Quote:
Originally Posted by stonetools
Its a bit unclear from the quote but the hardcover, paperback, ebook and audiobook versions all have different prices. Note that the heavily discounted hardcover price is HIGHER than the Kindle price and that the audiobook price is much higher than the Kindle price, although both come in digital form . There's never been a situation where the versions of a book all have the same price.
Speaking for myself, I've found the ebooks I buy are consistently cheaper than the hardcover versions and usually the paperback versions.
Again, this is not to say that the publishers price ebooks perfectly in all circumstances. They don't. What I am saying, though, is that people here seem to consistentlyb assume that because something comes in ebook form it must be priced than ev en used book prices, regardless of who wrote it or even it came out.
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When it comes to pricing, I personally think that it is "normal" (TM) that all of the following is true, at any moment in time:
1. If the audio book is available, its price is greater than the price of hardcover, paperback or eBook edition.
2. If the hardcover edition is available, its price is greater than the price of paperback or ebook.
3. If the paperback edition is available, its price is greater than the price of ebook.
Most of the complains about pricing that I've seen on MR are violations of these rules. Now, my expectations might be (easily) based on flawed assumptions, but I somehow doubt that whether I am right or wrong is of any significance to the publishers. However, if my (potentially flawed) perceptions are shared by most of the customers, that becomes an issue for both publishers and retailers.
After everything is said and done, the customer must be right, right? He better.