Quote:
Originally Posted by Lemurion
I would actually argue that the publishers are taking a longer view than Amazon. I don't think they're always making the right decisions, but I don't think they're as short-sighted as some think.
The problem is that their margins are very tight and they can't afford to experiment with things that might cut into hardcover bestseller sales - as they're the engine that keeps everything running.
The eBook of a paperback should not cost any more than that paperback - and really should be cheaper. However, the eBook of a brand-new hardcover, while indistinguishable from the eBook of a paperback, needs to be priced higher than the eventual paperback edition because otherwise it will cannibalize the sales of the hardcover to an extent that may be unsustainable.
They can't cut their own throats to support eBooks - so they're being very cautious.
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The way I see it, most people who read eBooks, one reason they do so is a lower price. They don't buy hardcover books. They don't pay hardcover prices. So, pricing an eBook at hardcover priced is just going to piss people off. I did like the idea of an eBook (pBook still in hardcover) at $10. And the next release to be priced at say $5. That would be reasonable pricing and sales (IMHO) would skyrocket.