Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
I'm not offended; I simply wait 6 months for the paperback to be released, at which time the ebook price falls to a sensible level.
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My beef with agency pricing is that is NOT what I've seen happen - the paperback comes out, and the ebook still costs the same as it did on initial release.... and the hardcover is quite often discounted below the ebook price.
I've seen this with Simon and Schuster books, for example. Mobipocket used to sell the Star Trek books for $5-12 for their ebook versions. Now those books go from $10-18 and up in Canada. Whereas the PAPERBACKS could go for $4 or so.
I've seen Amazon prices go up when agency pricing is involved too. A book three years old can often cost the same in ebook version as it did at start, whereas I could buy the dead tree version for half that price, because the store (or Amazon) don't want the physical item taking up storage or shelf space that could be used for the next hot-seller.
Baen sells their books for what I'd call reasonable prices, both paper and ebook versions. You can spend more to get a sneak peek, if you want... or not, and still get it when the paper one comes out. Whereas some agency priced books will be delayed... as has been posted here.
I think the DoJ is worried less about the megastores abusing their market share, and more worried about collusion between publishers to keep prices from being set artificially high, due to what publishers want you to pay, versus what the market is actually willing to pay.