Amazon eBook price outrage! - Page 2

jbcohen · 12-02-2010, 09:58 AM

What are your standards for ebook prices? Mine are this: 1) Will never buy any ebook that is equal to or greater than the paper back price; 2) Will not pay over $8 with very few exceptions, right now there is only Robert Jordan.

abookreader · 12-02-2010, 11:08 AM

My standard is - how bad do I want to own this book?
I don't look at paper prices because I don't buy paper books.

At this point in time I now own so many books that a book has to be incredibly appealing for me to agree to buy it at all, much less spend $15 on it. Even still, I bought that Faye Kellerman novel on Amazon for 99cents because ... hey, it was 99cents and I might want to read it someday, right? Or my grandkids might want to read it. right???

Personally I find way too many books in the $5 (or less) to $7 range to keep me busy reading for an awful long time.

As I said on that other thread, I obtained over 900 books in 2010 (spending close to $1k) and according to Shelfari I so far have read about 125 books during the year. I'm willing to spend in 2011 too, but I'm not going to throw $15 around left and right just because MacMillan thinks I'm obligated to keep them in business. The math just doesn't work out that way.

Obviously, I'm not at a loss for books to put in front of my face so if you want to tempt me with your book .... you're going to have to woo me with a fabulous price, a fabulous review .... something.

leebase · 12-02-2010, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abookreader

My standard is - how bad do I want to own this book?

Sounds very sensible to me. If a book is too expensive. Don't buy it.

If the book is priced right, but the ebook is too expensive, buy the book.

If the book is expensive due to it being recently released -- just wait. Read something else in the mean time.

Lee

HarryT · 12-02-2010, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icarusbop

Hello:

I just went to buy a kindle book and found the following...
Dragon Haven (The Rain Wild Chronicles 2) by Author: Robin Hobb.
mass market PB is priced at £3.84
Kindle edition is priced at £13.99

What is that all about?

This sounds like a simple error. Such things generally get quickly resolved. No point in getting upset about it - mistakes can and do happen.

saoir · 12-02-2010, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abookreader

This is the important part of the page:

Welcome to Agency Pricing UK!

Yes. Anti competition. Anti reader. Anti reading. Anti consumer. Driven by greed and over pricing.

Like me you need to write to your political representative to protest and demand legislation outlawing Agency Pricing as Price Fixing and Anti Free Market.

Maggie Leung · 12-02-2010, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbcohen

What are your standards for ebook prices? Mine are this: 1) Will never buy any ebook that is equal to or greater than the paper back price; 2) Will not pay over $8 with very few exceptions, right now there is only Robert Jordan.

What I'll pay depends on content. I don't have a set price.

I prefer nonfiction and will pay more for books that seem well researched and will expose me to new ideas, teach me about various cultures, etc.

I rarely buy fiction, because so many great classics are free.

Sweetpea · 12-03-2010, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbcohen

What are your standards for ebook prices? Mine are this: 1) Will never buy any ebook that is equal to or greater than the paper back price; 2) Will not pay over $8 with very few exceptions, right now there is only Robert Jordan.

I never really look at the price. If I want a book, I'll buy it, no matter the price. Only when I'm on the fence (shall I buy it or not), will I look at the price. If I think the price is too high (and that an vary between books), I'll not buy it. I never look at the prices for paperbacks or hardcovers. Not interested in those.

jhempel24 · 12-03-2010, 07:06 AM

I won't pay more than $10 for one, and even then it had better be something that I've been excited for a release of, otherwise....$7 or less.

mldavis2 · 12-03-2010, 09:00 AM

I am retired with a fixed budget for reading materials. If the price of a book is such that it does not meet my level of perceived value, I don't buy it. There are almost no books that are so compelling that I am willing to pay 'new release' prices when I can buy older books more reasonably. When the money is gone, it's gone.

