Price of e-books

Martin Smith · 03-24-2008, 08:03 AM

I like the idea of the E-reader as I think it will encourage me to read more during my commute. However I am put off by the price of content.

Looking at the Amazon and Sony US models it seems the price of ebooks is very similar (and in some cases more) than the price charged for print versions. I was surprised at this and baulk at paying comparable prices for digital versions as for the hard copy, with no second hand market available and no possibility for me to lend books to friends when I've finished reading them.

If I end up getting an ereader I guess that I will very likely end up using it primarily for catching up on out of copyright classics such as the ones available at www.gutenberg.org whilst waiting for the publishers to get their pricing policy in order

Are there any other good sources of free / low cost ebooks?

Also how do you see the e-book market progressing in the future?

A good use of DRM for me would be things like the possibility of "renting" books (say by paying 10% of the selling price per day with the DRM controlling an expiry date). Does this exist already somewhere?

I can also imagine a situation where authors completely bypass publishers and sell their e-books to the consumer direct. Does anything like this exist already? If so where and what is the quality of content like?

HarryT · 03-24-2008, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Smith

A good use of DRM for me would be things like the possibility of "renting" books (say by paying 10% of the selling price per day with the DRM controlling an expiry date). Does this exist already somewhere?

Sony did this with the Librie (their original eInk book reader) in Japan. It was a complete commercial disaster. People want to "own" ebooks, not rent them.

There are, however, a number of libraries which "lend out" MobiPocket format eBooks with time-limited DRM.

Martin Smith · 03-24-2008, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Sony did this with the Librie (their original eInk book reader) in Japan. It was a complete commercial disaster. People want to "own" ebooks, not rent them.

There are, however, a number of libraries which "lend out" MobiPocket format eBooks with time-limited DRM.

I'm surprised at that.

I generally will only read a fiction book once (unless I get the urge to read and don't happen to have anything around that I haven't read before) so "owning" an e-book I have already read would not be important to me - as long as the price I was paying to rent was sufficiently lower than the price to buy.

RobbieClarken · 03-24-2008, 08:39 AM

The selection of ebooks is a bigger issue than price for me. When I want a book, if I can find it in the Sony eBook Store I'll pay up to $20. Well I will do when I have some credit on my eBook Store account. But usually the books I want aren't there... luckily I have other sources that are much more efficient and free

.

I think the future of ebook sales will be like mp3s: it will always be easier and quicker to get them pirated. I don't think I'd pay to hire ebooks but I'd certainly be more inclined to buy a book if I knew the money was going straight to the author.

Martin Smith · 03-24-2008, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epiphany

The selection of ebooks is a bigger issue than price for me.

Sorry I'm still getting up to speed with ebooks/ereaders

Does the selection of books available also depend largely on the device you have or are most books available in multiple DRM formats?

HarryT · 03-24-2008, 09:04 AM

Most books are available in all the main DRM formats. Choice of DRM format doesn't really affect your choice of books.

MickeyC · 03-24-2008, 12:32 PM

Hi Martin Smith. I tend to agree with about the prices of ebooks. The publisher saves a ton of money with an ebook yet greedily doesn't pass it on to the reading public. Sort of like the odious 'convenience' cinemas and sports venues add onto to your internet ticket purchase. They are essentially charging you for saving them money.

And publishers could greatly increase the popularity of ebooks were they to drop the prices.

Having said all that, I'm still hooked on the things but would be more so were they a bit cheaper.

giedre · 03-24-2008, 12:32 PM

I've been happy with my Kindle and find it's a great convenience to be able to read a review on a book and then find it in the Kindle store on Amazon, and then be able to buy it for ten bucks {usually}. Still it galls me to go to Sam's or some such discount store and find the same books cheaper. It's hard for me to justify spending ten bucks for an e-copy when I can get the p-book for two to three dollars less. I find that despite my e-readers, I am still buying p-books!

Steven Lyle Jordan · 03-24-2008, 12:47 PM

(Ahem.)

Spend more time looking around the site, and you'll find some good indie authors with low-cost, light-or-no-DRM e-books in multiple formats for you.

Martin Smith · 03-24-2008, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassidym

Hi Martin Smith. I tend to agree with about the prices of ebooks. The publisher saves a ton of money with an ebook yet greedily doesn't pass it on to the reading public. Sort of like the odious 'convenience' cinemas and sports venues add onto to your internet ticket purchase. They are essentially charging you for saving them money.

And publishers could greatly increase the popularity of ebooks were they to drop the prices.

Having said all that, I'm still hooked on the things but would be more so were they a bit cheaper.

The other thing that worries me a bit about the pricing policy is the lack of compatibility between DRM formats. If I was to make a big investment in books from the Sony connect store and later wanted to purchase a different brand of reader I guess these would be useless to me?

Martin Smith · 03-24-2008, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

(Ahem.)

Spend more time looking around the site, and you'll find some good indie authors with low-cost, light-or-no-DRM e-books in multiple formats for you.

Thanks, I've seen the e-books forum. Looks like some good stuff on there

a.vojtko · 03-25-2008, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by giedre

Still it galls me to go to Sam's or some such discount store and find the same books cheaper. It's hard for me to justify spending ten bucks for an e-copy when I can get the p-book for two to three dollars less. I find that despite my e-readers, I am still buying p-books!

