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A typical Borders has many, many trade paperbacks whose dimensions are unlike those of best sellers. They are loaded with pictures and graphs. I do not see those trade paperbacks going away in the foreseeable future.
In regard to best sellers, CDs replaced LPs because the record companies wanted them to. I see no indication that book publishers want to see hardbacks replaced. In 1988-89, most CDs cost 50% more than LPs. But today people expect eBooks to retail for less than hardbacks. Until publishers are willing to accept much less for their eBooks than they get for their hardbacks, I do not see hardbacks going away either.
Mass market paperbacks are the most easily replaced by eBooks. But I see their buyers to want something cheap and disposable, with no worries if the books are lost or damaged. I don't see that market investing in eBook readers in order to read their mass market paperbacks.
As a result, I don't see eBooks taking over until publishers are willing to accept less per title, and go for the volume.
PS - What I do see disappearing are those trade paperbacks which in the past would have been printed as mass market paper backs, i.e., fiction novels like Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler.
Last edited by GA Russell; 09-03-2010 at 02:05 PM.
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