Kindle book prices compared..... US & UK accounts

Noosahead · 08-02-2010, 06:59 AM

Hello,
It would appear that there are quite large differences in the prices being charged for Kindle books depending on the geographic location of the account.
If one were to buy all 17 of the 25 current US bestsellers which are available to both US & UK account holders then the price would be:

$161.71 for US customers
and
$139.44 for UK customers

This is a price difference of 14%.

Of course this comparison may not be representative and the range and number of books currently on offer in the US is considerably larger than in the UK.

Account holders in continental Europe, by the way, pay considerably more than UK account holders.

Mike L · 08-02-2010, 07:39 AM

So, based on your sample, books are actually cheaper in the UK. That's slightly surprising, given how often we hear complaints in this forum and elsewhere that suggests the opposite. Very interesting.

Over · 08-02-2010, 07:43 AM

That this take in consideration UK's VAT?

digiridan · 08-02-2010, 08:03 AM

This just makes me sad...

Is there any way to avoid it?

Grumpyreader · 08-02-2010, 08:24 AM

Gotta love the RPC's ruling on the Net Book Agreement!

It'll be interesting to see whether the publishers try their "we're not selling a book, we're selling a license" argument when Amazon's UK bookstore opens in order to try to fix prices here too.

Over the past few weeks I've noticed that the gap between the number of books (or the ones I want to buy anyway) available in the US compared to the UK is narrowing and that the price gap is widening.

For example, I bought an ebook from Amazon yesterday. Amazon is selling it to UK Kindle owners for $5.80 and to US Kindle owners for $9.99 (with the usual disclaimer about the price being set by the publisher). WH Smith were selling it for $8.21.

koland · 08-02-2010, 09:06 AM

Sounds like I need to take a wee trip to the UK .... virtually, of course.

koland · 08-02-2010, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by digiridan

This just makes me sad...

I want to know how you get the cute little pull-down to check various countries. Mine only shows my current country, hard-coded. To change it (and prices, check restrictions, etc), I have to create a new shipping address and assign in on the Manage My Kindle page .. then switch to it, find the original item; rinse, repeat.

Having that little pulldown would be much more convenient, for some things.

digiridan · 08-02-2010, 10:29 AM

I accidentally opened amazon.com with Internet Explorer (my default browser is Firefox), and there was that cute little pull-down menu

Grumpyreader · 08-02-2010, 12:22 PM

Interesting. I'm outside the US, have only one address attached to my Amazon account (non-US) and it lets me see the menu.

If I search for a particular book it tells me whether I'm allowed it or not. But if I search generally or just go to the Kindle books page, it gives me the menu.

wesleyer · 08-02-2010, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koland

I want to know how you get the cute little pull-down to check various countries. Mine only shows my current country, hard-coded. To change it (and prices, check restrictions, etc), I have to create a new shipping address and assign in on the Manage My Kindle page .. then switch to it, find the original item; rinse, repeat.

Having that little pulldown would be much more convenient, for some things.

To get the pulldown, log out of your Amazon.com account by clicking the "(Not Your Name)" link at the top of the page.

After logging out from the site, simply select "Kindle Store" from the home page and then will have the pulldown and be able to quickly change regions.

Pushka · 08-03-2010, 03:42 AM

The Kindle 3 wifi is selling at 110 pounds in UK which equates to $175USD, but in the US Amazon store sells at $139. What is with that pricing! Someone is making extra money somewhere.

suecsi · 08-03-2010, 04:08 AM

+17.5% VAT would make $163 so not not far off. Plus there are probably import taxes when they are bought in, even to a UK based warehouse.

HarryT · 08-03-2010, 05:55 AM

There's been a pretty significant rise in the value of the Pound against the US Dollar over the last couple of weeks. That probably accounts for at least some of the apparent difference.

Pushka · 08-03-2010, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

There's been a pretty significant rise in the value of the Pound against the US Dollar over the last couple of weeks. That probably accounts for at least some of the apparent difference.

Thats why sometimes it works to pay things in USD - you get the benefit of strengthening prices in your own currency against the USD. Australia is doing better at the moment, but in May this year it dropped 10 cents (10%) in a week! Now it is back again.