While it's sometimes hard to remember this as a consumer (vs a supplier), keep in mind that no vendor can price their products to match Sam's Club and Costco discounts. They are able to eat such enormous discounts only because they are selling at such high volume.

Also, most ebooks I've seen/bought are lower, by at least 15%, than their print counterparts. This is especially true for fiction and more or less accurate for nonfiction and technical-type titles. I think if you are in the market for an ebook edition, it's for a reason - you want to read on the go, need to increase the font size and hate large print, or don't have the space to carry as many books with you as you'd like - and price isn't a huge issue, especially when we've already shelled out the cash for a dedicated reader! And just as some people spend more money on hardcover editions when paperbacks are readily available, those who truly want an ebook won't mind paying a few extra bucks every once in a while.

DixieGal · 03-25-2008, 05:22 PM

I have found that my ebooks are much less expensive than paperbacks. I'm still fairly new to ebooks, having gotten my EB-1150 for Christmas. Most of the books I have bought were from the eBookwise site, and there seems to always be a sale of some sort going on. I subscribed to their newsletter which gives details of the specials, and I've gotten some really great bargains on books.

DaleDe · 03-25-2008, 05:54 PM

welcome DixieGal. Glad you are enjoying your EB-1150. We have some great free eBooks for it on this site.

Dale

Lobolover · 03-25-2008, 07:30 PM

e-books should be free,or it isnt an E-book,thats what I think.seriously, if youre gonna spend money on it,buy it in the flesh.

03-24-2008, 08:03 AM	#1
Martin Smith Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Irex Iliad	Price of e-books I like the idea of the E-reader as I think it will encourage me to read more during my commute. However I am put off by the price of content. Looking at the Amazon and Sony US models it seems the price of ebooks is very similar (and in some cases more) than the price charged for print versions. I was surprised at this and baulk at paying comparable prices for digital versions as for the hard copy, with no second hand market available and no possibility for me to lend books to friends when I've finished reading them. If I end up getting an ereader I guess that I will very likely end up using it primarily for catching up on out of copyright classics such as the ones available at www.gutenberg.org whilst waiting for the publishers to get their pricing policy in order Are there any other good sources of free / low cost ebooks? Also how do you see the e-book market progressing in the future? A good use of DRM for me would be things like the possibility of "renting" books (say by paying 10% of the selling price per day with the DRM controlling an expiry date). Does this exist already somewhere? I can also imagine a situation where authors completely bypass publishers and sell their e-books to the consumer direct. Does anything like this exist already? If so where and what is the quality of content like?

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03-24-2008, 08:39 AM	#4
RobbieClarken Addict Posts: 371 Karma: 1002274 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Australia Device: Kindle	The selection of ebooks is a bigger issue than price for me. When I want a book, if I can find it in the Sony eBook Store I'll pay up to $20. Well I will do when I have some credit on my eBook Store account. But usually the books I want aren't there... luckily I have other sources that are much more efficient and free . I think the future of ebook sales will be like mp3s: it will always be easier and quicker to get them pirated. I don't think I'd pay to hire ebooks but I'd certainly be more inclined to buy a book if I knew the money was going straight to the author.

03-24-2008, 09:04 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Most books are available in all the main DRM formats. Choice of DRM format doesn't really affect your choice of books.

03-24-2008, 12:32 PM	#7
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,732 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	Hi Martin Smith. I tend to agree with about the prices of ebooks. The publisher saves a ton of money with an ebook yet greedily doesn't pass it on to the reading public. Sort of like the odious 'convenience' cinemas and sports venues add onto to your internet ticket purchase. They are essentially charging you for saving them money. And publishers could greatly increase the popularity of ebooks were they to drop the prices. Having said all that, I'm still hooked on the things but would be more so were they a bit cheaper.

03-24-2008, 12:32 PM	#8
giedre Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 4850 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North Carolina Device: Sony 500,505, Kindle, 1150	I've been happy with my Kindle and find it's a great convenience to be able to read a review on a book and then find it in the Kindle store on Amazon, and then be able to buy it for ten bucks {usually}. Still it galls me to go to Sam's or some such discount store and find the same books cheaper. It's hard for me to justify spending ten bucks for an e-copy when I can get the p-book for two to three dollars less. I find that despite my e-readers, I am still buying p-books!

03-24-2008, 12:47 PM	#9
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	(Ahem.) Spend more time looking around the site, and you'll find some good indie authors with low-cost, light-or-no-DRM e-books in multiple formats for you.

03-25-2008, 05:22 PM	#13
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	I have found that my ebooks are much less expensive than paperbacks. I'm still fairly new to ebooks, having gotten my EB-1150 for Christmas. Most of the books I have bought were from the eBookwise site, and there seems to always be a sale of some sort going on. I subscribed to their newsletter which gives details of the specials, and I've gotten some really great bargains on books.

03-25-2008, 05:54 PM	#14
DaleDe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,470 Karma: 13095790 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Grass Valley, CA Device: EB 1150, EZ Reader, Literati, iPad 2 & Air 2, iPhone 7	welcome DixieGal. Glad you are enjoying your EB-1150. We have some great free eBooks for it on this site. Dale

03-25-2008, 07:30 PM	#15
Lobolover Gorosei Posts: 421 Karma: 334 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Microsoft Word	e-books should be free,or it isnt an E-book,thats what I think.seriously, if youre gonna spend money on it,buy it in the flesh.

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