Pain threshold on e-book prices - Page 2

Liqiud · 01-14-2005, 08:10 PM

Hello Alexander

Bob Russell · 01-15-2005, 02:32 AM

That would seem to be an excellent compromise!!!!
I guess the problem would be that authors would not want the possibility of a public key for everyone to use, and if the whole format has no reader supported, then it doesn't matter if it's got a registration key or not. But I still think there's something to that, I'm just not sure how it could work yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Francesco

Maybe there should be a law that forces ebook publishers to disclose a "master key" that disables any DRM protection from every ebook a couple of years (or immediately?) after they ran out of business.

Brad · 01-15-2005, 08:12 AM

The problem with fiction ebook pricing is that you also have to figure in part of the cost of the reading device too. (I don't count computers but I do count part of the cost of multifunction devices and the whole cost of dedicated devices: eg. eBookwise 1150 or Sony Libre.) So it is costing you a lot more to read that ebook than just the cover price. Other things to consider, I can't lend, resell or give away an ebook so therefore it has less value to me as the owner.

Another factor with the big publishers: I can buy a used mass market paperback down the street for $4. Now nobody is earning any royalties on that used paperback. A book that came out as a pbook in 2002 is now being sold used. So, it would seem to me that it would be in the publishers' and authors' best interest to price ebook editions, that have been in circulation for awhile, much closer to a used bookstore price rather than trying to keep the price so high. So the length of time in print might be factored into the calculations of price.

I still think that electronic editions of books by new or midlist authors do need to be priced with enticing the first time reader to try the book and the author.

Francesco · 01-15-2005, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad

The problem with fiction ebook pricing is that you also have to figure in part of the cost of the reading device too. (I don't count computers but I do count part of the cost of multifunction devices and the whole cost of dedicated devices: eg. eBookwise 1150 or Sony Libre.)

Hey, that's an interesting concept. I would apply it the other way around, though. How much would I pay for a dedicated device? Well, let's see how many books I'd read in it. I calculated 100, which makes eBookwise 1150 a good option.

Jorgen · 01-23-2005, 10:45 AM

The problem is not only that they may run out of business. You are more likely to lose your books because you change to a platform that does not support a given reader, eg. to a Linux-based platform that MS (and eReader and Mobi?) won't support.

Jorgen

BuddyBoy · 03-21-2005, 02:21 PM

Hi all! I'm new here, but glad I found y'all. I'm a eBook nut.

I tend to buy a lot of eBooks and prefer to find the price at least slightly below the current market price for the same content. I can understand the perspective of the publisher - ebook preparation, distribution and royalties have costs - some of them fixed. But eBook don't yet have the volume of regular books, so the capitalization of the cost ends up being higher on a per unit basis. I hope it eventually moves in the direction of online music where the cost for the elctronic version drops well below the retail cost.

Of course, when I'm buying an eBook, I'm buying three things - content, speed of delivery, and

storage space. I'm at that stage on in my paper book aqcuistion where if I buy a new book, I have to get rid of an old book to make room. The storage issue is important enough that I have been known to buy an eBook of a title I already have if said title is thick and takes up too much room on my bookshelf.

All said, the part that really annoys me is when there's an eBook I want selling for the hardcover price, but the content has already been issued in paperback. Grrrrrrr.

View Poll Results: E-book prices should not exceed...
USD $10	3	15.79%
USD $7.50	3	15.79%
USD $5	13	68.42%
Voters: 19. You may not vote on this poll

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01-14-2005, 08:10 PM	#16
Liqiud Infinite Oblivion Posts: 84 Karma: 25 Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: United States Device: Sony Clie PEG-UX50	Hello Alexander

01-15-2005, 08:12 AM	#18
Brad Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 201 Join Date: Sep 2004 Device: Cybook Gen3 / EB1150 /iPhone	The problem with fiction ebook pricing is that you also have to figure in part of the cost of the reading device too. (I don't count computers but I do count part of the cost of multifunction devices and the whole cost of dedicated devices: eg. eBookwise 1150 or Sony Libre.) So it is costing you a lot more to read that ebook than just the cover price. Other things to consider, I can't lend, resell or give away an ebook so therefore it has less value to me as the owner. Another factor with the big publishers: I can buy a used mass market paperback down the street for $4. Now nobody is earning any royalties on that used paperback. A book that came out as a pbook in 2002 is now being sold used. So, it would seem to me that it would be in the publishers' and authors' best interest to price ebook editions, that have been in circulation for awhile, much closer to a used bookstore price rather than trying to keep the price so high. So the length of time in print might be factored into the calculations of price. I still think that electronic editions of books by new or midlist authors do need to be priced with enticing the first time reader to try the book and the author.

01-23-2005, 10:45 AM	#20
Jorgen Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 84 Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Spain Device: Sony prs-650, iPod, BEBOOK Mini, Nokia n810, iPaq	The problem is not only that they may run out of business. You are more likely to lose your books because you change to a platform that does not support a given reader, eg. to a Linux-based platform that MS (and eReader and Mobi?) won't support. Jorgen

03-21-2005, 02:21 PM	#21
BuddyBoy eBookin' Fool Posts: 310 Karma: 1008360 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Vancouver, BC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, KK, iPad (Ex Prs 505, 500, Reb1100-2150, Rocket)	Hi all! I'm new here, but glad I found y'all. I'm a eBook nut. I tend to buy a lot of eBooks and prefer to find the price at least slightly below the current market price for the same content. I can understand the perspective of the publisher - ebook preparation, distribution and royalties have costs - some of them fixed. But eBook don't yet have the volume of regular books, so the capitalization of the cost ends up being higher on a per unit basis. I hope it eventually moves in the direction of online music where the cost for the elctronic version drops well below the retail cost. Of course, when I'm buying an eBook, I'm buying three things - content, speed of delivery, and storage space. I'm at that stage on in my paper book aqcuistion where if I buy a new book, I have to get rid of an old book to make room. The storage issue is important enough that I have been known to buy an eBook of a title I already have if said title is thick and takes up too much room on my bookshelf. All said, the part that really annoys me is when there's an eBook I want selling for the hardcover price, but the content has already been issued in paperback. Grrrrrrr.

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