Hmmmm...Updated

Ten days ago, I wrote a commentary based on a Wall Street Journal article reporting that Random House and HarperCollins were offering all or portions of some of their books for free. I wondered how and why they would do this since if someone could get something for free, why would they ever buy it?

Since I wrote the piece I've done some digging on both their websites, gaining a better understanding of the programs and their purpose.
HarperCollins actually has several online promotions: Full Access, Sneak Peek, and Browse Inside. Full Access is a one-month promotion, featuring selected titles available in their entirety for readers online. It is a test to see how free access with affect book sales. Sneak Peek allows readers to view 20% of select new releases for the two weeks prior to their release date. Browse Inside makes the remaining titles in HarperCollins digital library, again allowing readers access to 20% of any book. In a February 11 press release the company says that they worked with individual authors when developing Full Access and "additional title promotions will be decided upon on a case-by-case basis moving forward in consultation with our authors."

Random House's program to sell individual chapters of Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath is simply a test program to see how readers respond to having digital options to physical books. No other title has been announced in this program.



Amazon.com has been offering readers limited looks inside some of their titles for a number of years. HarperCollins appears to be the first to offer entire books online. While I believe that offering excerpts of books online can promote sales, I don't think that offering a complete book for free will promote sales of that book. I think what it might do, if anything, is enhance the image of HarperCollins as a publisher willing to go a little further for its readers.