Outrageously Priced Ebooks- Does anyone actually by them? - Page 2

Over · 01-31-2009, 06:30 AM

Even if we talk about fiction books, you already know the old advantages over pBooks: lower production costs, larger profit margin. Even if ebooks are more convenient, I don't know if that's enough to make it more expensive (ie, the same worth as pBooks with the production costs).

It's like printing a pBook with a different font style and say "hey, it's more expensive because it's easier to read with this font style".

Plus, an eBook requires a prior investment in a reader (ereader, computer, PDA, etc), a pBook is an independent product.

tompe · 01-31-2009, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Why would you not buy an eBook if it were a similar price to a paper book? To me, the eBook is "worth" more, because it doesn't use any physical storage space!

Haven't you said that you read and throw away most of your books and that DRM does not matter since you see the book as a meal that you consume and do not keep? So how can storage space matter for these books?

HarryT · 01-31-2009, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

Haven't you said that you read and throw away most of your books and that DRM does not matter since you see the book as a meal that you consume and do not keep? So how can storage space matter for these books?

Because it often takes me a couple of years to get around to reading them. I have to store them somewhere in the mean time!

As well as that, "most" is the important word, not "all". My favourite books I do keep, and I don't have enough storage space to keep everything I'd like as paper books. Eg, I recently got rid of 50+ Agatha Christie books which I'd subsequently bought as eBooks. The paper books were nice to have, but they just took up too much space. I've kept the Agatha Christie's which aren't currently available as eBooks.

lilac_jive · 01-31-2009, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Because it often takes me a couple of years to get around to reading them. I have to store them somewhere in the mean time!

As well as that, "most" is the important word, not "all". My favourite books I do keep, and I don't have enough storage space to keep everything I'd like as paper books. Eg, I recently got rid of 50+ Agatha Christie books which I'd subsequently bought as eBooks. The paper books were nice to have, but they just took up too much space. I've kept the Agatha Christie's which aren't currently available as eBooks.

You didn't happen to sell them to DG, did you?

I'm going to pretty much agree with what you said. I don't want to pay more for an ebook than a pbook, but I don't mind around the same price (except harcover ebooks, I'll pay $11-13). I used to sell a lot of my books right after I read them, but even then I still had way too many books I couldn't get rid of. I still have a bunch I'm going to donate the the library book sale. The fact that I don't have to worry about that anymore is the most amazing thing ever.

desertgrandma · 01-31-2009, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Why would you not buy an eBook if it were a similar price to a paper book? To me, the eBook is "worth" more, because it doesn't use any physical storage space!

I do both, tho not with every author. I love both the physical site of a wall full of books, and the convenience of e-books.

I still say e-books and paper books can and should co-exist peacefully......

HarryT · 01-31-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

I still say e-books and paper books can and should co-exist peacefully......

Certainly! I still buy both.

rhadin · 01-31-2009, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Why would you not buy an eBook if it were a similar price to a paper book? To me, the eBook is "worth" more, because it doesn't use any physical storage space!

Harry, I would agree with one qualifier: if the book is DRM free. I am happy to pay the same price for a pbook as an ebook under that circumstance, but I am not happy to do so if the book has DRM. No matter how valuable the ease of storage is to me, DRM is a negative of greater cost.

Although not a reference book such as a dictionary (which I agree might entail a different analysis), I offer the example of the new Fiona McIntosh fantasy novel, which I have commented on in another thread on MR. HarperCollins, the publisher of the novel, lists the pbook price on its website as $7.99 but the ebook price as $14.99. It makes no sense to me to pay a premium for a DRMed ebook of the novel just to save shelf space. (In this case, it makes more sense to me to simply not buy either the p or e version and notify HC why, which I have done.) Having said that, I would have bought the e version at $7.99 even with DRM because I consider this type of book a read-once book and $8 is my upper limit for a read-once fiction DRMed book. (I will go as high $14 for certain nonfiction books, but they must be books I will look at more than once.)

I guess it boils down to the exhaustively discussed questions of "How much of a pricing negative is DRM to you?" and "Is that negative surmountable by other attributes of either ebooks in general or of an an ebook in particular?"

HarryT · 01-31-2009, 10:37 AM

I certainly wouldn't pay significantly MORE for an eBook than for the paper book, Richard (unless it contained for, of course), but I have no objection to paying a similar price.

I put in the "caveat" of "unless it contained more", because Penguin have a series of what they call "Enhanced eBooks" which contain lots of "extras" over the printed book and which (if the book interests you) are worth paying the extra for. I bought the "enhanced" version of "Pride and Prejudice" and it's a perfect example of what an eBook should be, with loads of "extras" all hyperlinked to the book text. Well worth the money.

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01-31-2009, 06:30 AM	#16
Over Wizard Posts: 1,462 Karma: 6061516 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cascais, Portugal Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2", OnePlus 6	Even if we talk about fiction books, you already know the old advantages over pBooks: lower production costs, larger profit margin. Even if ebooks are more convenient, I don't know if that's enough to make it more expensive (ie, the same worth as pBooks with the production costs). It's like printing a pBook with a different font style and say "hey, it's more expensive because it's easier to read with this font style". Plus, an eBook requires a prior investment in a reader (ereader, computer, PDA, etc), a pBook is an independent product.

01-31-2009, 10:37 AM	#23
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I certainly wouldn't pay significantly MORE for an eBook than for the paper book, Richard (unless it contained for, of course), but I have no objection to paying a similar price. I put in the "caveat" of "unless it contained more", because Penguin have a series of what they call "Enhanced eBooks" which contain lots of "extras" over the printed book and which (if the book interests you) are worth paying the extra for. I bought the "enhanced" version of "Pride and Prejudice" and it's a perfect example of what an eBook should be, with loads of "extras" all hyperlinked to the book text. Well worth the money.

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