What stops you from buying ebooks - Page 5

BlackVoid · 06-23-2010, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Withtout DRM you're buying the same thing in the same format, and the creator put the same effort into making it regardless of format you bought it in--so price should be the same.

No, IT IS NOT THE SAME FORMAT.
And creating an ebook is much less effort than creating a paper book.

If the paper version and the ebook version is the same price, I will chose the paper version any day.

flutterbyee · 06-23-2010, 04:51 PM

the poll didn't seem to apply to me very well. perhaps you could start a discussion thread with that title then glean your poll questions from the results of the the discussion. the mark of a good poll is well-thought out questions, right? ;-) you know what they say... GIGO.

personally, i am not buying books now because of a tight budget. i'm using this opportunity to read and reread the free classics on my old palm zire 71.

BenLee · 06-23-2010, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

I for one would LOVE an e-book rental service--like Netflix for movies.

The older and busier I get, the seldom I'm willing to spend precious free time re-reading something, or watching a movie I've seen a few times etc. vs. experiencing something new for the first time.

I'd gladly play say $10 a month for a 1 book at a time rental service. That low would probably have to be capped at 2-4 books a month or something, with an unlimited plan costing more. But that would be fine with me since I only read a couple books a month.

Good point. An ebook "rental" service would be an amazing deal for $10 per month.

However, I wouldn't do it the netflix way. I'd like to rent as many books as I want, all at the same time, and have the books "expire" after a month. This way, it's an all I can eat book buffet. Chances are, the average reader won't even be able to read more than one book per month anyway.

I don't know how they could pull it off technically, but I know I would sign up quick.

Kymmmm · 06-25-2010, 02:56 AM

Geographic restrictions give me the willies especially when the ebook is not available in Australia as an ebook. I try not to buy any paperbacks because I am gathering an ebook library but sometimes there isn't any choice. If I want the book, it may only be available as a paperback which I can buy from anywhere in the world...but not as an ebook!

I buy a lot of series books too so there is the urge to complete the series in the format I started in. I need a reader which will read multiple formats so I am still looking around. I like the look of a kindle but what is the point when GR stop me from buying books to suit?

I think if I have to pay as much or more than a paperback, then I should own that book just like a paperback. I should be able to loan it, (and in the meantime not be able to read it so I have the impetus to retrieve it!). I should be able to sell it if I want.

I don't see how anyone can justify the price of an ebook being more than 3/4 price of a paperback. That's just extortion.

Kymmmm

Greg Anos · 06-25-2010, 03:23 AM

The biggest thing stopping me from buying e-books, is no e-books to buy.

Let's see. on my shopping list...

The works of Robb White
The Space Merchants - Pohl and Kornbluth
The full length works of Mack Reynolds
Decline of the West - Ostwald Spengler
The complete works of Fritz Leiber
The Jerry Cornelius works of Michael Moorcock

and on, and on...

No product, no buy.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 06-25-2010, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

The biggest thing stopping me from buying e-books, is no e-books to buy.

Same thing here. I'm awaiting 4-5 currently-available books to come out in e formats. Haven't seen them yet. So no purchases made. Lack of availability is more of an issue to me than DRM... at least DRM I can deal with.

lorddon · 06-25-2010, 04:18 PM

Book companies need to do two things to get me to buy ebooks. They need to take a page from the video game digital download retailers like Steam and have regular weekend sales with deep discounts, or discounts on series. What you lose in price you make up in volume and you never run out of bits to sell and it doesn't cost you anything to make more.

Second they need to add codes to receipts of physical book sales to enable you to download an ebook copy, similar to what DVD companies have been doing including digital copies of movies to be viewed on portable devices.

It's scary how behind the times publishers are.

Dark123 · 06-25-2010, 06:01 PM

The problem for me is the price.
Take this for instance;
You have a book, the paperback costs $5. If my friend(s) wants to read it, I can give it to him to read it, then when I get it back, I can either exchange it for another book with someone else, or I can sell it.

