Would you pay more for ebook than paperback?

[xendula]

Originally Posted by rkw

Something I have not read mentioned here is what my experience with Kindle book pre-orders. The actual price at the release date is almost always lower than the pre-order price. In fact I cannot recall a time when I did not get charged less for my pre-orders though I rarely do pre-orders of an ebook because, well, ummmm, why? Not like they will run out. I just put it in my watch list and a tickler in my contact/to-do list if it is really important to me. Otherwise I just wait to remember about remembering.

Has Amazon changed this in the last year or so? It has been at least that long since I pre-ordered any book.

I preordered a Macmillan book that was released on Oct. 2, and the price stayed at the same $9.99. Hachette's "A casual vacancy", on the other hand, had a preorder price of $17.99 at which it sold in the first week, but it then dropped to $14.99.

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[CallOfCth'reader]

I'd possibly pay near the price of a paperback if the ebook was not DRM-locked.

I'd also probably pay more than a paperback if the ebook somehow had an added value over the paperback version; I've no idea what that added value would be, for me, although for some people the convenience of the ebook format is enough.

[shanghaichica]

Yes because I don't buy paperbacks/hardbacks anymore therefore the price of a physical book is irrelevant to me when deciding to buy an ebook. I decide to buy it if I think that individual book is worth the asking price, which in some cases may be more expensive than its physical counterpart.

[PainMike]

No. I haven't been reading too many from mobile platforms but I can say I wont change in this subject.
It's simply because my burden from years with computer tech says that physical is better than heap of '1's and '0's. The book is there regardless of bugs or power outages, beautiful in the shelf without discrimination between hard and paperbacks

[xendula]

Yeah, but when all hell breaks loOse, you can slide your entire library into your pocket with a solar charger, while you have to leave all your dead tree books behind.
...oh man, I've been reading too much dystopian/end of days/scifi... I was totally shopping for a solar charger yesterday!

[PainMike]

Originally Posted by xendula

Yeah, but when all hell breaks loOse, you can slide your entire library into your pocket with a solar charger, while you have to leave all your dead tree books behind.
...oh man, I've been reading too much dystopian/end of days/scifi... I was totally shopping for a solar charger yesterday!

The storage point is always valid
I'm for dystopia, we live in it
Erm...I bet the idea has been through MR if not in this thread but there hardly will be 'Fahrenheit 451' with pyres of Kindle etc. or will there?

[hwlester]

Originally Posted by PainMike

No. I haven't been reading too many from mobile platforms but I can say I wont change in this subject.
It's simply because my burden from years with computer tech says that physical is better than heap of '1's and '0's. The book is there regardless of bugs or power outages, beautiful in the shelf without discrimination between hard and paperbacks

The major issue I have along these lines is reading on airplanes. The whole turn off portable electronics during takeoff and landing. The takeoff one isn't too bad timewise, but the landing one seems like it takes forever. "We are about to start our descent. Please turn off portable electronics at this time." You can still read a paper book during these times, which is one advantage over ebooks. Hopefully, they will relax that for eink readers at some point.

[dandelioncottage]

This.

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

Yes because I don't buy paperbacks/hardbacks anymore therefore the price of a physical book is irrelevant to me when deciding to buy an ebook. I decide to buy it if I think that individual book is worth the asking price, which in some cases may be more expensive than its physical counterpart.

[crossi]

Would you pay more for ebook than paperback? No. Will not. Do not. And isn't a problem. I'm still buying books faster than I can read them. I find I really don't miss some that formerly were "must buys" and are overpriced for me as ebooks. And all this without getting into indies. There are plenty of books even formerly from mainstream publishers at reasonable prices. I can wait for the others.

[fbrII]

Would you pay more for ebook than paperback? No. Will not. Do not. And isn't a problem. I'm still buying books faster than I can read them. I find I really don't miss some that formerly were "must buys" and are overpriced for me as ebooks. And all this without getting into indies. There are plenty of books even formerly from mainstream publishers at reasonable prices. I can wait for the others.

You took the words right out of my mouth

[5thWiggle]

Originally Posted by hwlester

The major issue I have along these lines is reading on airplanes. The whole turn off portable electronics during takeoff and landing. The takeoff one isn't too bad timewise, but the landing one seems like it takes forever. "We are about to start our descent. Please turn off portable electronics at this time." You can still read a paper book during these times, which is one advantage over ebooks. Hopefully, they will relax that for eink readers at some point.

The whole "turn off your electronics" thing is a scam by the airlines! They get you to turn off your reader so you'll leaf through the Skymall catalogue and get addicted to buying crap at 30,000 feet. EVIL!

[hwlester]

Originally Posted by 5thWiggle

The whole "turn off your electronics" thing is a scam by the airlines! They get you to turn off your reader so you'll leaf through the Skymall catalogue and get addicted to buying crap at 30,000 feet. EVIL!

I guess I've scammed them, then... I've browsed through SkyMall and the in-flight magazines, but never purchased anything... Bwahahaha

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by hwlester

I guess I've scammed them, then... I've browsed through SkyMall and the in-flight magazines, but never purchased anything... Bwahahaha

I only look through the in-flight magazine because that's where the booze menu is located.

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by 5thWiggle

The whole "turn off your electronics" thing is a scam by the airlines! They get you to turn off your reader so you'll leaf through the Skymall catalogue and get addicted to buying crap at 30,000 feet. EVIL!

The Skymall catalog is actually the first place I ever saw an eBook reader advertised. It was the Rocketbook (eventually became the eBookwise) and was priced at $500. It was that ad that eventually prompted me to buy a PDA to read eBooks on...and thus I was addicted!

[jarrahloh]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

Ditto that. I will never pay more for an ebook than for a paper book. I place more value on owning an actual paper book than I do a text file, no matter what argument some might raise or comparisons they might draw. High-priced ebooks trigger the "I am being ripped-off" response in me, logical or not.

Well, at least you're honest.

But that pretty much says it all, because people aren't necessarily logical about the argument. They are putting emotional value on an inanimate object.

Reading all this really does highlight how much value westerners put into possessions.

I feel like I have been having this same argument for 20 years about books and music and films and photos, but people still don't get it.

People seem to think there is more substance and rustic morale to hold these physical objects, as if from a time when society was better. Where it's actually the opposite.

Anyway, maybe I'm taking it a bit far, but the more movies and music and books I get, the less value I realise they have.

I think the ebook holds more value for me and it does more.

However...I certainly do agree with the sharing issue. Hopefully it may change one day.

But you know what? When someone 'shares' a paper book with me, I just download it, because I still prefer to read it on the Kindle!
I work at a magazine and get plenty of free hardcovers. But I still usually get the mobi! You cannot beat the convenience. I don't own a handbag -- I aint carting those things around with me!