[lack]

Originally Posted by leebase

@lack -- it's amusing to see someone post #213 in this thread that this was never a discussion to begin with. For something that's "not a discussion" -- there's been a lot of might fine discussion going on.

Lee, what I mean is You, who wouldn't take anyone's argument, have already made up his mind when he first starts the OP, never think this was a discussion to begin with.
Yes.. I read back what I said and realized that I wasn't being clear about this..
It is a fantastic discussion, but I am afraid to say that you are not participating in it. Frankly speaking neither am I, but that because I knew little of the topic at hand and will stil be the spectator since I have interest in it.

You see, you have valid points. The market for new releases book is there. Be it gullible people's market, art lover's market, or anyone's market, it is there and you are right. As long as the market is there and it is willing to pay the price the supplier put on the products it will live on.

And your second point, that about market other than the above, the supplier can give shit and all, is also amost valid. You see, it is directly right, but as everything else in the world, it could be not right indirectly. You will be right IF the market is distinct to each other, so now all you need is hard facts, to prove that this is the MOST general case in the publishing world. I know I will think if I see hard numbers.

What I am saying is, people are dissatisfied by the current ebook pricing (I only heard mentions about Amazon, how about anywhere else?), and this leads to great discussion here. But you kept defending your two points above, plus saying that people were spoiled and now that it has been taken away from them they simply sulked, while the truth is, if You open your eyes to people replying, you can see that it is not that they don't want to pay premium for new releases, but they are concerned from the way the market is going. That if they given in to it, the publisher will believe people are gullible enough and continue on trampling the market as they see fit.
It was always the market which sets the price. Supply and Demand, junior high economics. But I have seen (and I know someone else will say aye to it) some disturbing cases that recent years have brought. Hype, astroturfing, cartel, price fixing, etc. If you say that these are good for the industry then I disagree with you. Young markets deserve a push, but a mature market will know better to leave it alone.

Originally Posted by leebase

I know -- I used a bit of hyperbole, and a bit of saltyness to grab attention and change the foundation of this never ending topic. I've gladly accepted the shots from you and others, but for the most part, the discussion has progressed splendidly, as I hoped it would.

*gasp* you said it... oh you little flame maker..

Originally Posted by leebase

I was surprised that so many folks seem to be new to the concept that the really don't matter to every producer all the time. I take it for granted that Gucci, Lexus and the like really don't consider the likes of ME when they make their pricing decisions. Do folks really feel "looked down on" when someone says it plainly -- you aren't our kind of customer because you don't pay our kind of prices? To me, that's just life.

That analogy doesn't work. Pbooks have same content on different packaging quality and time of releases: HC, TPB, MMPB. then there is the same content, minus packaging, digitalized with all the pros and cons of it. The pricing of the former, while confusing (to me at least), still looks to be going strong. The latter, still evolving, still subject to tests and market adaptation.

So same content, literally beating a dead horse if you talk about the former, but a fresh discussion every day for the latter. Let the market reveal itself.