Fernley entrepreneur launches audiobook rentals
Fernley resident Matt Roman capitalized on the NetFlix idea of a mailbox-to-mailbox business to found TenSpin.com, a subscription- based Web site offering unlimited rentals of audio CDs. Roman started the business in late March with a library of about 2,000 titles based on the New York Times’ bestsellers list.
“I just keep the most popular inventory on stock. As you see new books come on the bestsellers list, they will be in my inventory,” says Roman, who keeps the inventory in his home.
A former importer of goods from China, Roman used his own funds for the new venture. He hopes to move the two-employee operation out of his home as the business grows. The fee for an unlimited number of rentals is $21.95 per month, and customers have the option of purchasing titles outright.
Rom
an sees his target audience as commuters and other travelers and people with bad eyesight who cannot read anymore. He has some minor print ads in place, but Web-based advertising and Internet searches generate the bulk of his site’s traffic.
Roman has created a few niche segments that are selling well, such as segments devoted to real estate agents and Christian readers. He researched the top-10 bestselling books on real estate and stocked those titles.
