Are The Days Of The $14.99 Ebook Numbered?

[kevinp]

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

Television has changed a lot since the free days, and the quality is definitely better - but it also costs $50-$100/month to have access to some of the high quality programming. That's really the opposite of what's going on with e-books.

It'd be a stretch to call today's programming as "high quality".

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

This cuts both ways: there is an advantage to getting a book that a publisher has deemed worth the investment in paying up front for an advance, editing, etc.

The same editors edited the paperback I bought for $3.99. I should be able to get an ebook for at least the same price!

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by kevinp

It'd be a stretch to call today's programming as "high quality"

Actually no, while I agree that there has never been as much crap programs available as there is right now, neither has there been as many quality programs. QI, The Blue Planet, House M.D., Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, Top Gear, Mythbusters, Modern Family. I'm a huge fan of documentaries by BBC, although I'm also a bit worried about how the present scandal will affect their programming.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

I'm a huge fan of documentaries by BBC, although I'm also a bit worried about how the present scandal will affect their programming.

What scandal?

[ereadingdotcom]

This my first post to the forums, but I thought it was an interesting topic and that I'd weigh in.

Personally, I cannot see why an ebook needs to cost more than a paperback. In our experience working on the back-end of eReading.com (which is not yet live), we have learned quite a bit about ebook pricing. The general consensus in the industry seems to be that because ebook saturation is nowhere near that of traditional publishing as yet, this inequality in market share must be made up for by higher prices.

This doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Most books from traditional publishers are still being published as both print and digital editions; so why would that have any impact on the digital side? Digital seems almost like "bonus money", if you will, and that's in a worst-case scenario.

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by HarryT

What scandal?

Can't remember his name, since his programs weren't exported to Sweden. Turned out he was, post-mortem, exposed as a pedophile and BBC had covered up his activities. I think the chairman had to resign.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Can't remember his name, since his programs weren't exported to Sweden. Turned out he was, post-mortem, exposed as a pedophile and BBC had covered up his activities. I think the chairman had to resign.

Oh, OK, that's the Jimmy Saville thing. An independent review found management mistakes, but no "cover up". See:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20778261

Absolutely no reason whatsoever to expect any changes in programme output.

[HomeInMyShoes]

I believe in the death of the $14.99 e-book. I believe inflation will take it well over the $20 mark by 2017.

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Oh, OK, that's the Jimmy Saville thing. An independent review found management mistakes, but no "cover up". See:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20778261

Absolutely no reason whatsoever to expect any changes in programme output.

Perhaps not, but these things often have unintended consequences. Journalists basically have one asset, their integrity. When that gets smeared they often want to get as far away as possible. I hope you are right about programming output, because I'm a huge fan of BBC, even got a proxy so I could download the iPlayer.

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by kevinp

It'd be a stretch to call today's programming as "high quality".

No, not at all. There's no comparison between the best shows of the 60's, 70's, 80's, or even the 90's (maybe with a couple of outliers) and shows like "the Sopranos" or "Breaking Bad" or "Mad Men" or "Boardwalk Empire" or "Game of Thrones" or many more.

Of course, the low end is probably lower, too...but that's a different issue.

[jbcohen]

I'm with jersey man however I have not been able to get my pricetag that low as yet. However I think that if I really want to I could get my limit down that low. Right now my limit is $8 although I can sympathize with what Jersey man is saying. I don't think that anyone is worth more than that, I am simply could care less how good or bad the litterature is I am simply not willing to pay those astronomical prices that some book stores are charging these days. I used to like Brad Thor and Clive Cussler, I have a lot of from those authors in printed form, however I am not willing to pay those prices for those books these days.

Look at it this way I can go through 85 books a year and an increase of $2 from $8 to $10 may not seem like a lot except when you look at it on a yearly basis $2 * 85 = $175 per year and that can be a sizable chunk of change. I am simply not willing to pay it.

[BeccaPrice]

I'll go up to $15 for eARCs from Baen for books by Lois Bujold and Lee/Miller. But those are the only two authors I'm willing to do that for. (If Nora Roberts / JD Robb had eARCS, I'd seriously consider them too.)

[ereadingdotcom]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

I'll go up to $15 for eARCs from Baen for books by Lois Bujold and Lee/Miller. But those are the only two authors I'm willing to do that for. (If Nora Roberts / JD Robb had eARCS, I'd seriously consider them too.)

I've never heard of eARCs before. Does that actually exist? If it doesn't, Becca, that's an interesting idea. Selling digital ARCs to customers at a higher price and making that higher price a premium service rather than a greed-based necessity.

Let me add, by the way, that I understand ARCs. I just wasn't aware of any larger publishers sending digital ARCs out.

[taustin]

Originally Posted by ereadingdotcom

I've never heard of eARCs before. Does that actually exist? If it doesn't, Becca, that's an interesting idea. Selling digital ARCs to customers at a higher price and making that higher price a premium service rather than a greed-based necessity.

Let me add, by the way, that I understand ARCs. I just wasn't aware of any larger publishers sending digital ARCs out.

Baen has been selling eARCs for several years, at least. And not only are they a higher price to begin with, the author gets a higher percentage, too. (And apparently, quite a few of the people who buy them also buy the release version later.)

[BeccaPrice]

The advantage to the eARC is that you get the book up to 3 months before publication date. It's the unproofed version, and apparently at least one book (by David Weber, I believe) had substantial changes between the eARC and the published book, so you have to really trust the author (or not care) when you get the eARC.

[QuantumIguana]

Prices will only go up if people are willing to pay an increased price. People have other options besides reading books, and there will always be cheaper book competition. If someone tries to sell e-books for $20, that $2.99 book starts looking really appealing - and often remains appealing after you start reading it.