[leebase]

In a free market, it is impossible to price any product too high. I could end with that statment, but let me explain.

Publishers put out new hard back books at high prices. In a relatively short amount of time, the publishers end up competing with the 2nd hand market of those same hard back books. Don't want to buy the latest Harry Potter, John Grisham legal thriller, or Nicholas Sparks romance at high prices? Just wait a bit and the millions of books sold to those willing to pay the price will hit the secondary market (borrowed from a friend, sold in used book stores, etc.) This is more true in the internet age than ever before.

But wait -- there's more. There are OTHER books for sale. Readers have a VAST array of reading choices. Go into any book store and see the variety of choices -- even within the genres.

Hold on -- cuz there are PRIOR books that can still be bought. A new book not only competes for sales against other new books, but against all the other books ever written (well, within reason). Not only NEW books at NEW prices from competitors, but old books at resale prices.

Libraries lend out books for free. The very same hard back book the publisher wants to sell to you, libraries buy such books and then lend them out to multiple people.

Then there are the cheaper paper back versions that people know will be coming. Anyone who desires to sell a high priced hard back book will find themself in competition with the paper back book they will be offing next year. Knowledge that said paperback is coming out defers today's book buyer's decision.

Oh, but the story gets more dire for those wishing to sell a new hard back book. Folks have choices BESIDES reading. They may watch TV, go to the movies, play video games, surf the net, chat on facebook, text friends on their cell phones, listen to music.

Why this talk of hard back books in a thread titled "It's IMPOSSIBLE to price ebooks too high"? Because you can replace "ebook" for "hard back" and EVERYTHING will still be true.

Price an ebook too high and a customer may choose to buy the hard back book instead. Or choose to buy the paper back version of the book next year instead. Or choose to buy another ebook instead. Or choose to watch Tv instead. Or choose to buy a music download instead. Or choose to go to the movies instead. Or choose to check the book out from the library instead. Or choose to buy a used copy of the book instead.

There is simply no way to charge too much for an ebook in this market. All those who think the new ebook pricing is too high need merely wait to be validated. The publishers will fail if they set the prices too high. Or, you might just be surprised that the publishers just MIGHT have a clue about pricing.

One thing is for sure, though. No one need raise a stink or a complaint or a 1-star campaign to change the pricing of ebooks because IT IS IMPOSSIBLE for ebooks to be priced TOO high.

Lee