08-02-2010, 06:59 AM	#1
Noosahead Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle	Kindle book prices compared..... US & UK accounts Hello, It would appear that there are quite large differences in the prices being charged for Kindle books depending on the geographic location of the account. If one were to buy all 17 of the 25 current US bestsellers which are available to both US & UK account holders then the price would be: $161.71 for US customers and $139.44 for UK customers This is a price difference of 14%. Of course this comparison may not be representative and the range and number of books currently on offer in the US is considerably larger than in the UK. Account holders in continental Europe, by the way, pay considerably more than UK account holders.

08-02-2010, 07:39 AM	#2
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,175 Karma: 2962988 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3	So, based on your sample, books are actually cheaper in the UK. That's slightly surprising, given how often we hear complaints in this forum and elsewhere that suggests the opposite. Very interesting. __________________ Currently reading: Why Was Queen Victoria Such a Prude? (David Haviland); Payment Deferred (C.S. Forester)

08-02-2010, 09:06 AM	#6
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,162 Karma: 4780504 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(1/2/3/dx), nook, nookcolr, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	Sounds like I need to take a wee trip to the UK .... virtually, of course. __________________ Karen (Books On The Knob, Erotica BOTK & Christian BOTK) Affiliate tags for: Kobo, Smashwords, Deal of the Day at Diesel & Eros Please clear your browser cookies before purchasing free books, to avoid penalizing any amazon affiliates you frequent. Get an extra 250MB at Dropbox.

08-03-2010, 04:08 AM	#12
suecsi Rock Chick Posts: 426 Karma: 4965 Join Date: May 2009 Location: near Heathrow Device: Kindle 2i, Kindle DX, Kindle 3G	+17.5% VAT would make $163 so not not far off. Plus there are probably import taxes when they are bought in, even to a UK based warehouse. __________________ "Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken" - Tommy Lee

08-03-2010, 05:55 AM	#13
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 54,665 Karma: 26165759 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Touch, PW, Fire HD, iPad 3, iPhone 4, Samsung Tab 2 7 + More	There's been a pretty significant rise in the value of the Pound against the US Dollar over the last couple of weeks. That probably accounts for at least some of the apparent difference. __________________ Harry Currently proofreading The Poison Belt, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

08-02-2010, 07:43 AM	#3
Over Wizard Posts: 1,450 Karma: 3949068 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cascais, Portugal Device: Cybook Gen3, Kindle DXi, Kindle 3, iPad and iPhone 4	That this take in consideration UK's VAT?

08-02-2010, 08:03 AM	#4
digiridan Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 80994 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Croatia Device: Kindle PW, Kindle 3, Thinkpad Tablet	This just makes me sad... Is there any way to avoid it?

08-02-2010, 08:24 AM	#5
Grumpyreader Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 6000 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: Sony PRS505, Kindle 2 Int.	Gotta love the RPC's ruling on the Net Book Agreement! It'll be interesting to see whether the publishers try their "we're not selling a book, we're selling a license" argument when Amazon's UK bookstore opens in order to try to fix prices here too. Over the past few weeks I've noticed that the gap between the number of books (or the ones I want to buy anyway) available in the US compared to the UK is narrowing and that the price gap is widening. For example, I bought an ebook from Amazon yesterday. Amazon is selling it to UK Kindle owners for $5.80 and to US Kindle owners for $9.99 (with the usual disclaimer about the price being set by the publisher). WH Smith were selling it for $8.21.

08-02-2010, 10:29 AM	#8
digiridan Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 80994 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Croatia Device: Kindle PW, Kindle 3, Thinkpad Tablet	I accidentally opened amazon.com with Internet Explorer (my default browser is Firefox), and there was that cute little pull-down menu

08-02-2010, 12:22 PM	#9
Grumpyreader Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 6000 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: Sony PRS505, Kindle 2 Int.	Interesting. I'm outside the US, have only one address attached to my Amazon account (non-US) and it lets me see the menu. If I search for a particular book it tells me whether I'm allowed it or not. But if I search generally or just go to the Kindle books page, it gives me the menu.

08-03-2010, 03:42 AM	#11
Pushka Wizard Posts: 1,114 Karma: 1019140 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Australia Device: kindle, Ipad, Iphone, Nexus and PPW	The Kindle 3 wifi is selling at 110 pounds in UK which equates to $175USD, but in the US Amazon store sells at $139. What is with that pricing! Someone is making extra money somewhere.

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