Now you have the eBook, it costs $10 and comes with DRM. (I have seen this, where the eBook costs more than the paperback) This eBook, only I can read it and no one else unless I let them borrow my eBook Reader (Which will never happen), I cannot sell it, or trade it with someone else for another eBook.
I am fine with the DRM on an eBook, what I am not fine with is, they are selling me something which restricts me so much and they are charging me more for it. For these reasons, I think the price should be at least 40% cheaper.

SameOldStory · 06-25-2010, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flutterbyee

the poll didn't seem to apply to me very well. perhaps you could start a discussion thread with that title then glean your poll questions from the results of the the discussion. the mark of a good poll is well-thought out questions, right? ;-) you know what they say... GIGO.

personally, i am not buying books now because of a tight budget. i'm using this opportunity to read and reread the free classics on my old palm zire 71.

"the poll didn't seem to apply to me very well. "

I'm sorry, flutterbyee. I did leave a message on your phone. You must have deleted it by mistake.

Seriously though, this was my first poll, as noted in the first posting. I was just throwing together points as they occurred to me. My intention was to massage the questions and rearrange the order a bit.

Just as you have a "Preview Post" button below the text entry box, I thought that I would be able to preview it as I worked on it. OOOPS. Poll suddenly posted. And no chance to re-edit it.

The mods, for whatever reason (and I can think of a few), are the only ones that can remove a posting. But the polls don't have a Ooops button. So.....

That aside, an e-book rental service will probably never happen.

And thoughts like that have made me a poor hand to mouth simpleton. Thoughts like - "This Amazon company will NEVER take off. And look at all the idiots buying their stock! Imagine selling books on the internet. And THEN they have to mail it to you!"

DRM is one of my top grips. Yes, it can be stripped. But I don't want to give them a sale on a DRM book.

Geographic restrictions are very close the DRM. There are a very small number of books with DRM that I would like to buy. But geographic restrictions make them unavailable to me. "Hay, publishers. I've got money if you want to sell me something decent. Can you hear us?"

All in all, I'm buying more books now than before. Only one has DRM. Many are from new authors. I haven't any real animosity against the "big" publishers. But give me something for my money. A $15 DRM ebook is simply ridiculous though.

On the rental idea - If the price of a DRM book was around $3-$4 I could look at it as a rental.

Fbone · 06-26-2010, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

DRM is one of my top grips. Yes, it can be stripped. But I don't want to give them a sale on a DRM book.

On the rental idea - If the price of a DRM book was around $3-$4 I could look at it as a rental.

You may have the library/Overdrive option for the few DRM ebooks you wish to read.

SameOldStory · 06-26-2010, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

You may have the library/Overdrive option for the few DRM ebooks you wish to read.

I do belong to 2 libraries that let you download ebooks and audiobooks. Frequently you can find an audiobook if not the ebook. I enjoy both types.

The UK books that I want are the "Under the Eagle" series from Simon Scarrow (not the one of the same title by Dorothy Potter).

Just checked, Amazon and Sony now have a few of the series. Thanks, Fbone, for getting me to look again.

Hate to buy DRM but this is the only way to get it other than theft. Hope it's as good as I think it is.

Fbone · 06-26-2010, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SameOldStory

I do belong to 2 libraries that let you download ebooks and audiobooks. Frequently you can find an audiobook if not the ebook. I enjoy both types.

The UK books that I want are the "Under the Eagle" series from Simon Scarrow (not the one of the same title by Dorothy Potter).

Hate to buy DRM but this is the only way to get it other than theft. Hope it's as good as I think it is.

You have a bit of a dilemma. You can borrow the printed books from the library or purchase the DRM ebook. Does ebook convenience win out?

SameOldStory · 06-26-2010, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

You have a bit of a dilemma. You can borrow the printed books from the library or purchase the DRM ebook. Does ebook convenience win out?

Yes. If I "buy" the DRM ebook it will do 2 things - Encourage them to put out more of the series, and encourage more DRM.

