and buys elsewhere. Even though B & N's search engine in particular has often been criticized, it doesn't look problematic to a reader browsing for the next read. Most of the time, people who search in a particular bookstore seem as if they would be more likely.

People used to shop in brick and mortar stores and then buy online, particularly on Amazon, but that was because of the price difference. Typically, books aren't cheaper on the other sites, so the same motivation wouldn't exist.

[Crystal]

I'm the opposite. I search for items elsewhere, then check Amazon to see if it's cheaper.

I loathe Amazon's search function and sorting. It's impossible to find anything unless you're going to pick something with an orange tag (Top Rated, Amazon's Choice, etc.) or you know exactly what you want.

[APP]

People used to shop in brick and mortar stores and then buy online, particularly on Amazon, but that was because of the price difference. Typically, books aren't cheaper on the other sites, so the same motivation wouldn't exist.

Yeah, but not all readers have Amazon accounts. Some may have Apple or B&N accounts, but prefer Amazon's search engine.

[djmills]

I use Google and Amazon to search for books. Once I have the ISBN I purchase via BookDepository for print. It is more $ than Amazon print, to include "FREE" postage, but Amazon won't let me purchase as I live in Australia.
If I want the eBook I locate it in Smashwords shop and download the pdf and/or epub, or in Kobo. One author lost out on a sale this month because she is not listed on Smashwords, or Kobo. Just Amazon.
Readers adapt, but as an author, I am wide. Who knows where readers will find my books. :-)

[CoraBuhlert]

Sometimes, I first spotted a book on Amazon and eventually bought it at Thalia.de, because Thalia offers regular coupons and Amazon doesn't.  This usually applies only to traditionally published books, because a lot of indies are Amazon-exclusive. And POD books are almost impossible to procure via Thalia. Ditto for some small press and university press books.

[LilyBLily]

When I published my first book, some people I knew told me they would never, ever shop on Amazon. So I went wide with that book. They never, ever bought it anywhere else, either.

Just throwing that in for entertainment. I suspect each person develops a habitual shopping method and it's hard to disrupt it even though Amazon and every other company keeps trying.