ComiXology

[Mr_Tigg]

Hey guys,

Anyone else a little upset by the changes Amazon have made to Comixology? Removing the in-app store, and one-click purchase option is a cynical move to cut out channeling of funds to Google and Apple.

Here's a link on the update:
http://mashable.com/2014/04/28/comixolo ... -purchase/

Think I'll be voting with my feet - not giving them another penny until they either reverse the decision, so will be picking up my monthlies from my local comic book store instead.

Edit - I've done a little more reading around and seems there are lots of arguments for and against the decision. On the plus side, apparently buying direct from Comixology webstore means more profit goes to the creators, and Comoxiology are no longer restricted by Apple's bizarre app restrictions (for example banning Sex Criminals despite it being comic in nature).

On the negative side, the app user experience has been all but castrated. Part of the appeal is being able to make a purchase in one click. What's more convenient? Making a purchase on my laptop, then download it to iphone or simply downloading straight to iphone? Added to that you need to download a brand new app from Comixology and re-download all your previous purchases too.

[Ozz]

As someone who was buying only through website anyway (screw cutting out Apple, I was doing it mainly because it was CHEAPER cause it was in $ and not in €, but more on that later), I don't care about this change. I was usually buying issues on sales to be read later, so I didn't need to download them immidately. Basically for me it was: what's more convenient? Adding 20 issues to cart with one click and three more clicks to finish purchase, or clicking 20 times to buy each issue and then waiting for them to download or clicking 20 times to cancel the download? Unless there were "buy all" and "don't download right now" options on the app that I missed, the former was the obvious answer. And the codes go through Marvel's website and not the app, too.

I haven't seen the new app yet, so can't comment on other changes.

What initially worried me about Amazon buying Comixology was that it might not be available for me anymore. No basis for that, just that, I dunno, it could happen I guess, I can't buy digital TV shows on Amazon, so who knows about the comics. Then they introduced regional websites and forced me to pay in € instead of $ which I'm not happy about ($0.99 is so NOT the same amount of money as €0.89), but I suppose at least that means I don't get cut off entirely.

[Mr_Tigg]

Ozz - when you make a purchase I'm assuming your preference is to use a laptop / desktop? Do you also read your comics on your laptop or do you transfer them to a portable device?

For me the whole appeal of comixology was being able to download comics at work / my lunch break / on the bus, train etc - to read on the go. I can't do that now without a lot more faff, so fundamentally one of the core selling points of the app is gone.

One of the arguments being trotted out is that it's the same model Amazon use for Kindle, and Kindle users' get by no problem. What I'd say is that reading a book on a kindle is usually more time intensive then reading a comic - so the time spent getting your book onto the kindle is offset by the fact that you'll probably spend a good 2-3 weeks reading it. It's just not the same with comics - I can burn through a single issue in 15-30 mins - so spending the time setting up each issue on my device is a much greater inconvenience.

For now I'd rather just make purchases from my local comics store - but I haven't given up on Comixology completely. There's been a huge negative backlash from their customers on this change, so I'm sure they'll try to compromise once revenues take a hit.

[Ozz]

Ozz - when you make a purchase I'm assuming your preference is to use a laptop / desktop? Do you also read your comics on your laptop or do you transfer them to a portable device?

I buy (or redeem the code) through the website and read on an iPad. i found that Fid to Width option is the best way to read them. Although, the one time I tried to read them on the PC was few years ago, and now a HD widescreen monitor and a better PC might make a better experience.

[Best First]

i am pretty pissed off about it but have found if you subscribe you can still downaload direct in app (which is what i now do with MTMTE)

[Hound]

The other option is to download the publisher specific apps, which still allow in-app purchasing.

There are seperate apps for Marvel, DC, IDW and there is a Transformers branded app too.

I'm not buying anything through the Comixology website as I don't want them to think I support this stupid decision

[Impactor returns 2.0]

I buy all my comics on comixology.

Maybe I'm missing but I'm still using it how I always used it. Downloading to my phone or reading online (at work) without any problems?

[Best First]

its only an issue on iphone.