Quote:
Originally Posted by Worldwalker
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the royalty rate on MM paperbacks something like 10%? If so, since the Smashwords retailer's commission is something like 20%, Tim Myers made roughly twice as much off me the other night when I bought all of his Lighthouse mysteries at $1.99 each than he would have if I'd bought them all on dead trees.
Ebooks as luxury items, sold for the price of hardcovers or more, will go the way of the laserdisc.
Ebooks as impulse items, sold for the price of used books or less, will match the success of the DVD.
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10% is considered a GOOD royalty rate for MM paperbacks; many authors are in the 4-6% range...
So yes, one Smashwords sale at $2.99 (about $2.00 author royalty) is equal to about 3-4 paperback sales ($8 retail x 6% rate = .48) for common royalty rates.
Ebooks as non-DRMd impulse items will be huge...for the people who get it.
I believe there is a real opportunity for indie authors and publishers to sneak in and establish themselves while mainstream publishers fight the inevitable with high prices and DRM on the road to getting Napstered.