View Poll Results: What keeps you from buying ebooks
I think that DRM is OK.	11	6.75%
I think that DRM is bad.	93	57.06%
I think that DRM books are harmful to the public interest.	76	46.63%
I would strip DRM from any book that I buy.	75	46.01%
I will not buy a book with DRM.	38	23.31%
I will not pay for a DRM book.	30	18.40%
I have frequently shared paper books, and do share ebooks.	29	17.79%
I have occasionally shared paper books, and would like to share ebooks.	47	28.83%
I rarely share books, but would like that option.	39	23.93%
I never share books.	11	6.75%
I would buy a non-DRM book for $10.	50	30.67%
I would buy a DRM book for less than $5.	35	21.47%
I would only buy a DRM book if it was much less than $5.	22	13.50%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 163. You may not vote on this poll

06-25-2010, 02:56 AM	#64
Kymmmm Connoisseur Posts: 51 Karma: 306 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Brisbane. Australia Device: Nook Color and Simple Touch	Still looking at readers Geographic restrictions give me the willies especially when the ebook is not available in Australia as an ebook. I try not to buy any paperbacks because I am gathering an ebook library but sometimes there isn't any choice. If I want the book, it may only be available as a paperback which I can buy from anywhere in the world...but not as an ebook! I buy a lot of series books too so there is the urge to complete the series in the format I started in. I need a reader which will read multiple formats so I am still looking around. I like the look of a kindle but what is the point when GR stop me from buying books to suit? I think if I have to pay as much or more than a paperback, then I should own that book just like a paperback. I should be able to loan it, (and in the meantime not be able to read it so I have the impetus to retrieve it!). I should be able to sell it if I want. I don't see how anyone can justify the price of an ebook being more than 3/4 price of a paperback. That's just extortion. Kymmmm

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06-23-2010, 04:51 PM	#62
flutterbyee Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: palm zire 71	the poll didn't seem to apply to me very well. perhaps you could start a discussion thread with that title then glean your poll questions from the results of the the discussion. the mark of a good poll is well-thought out questions, right? ;-) you know what they say... GIGO. personally, i am not buying books now because of a tight budget. i'm using this opportunity to read and reread the free classics on my old palm zire 71.

06-25-2010, 03:23 AM	#65
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,248 Karma: 35000000 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	The biggest thing stopping me from buying e-books, is no e-books to buy. Let's see. on my shopping list... The works of Robb White The Space Merchants - Pohl and Kornbluth The full length works of Mack Reynolds Decline of the West - Ostwald Spengler The complete works of Fritz Leiber The Jerry Cornelius works of Michael Moorcock and on, and on... No product, no buy.

06-25-2010, 04:18 PM	#67
lorddon Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Wifi	Book companies need to do two things to get me to buy ebooks. They need to take a page from the video game digital download retailers like Steam and have regular weekend sales with deep discounts, or discounts on series. What you lose in price you make up in volume and you never run out of bits to sell and it doesn't cost you anything to make more. Second they need to add codes to receipts of physical book sales to enable you to download an ebook copy, similar to what DVD companies have been doing including digital copies of movies to be viewed on portable devices. It's scary how behind the times publishers are.

06-25-2010, 06:01 PM	#68
Dark123 Zealot Posts: 112 Karma: 105 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Kindle 3 WiFi	The problem for me is the price. Take this for instance; You have a book, the paperback costs $5. If my friend(s) wants to read it, I can give it to him to read it, then when I get it back, I can either exchange it for another book with someone else, or I can sell it. Now you have the eBook, it costs $10 and comes with DRM. (I have seen this, where the eBook costs more than the paperback) This eBook, only I can read it and no one else unless I let them borrow my eBook Reader (Which will never happen), I cannot sell it, or trade it with someone else for another eBook. I am fine with the DRM on an eBook, what I am not fine with is, they are selling me something which restricts me so much and they are charging me more for it. For these reasons, I think the price should be at least 40% cheaper.

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