Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue Tyson
You think people might just be annoyed if free tv started charging, or video game or DVD prices doubled?
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Been through that: The switch from broadcast TV to cable was, to the consumer, charging for a service they previously received for free.
Not in actuality, of course... cable service provided more channels than could be gotten with an antenna, and improved reception. But still, consumers wailed about having to pay for TV (and despite the fact that they could unplug and go back to broadcast any time they wanted).
But after awhile, everyone settled down and accepted the charge for TV, and grudgingly admitted that they were getting more for their money through cable than they got through broadcast.
This
may be the way things go with ebooks... it's hard to say what price points will ultimately be accepted, it's still too early in the game (cable price opposition and debate took over a decade to quiet down). But historically, consumers tend to accept the new way of things after a period of time, even if they were loudly opposed to it at first.
This is probably why major publishers will continue to offer ebooks at the $7-$12 range, and tout their "superiority" as reasoning for their prices, until people quiet down.
But if independents continue to undercut major publishers in price, and can demonstrate quality equal to the major publishers, the majors will have to lower their prices to compete. And independents may raise prices, feeling their work is (and should be viewed by the public as) equal to major publishers.
End result: A meeting in the middle, perhaps around $4-$7, for all ebooks.