Ebook price comparisons

spinoza · 09-08-2009, 07:18 AM

Now that we have four full-size ebookstores to choose from (Kindle, Sony, Barnes and Noble, and eBooks.com), are folks noticing wide variations in prices? So far I'm coming to the conclusion that Sony's bookstore is the most expensive, right up there with eBooks.com. Most interesting has been my perception that the Barnes and Noble pricing has been surprisingly aggressive, and that more often than not it has the best prices (sometimes significantly so).

Unfortunately I have a Sony Reader, so if I wish to read a book on the Reader I am frequently finding myself having to decide to buy the most expensive book. I am interested in purchasing one now, for example, that is $19 through the Sony Store, but only $9.99 at Barnes and Noble--what a difference! At that price it's not difficult deciding on the Barnes and Noble version, and then reading it on my iPhone. But then, if this continues my beloved Sony Reader may end up as one of those unused "gadgets" collecting dust on my shelf.

What are others experiences, are they different from mine?

AnemicOak · 09-08-2009, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spinoza

Now that we have four full-size ebookstores to choose from (Kindle, Sony, Barnes and Noble, and eBooks.com),

You're missing three of the most used stores. Fictionwise, Books On Board and Diesel. Ebooks.com would be one of my last choices since they usually charge full price & Sony has been lowering prices quite a bit over the past month or so.

For your Sony try Books On Board. Many of the books they sell are ePub (which the Sony reads) and sometimes even have the $9.99 price B&N and Amazon have for bestsellers.

You can remove the DRM from the B&N (eReader) book and convert it for your Sony if you're comfortable with that.

spinoza · 09-08-2009, 11:08 AM

Thanks Brian, I wasn't aware one could remove the DRM for the B&N books. I didn't include Fictionwise because, well, I just came to see it as a source for trashy novels early on and never went back to it. I'm only vaguely familiar with Books On Board and Diesel, and there too never really considered them a serious ebook resource. I just did a quick check with Books On Board, and their prices seem to be very high, even higher than eBooks.com!

Perhaps it depends on what kind of books one reads. I read mostly non-fiction, either academic literature (history, philosophy, etc) or current events. Fictionwise and Books On Board may offer good prices on primarily fiction. But once again, right now this is only based on first impressions.

In any case, thanks for pointing out these other sources.

AnemicOak · 09-08-2009, 11:12 AM

Could be. I've never really used them for anything but fiction.

Boyodublin · 09-08-2009, 11:17 PM

Books on Board has Kathy Griffins new book for $15.
Sony has the same book for $9.99.

Why are sellers all over the place with their pricing?

Let's start a movement on MobileRead to insist that all e books be priced at a $5 flat rate. I'm sure sales would rocket and the new ebook technology soar!

Yes, I might as well dream here as in my bed! I know!

AnemicOak · 09-08-2009, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boyodublin

Books on Board has Kathy Griffins new book for $15.
Sony has the same book for $9.99.

Why are sellers all over the place with their pricing?

Because BoB is trying to make something on it and Sony is competing with Amazon and willing to break even or take a loss. BoB's price is 40% off list, it's the publisher that's crazy and set a $25 list price. I notice the Audiobook only has a list of $15, it's strange how many audiobooks are a lot cheaper than the print or e book now.

Boyodublin · 09-08-2009, 11:40 PM

Most of the large retail book stores already offer the 40% off the regular book price, otherwise very few folks would purchase the books in the first place (and especially now with the depressed economy, etc.).

I don't understand how a $9.99 ebook purchase price is not profitable? Can someone in the publishing industry please explain this?? No shipping costs & no production costs, etc.....

If one million ebook readers purchase at $5 a book, isn't that better than 100,000 readers purchasing hard copies, with all the additional production expenses, at $15 apiece?

AnemicOak · 09-08-2009, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boyodublin

Most of the large retail book stores already offer the 40% off the regular book price, otherwise very few folks would purchase the books in the first place (and especially now with the depressed economy, etc.).

Very few books see that kind of discount.

Quote:

I don't understand how a $9.99 ebook purchase price is not profitable? Can someone in the publishing industry please explain this?? No shipping costs & no production costs, etc.....

In the case of the book you mentioned it IS profitable for the publisher as they base the discounts they give sellers on the list price which is $25. It's the retailer that it's not profitable (or barely profitable for). The publisher is getting their cut regardless.

Aside from that ebooks still have production costs. Granted there is no shipping or printing costs, but there are still distribution costs and printing costs don't add up to as much as most people think.

It's publishers that need to lower the prices to retailers so that retailers can pass that on to us. With ebooks making up only a very small, 1-3%, of the market they seem loath to do so.

Vesper · 09-08-2009, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I notice the Audiobook only has a list of $15, it's strange how many audiobooks are a lot cheaper than the print or e book now.

I wonder how can that be since you have to pay a person reading something too... Apart from everything else. Weird.

DrS

Boyodublin · 09-08-2009, 11:51 PM

Let me change that to "no shipping costs and very small production costs."

Boyodublin · 09-09-2009, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by: AmericOak
In the case of the book you mentioned it IS profitable for the publisher as they base the discounts they give sellers on the list price which is $25. It's the retailer that it's not profitable (or barely profitable for). The publisher is getting their cut regardless.
AnemicOak

So, how can we cut out the middle guy, the publisher?
OR, maybe someone can take up the cause of negotiating a different type of $$ tier system for ebooks, separate from what we already have for hard copy books. It makes perfect sense that the "per book" profits expected from ebooks, for all parties concerned (writers, publishers, retailers,etc.) should be curtailed to the extreme. This way, the industry has a chance to gain traction and all parties concerned have a greater potential to make increased profit in the future. Am I dreaming?

wayspooled · 09-09-2009, 12:12 AM

Didn't someone who posts here create a tool that scans the major ebook stores and services for lowest price? Anyone know what/where that was?