I also rebel against spending the same (or more) for an eBook with it's DRM-crippled, physical restrictions. I'm not cutting down a tree for paper, ink for printing, fuel and labor for transportation, shelf space and labor for retail display and handling. I don't begrudge authors for getting more money for their labors, I just don't want or need brick and mortar overhead to add to my costs, nor should an electronic copy demand the same price as a physical copy. I'll head for the library or borrow one from a friend before I'll ever pay the same for an eBook as a paper copy of a novel.

emellaich · 12-03-2010, 08:48 PM

I have a tough time saying a publisher is 'greedy' for wanting to set a price I won't pay. Am I greedy if I want it for free? It is the publisher's right to set whatever price they desire. It is my right not to buy it for that price.

Truthfully, there are very few books that I would buy over $10. I just hope that the publisher hears the voice of the market and reduces the price. Otherwise I won't buy it.

I do believe that charging high prices is short-sighted, but I am wary of the use of the word greedy.

Blue Tyson · 12-03-2010, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbcohen

What are your standards for ebook prices? Mine are this: 1) Will never buy any ebook that is equal to or greater than the paper back price; 2) Will not pay over $8 with very few exceptions, right now there is only Robert Jordan.

Errr..aren't there zero Robert Jordans now and one pasticher?

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12-02-2010, 09:58 AM	#16
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	What are your standards for ebook prices? Mine are this: 1) Will never buy any ebook that is equal to or greater than the paper back price; 2) Will not pay over $8 with very few exceptions, right now there is only Robert Jordan.

12-02-2010, 11:08 AM	#17
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	My standard is - how bad do I want to own this book? I don't look at paper prices because I don't buy paper books. At this point in time I now own so many books that a book has to be incredibly appealing for me to agree to buy it at all, much less spend $15 on it. Even still, I bought that Faye Kellerman novel on Amazon for 99cents because ... hey, it was 99cents and I might want to read it someday, right? Or my grandkids might want to read it. right??? Personally I find way too many books in the $5 (or less) to $7 range to keep me busy reading for an awful long time. As I said on that other thread, I obtained over 900 books in 2010 (spending close to $1k) and according to Shelfari I so far have read about 125 books during the year. I'm willing to spend in 2011 too, but I'm not going to throw $15 around left and right just because MacMillan thinks I'm obligated to keep them in business. The math just doesn't work out that way. Obviously, I'm not at a loss for books to put in front of my face so if you want to tempt me with your book .... you're going to have to woo me with a fabulous price, a fabulous review .... something.

12-03-2010, 07:06 AM	#23
jhempel24 Wizard Posts: 2,157 Karma: 7068605 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, B&N Nook Colro	I won't pay more than $10 for one, and even then it had better be something that I've been excited for a release of, otherwise....$7 or less.

12-03-2010, 09:00 AM	#24
mldavis2 Coffee Nut Posts: 410 Karma: 298350 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Missouri Device: Kindle 3; K4PC; Calibre	I am retired with a fixed budget for reading materials. If the price of a book is such that it does not meet my level of perceived value, I don't buy it. There are almost no books that are so compelling that I am willing to pay 'new release' prices when I can buy older books more reasonably. When the money is gone, it's gone. I also rebel against spending the same (or more) for an eBook with it's DRM-crippled, physical restrictions. I'm not cutting down a tree for paper, ink for printing, fuel and labor for transportation, shelf space and labor for retail display and handling. I don't begrudge authors for getting more money for their labors, I just don't want or need brick and mortar overhead to add to my costs, nor should an electronic copy demand the same price as a physical copy. I'll head for the library or borrow one from a friend before I'll ever pay the same for an eBook as a paper copy of a novel.

12-03-2010, 08:48 PM	#25
emellaich Wizard Posts: 1,101 Karma: 4388403 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Palm>Ebookman>IPaq>Axim>Cybook>Kndl2>IPAD>Kndl3SO>Voyager>Oasis	I have a tough time saying a publisher is 'greedy' for wanting to set a price I won't pay. Am I greedy if I want it for free? It is the publisher's right to set whatever price they desire. It is my right not to buy it for that price. Truthfully, there are very few books that I would buy over $10. I just hope that the publisher hears the voice of the market and reduces the price. Otherwise I won't buy it. I do believe that charging high prices is short-sighted, but I am wary of the use of the word greedy.