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Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks
I blame them because it isn't a "if I buy this I *won't* buy that" proposition.
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When you are thinking of markets and not individual books, it is a "this or that" scenario. New books have a ton of competition already. From other new books, from last year's new books, from the classics, and TV, Movies, the internet etc.
Of those who choose to entertain themselves by reading -- do you really want to offer them MORE material at marginal or no profit potential to you?
And why have folks never been all that angry that the cheap MMPB is never released at the same time as the hard back? That's the "who can blame them" I was talking about. It makes perfect sense to put out your most expensive and profitable version first, and to withhold all other versions until after the sales for the premium product have had their run.
When a new book in a series comes out, publisher typically will put out the paper backs in new editions of the earlier books in the series -- caching in on the attention the new book is bringing and ringing up more sales and profits for themselves. But these new books, though cheaper than the new release hard back -- are priced like all the other new release paper backs. They aren't sold for cheap just because the book has been out awhile. And this never seemed to bother people before.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks
It's just not a market they are going after very hard.
Really, that's okay with me. It probably helps me as an independent. But it doesn't help me at all as a reader...
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As long is there is a prevailing notion that back list ebooks should be priced dirt cheap, I doubt that publishers will ever go after that market very hard.
Lee