AnemicOak · 09-09-2009, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayspooled

Didn't someone who posts here create a tool that scans the major ebook stores and services for lowest price? Anyone know what/where that was?

http://www.ebookprice.info/

Boyodublin · 09-09-2009, 12:22 AM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by: wayspooled
Didn't someone who posts here create a tool that scans the major ebook stores and services for lowest price? Anyone know what/where that was?[QUOTE]

What a terrific tool and means of immediately finding the cheapest text; however, how might we we use the information garnished by this excellent tool to advocate for an overall different pricing scheme for ebooks?

Any ideas?? What about the MobileRead monitors taking up the cause?? I'm Irish, so forgive the rebel in me...

T3_reader · 09-09-2009, 12:22 AM

Has anyone noticed how pricing has actually gone up quite a bit at ereader.com? They seems to have given up on their '12.95$ max' pricing. I had hoped that this would have been a permanent pricing strategy but apparenty B&N, who own Fictionwise and ereader, aren't ready or willing yet to compete with Amazon.

09-08-2009, 07:18 AM	#1
spinoza Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Boston area Device: PRS-505, iPhone, MacBook Pro	Ebook price comparisons Now that we have four full-size ebookstores to choose from (Kindle, Sony, Barnes and Noble, and eBooks.com), are folks noticing wide variations in prices? So far I'm coming to the conclusion that Sony's bookstore is the most expensive, right up there with eBooks.com. Most interesting has been my perception that the Barnes and Noble pricing has been surprisingly aggressive, and that more often than not it has the best prices (sometimes significantly so). Unfortunately I have a Sony Reader, so if I wish to read a book on the Reader I am frequently finding myself having to decide to buy the most expensive book. I am interested in purchasing one now, for example, that is $19 through the Sony Store, but only $9.99 at Barnes and Noble--what a difference! At that price it's not difficult deciding on the Barnes and Noble version, and then reading it on my iPhone. But then, if this continues my beloved Sony Reader may end up as one of those unused "gadgets" collecting dust on my shelf. What are others experiences, are they different from mine?

09-08-2009, 11:17 PM	#5
Boyodublin Enthusiast Posts: 30 Karma: 72 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Sony Reader	Crazy Pricing!! Books on Board has Kathy Griffins new book for $15. Sony has the same book for $9.99. Why are sellers all over the place with their pricing? Let's start a movement on MobileRead to insist that all e books be priced at a $5 flat rate. I'm sure sales would rocket and the new ebook technology soar! Yes, I might as well dream here as in my bed! I know!

09-08-2009, 11:40 PM	#7
Boyodublin Enthusiast Posts: 30 Karma: 72 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Sony Reader	But how can they not make money on a $9.99 book? Most of the large retail book stores already offer the 40% off the regular book price, otherwise very few folks would purchase the books in the first place (and especially now with the depressed economy, etc.). I don't understand how a $9.99 ebook purchase price is not profitable? Can someone in the publishing industry please explain this?? No shipping costs & no production costs, etc..... If one million ebook readers purchase at $5 a book, isn't that better than 100,000 readers purchasing hard copies, with all the additional production expenses, at $15 apiece? Last edited by Boyodublin; 09-08-2009 at 11:41 PM. Reason: Left out a word....sorry!!

09-09-2009, 12:22 AM	#14
Boyodublin Enthusiast Posts: 30 Karma: 72 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Sony Reader	But what can we do with the information from this tool? [QUOTE]Originally posted by: wayspooled Didn't someone who posts here create a tool that scans the major ebook stores and services for lowest price? Anyone know what/where that was?[QUOTE] What a terrific tool and means of immediately finding the cheapest text; however, how might we we use the information garnished by this excellent tool to advocate for an overall different pricing scheme for ebooks? Any ideas?? What about the MobileRead monitors taking up the cause?? I'm Irish, so forgive the rebel in me...

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09-08-2009, 11:08 AM	#3
spinoza Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Boston area Device: PRS-505, iPhone, MacBook Pro	Thanks Brian, I wasn't aware one could remove the DRM for the B&N books. I didn't include Fictionwise because, well, I just came to see it as a source for trashy novels early on and never went back to it. I'm only vaguely familiar with Books On Board and Diesel, and there too never really considered them a serious ebook resource. I just did a quick check with Books On Board, and their prices seem to be very high, even higher than eBooks.com! Perhaps it depends on what kind of books one reads. I read mostly non-fiction, either academic literature (history, philosophy, etc) or current events. Fictionwise and Books On Board may offer good prices on primarily fiction. But once again, right now this is only based on first impressions. In any case, thanks for pointing out these other sources.

09-08-2009, 11:12 AM	#4
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	Could be. I've never really used them for anything but fiction.

09-08-2009, 11:51 PM	#10
Boyodublin Enthusiast Posts: 30 Karma: 72 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Sony Reader	Let me change that to "no shipping costs and very small production costs."

09-09-2009, 12:12 AM	#12
wayspooled Crab In The Dark Posts: 486 Karma: 2328180 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Tablet PC until a 10" comes out that I like	Didn't someone who posts here create a tool that scans the major ebook stores and services for lowest price? Anyone know what/where that was?

09-09-2009, 12:22 AM	#15
T3_reader Enthusiast Posts: 24 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: IPad & Android phone	Has anyone noticed how pricing has actually gone up quite a bit at ereader.com? They seems to have given up on their '12.95$ max' pricing. I had hoped that this would have been a permanent pricing strategy but apparenty B&N, who own Fictionwise and ereader, aren't ready or willing yet to compete with Amazon.

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