Would you pay more for ebook than paperback?

[tompe]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

If we were a captive market, sure. But we're not. If I decide not to buy one book, I have a nearly infinite number of other books to choose from.

That is not true for me. I only want to read the best books and books of authors on my must buy list. A specific books is never replaceable with another book.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

It doesn't seem to me at all obvious that the advantages of the e-book make it worthwhile to pay more for the e-book, because it's not at all obvious that I should buy this book instead of some other book.

But that is another question. The original claim I answered was about the same book.

[QuantumIguana]

Originally Posted by tompe

But that is another question. The original claim I answered was about the same book.

They are inseparable. For any product, the choice to purchase is affected by the availability of competing products. Take bread, for example. If there were only one type of bread, my choice is to pay the asking price or to go without bread. Under such circumstances, if the bread is offered at one price in one packaging, but a higher price in a different packaging, I pay the price or go without bread.

But we are not limited to one type of bread. If I don't want to pay the price for one type of bread, I can take a step and consider some other bread, I don't have to choose between the asking price for one particular bread and doing without bread.

It's the same way with books. If someone wants to charge more for the e-book than for the paper book, I do not have to choose between paying that price and doing without reading, I can simply choose a different book. By not paying more for an e-book than for a paper book, I am voting against higher prices for e-books. They can win my business by charging the same for the e-book as the paper book. If they don't, someone else gets my business.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

They are inseparable. For any product, the choice to purchase is affected by the availability of competing products. Take bread, for example. If there were only one type of bread, my choice is to pay the asking price or to go without bread. Under such circumstances, if the bread is offered at one price in one packaging, but a higher price in a different packaging, I pay the price or go without bread.

But we are not limited to one type of bread. If I don't want to pay the price for one type of bread, I can take a step and consider some other bread, I don't have to choose between the asking price for one particular bread and doing without bread.

It's the same way with books. If someone wants to charge more for the e-book than for the paper book, I do not have to choose between paying that price and doing without reading, I can simply choose a different book. By not paying more for an e-book than for a paper book, I am voting against higher prices for e-books. They can win my business by charging the same for the e-book as the paper book. If they don't, someone else gets my business.

For you it might be the same with books. For me it is not the same at all. And for nearly all people I know who read a lot it is not the same.

[QuantumIguana]

Originally Posted by tompe

That is not true for me. I only want to read the best books and books of authors on my must buy list. A specific books is never replaceable with another book.

Even among the best books, there are many choices. If you really feel there is only one book that will do for you, by all means, pay whatever is demanded. I'm not telling you what do. But you seem rather baffled the choices other people make, with your comment "I can't figure out how people reason when they have these opinions." While not just any book is interchangable with any other, there is no shortage of quality books that I can choose from if I don't like the pricing of any one particular book.

[QuantumIguana]

Originally Posted by tompe

For you it might be the same with books. For me it is not the same at all. And for nearly all people I know who read a lot it is not the same.

I've found the opposite to be true, your position seems to be greatly in the minority. In my experience, people have a great many books that they consider worth reading, and choose among them.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

I've found the opposite to be true, your position seems to be greatly in the minority. In my experience, people have a great many books that they consider worth reading, and choose among them.

I really do not think so. The great mass of readers read best sellers or specific books that they read because their friends talk about them. An for them they want to read specific books.

I have thousands of books worth reading since I bought a lot of SF books and wanted to have a collection but these books I mostly bought used. The new books I buy is always specific books that I want to read before all other books.

[QuantumIguana]

Originally Posted by tompe

I really do not think so. The great mass of readers read best sellers or specific books that they read because their friends talk about them. An for them they want to read specific books.

Some people walk into a bookstore, grab the book they want, take it to the counter and leave. Others take their time, consider many books and choose one. They choose one, but that doesn't mean the other books they considered were unworthy of reading. The latter isn't exactly uncommon. But even of the former, are they really so committed to getting that book that they will pay any price for it?

[tompe]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

Some people walk into a bookstore, grab the book they want, take it to the counter and leave. Others take their time, consider many books and choose one. They choose one, but that doesn't mean the other books they considered were unworthy of reading. The latter isn't exactly uncommon. But even of the former, are they really so committed to getting that book that they will pay any price for it?

Pay any price? We are talking about the situation when you have the same book as ebook and paper book.

[pdurrant]

Since Kobo have now stated that only the account holder is allowed to read purchased ebooks, I certainly wouldn't pay more for an ebook than a paperback. At least, from Kobo.

[spindlegirl]

That's just insane. And it's entirely the reason I borrow ebooks instead of buying, but buy the physical copy. My children are reading my paper copy of "Pirate Cinema". And I am not stopping lending it after they are done :P

[QuantumIguana]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Since Kobo have now stated that only the account holder is allowed to read purchased ebooks, I certainly wouldn't pay more for an ebook than a paperback. At least, from Kobo.

They would have a difficult time getting that to hold up in court.

[xendula]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Since Kobo have now stated that only the account holder is allowed to read purchased ebooks, I certainly wouldn't pay more for an ebook than a paperback. At least, from Kobo.

Wow. Speechless!

[sparklemotion]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Since Kobo have now stated that only the account holder is allowed to read purchased ebooks, I certainly wouldn't pay more for an ebook than a paperback. At least, from Kobo.

That's pretty unbelievable.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by sparklemotion

That's pretty unbelievable.

I was rather surprised too. But feel free to ask them yourself.