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It's helpful to keep in mind that publishers are interested in selling books...hard back, paper back, ebook -- are all "books".
The publishers WANTED to slow down the sales of $9.99 ebooks as they were cannibalizing the sales of $25/30 hard backs (which sold typically a buck or two north or south of $20).
There are many folks who would rather have the hard back (no DRM, can give to a friend or resale) if it's priced near an ebook. So a slowing of sales of ebooks is NOT proof that the publisher's BOOKS sold less. It more than likely means that folks just bought the hard back instead.
Someone asked "why are we comparing prices to hard backs as I always bought paper backs anyway". Well, because paper backs have always been released a year or so after the hard back. The $9.99 or less paperback wasn't available for sale when the $30 hard back was released. But AMAZON was pricing brand new release ebooks at paper back prices during the high profitability window of the hard back book. It's no wonder the publishers weren't going to put up with this.
This is no different than movies. First movies come to the theater...the expensive theater. They are not offered anywhere else. You want to see Avatar when everyone else is seeing and talking about it....you have to see it at the theater.
If you wait long enough...you can pay $1 to rent Avatar at your local Redbox or see it for free on Tv.
Lee
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