BN's response includes a chart that shows that ebook prices in general FELL during agency.
LINK
Quote:
Under agency, “publishers have engaged in vigorous competition on price, which, contrary to the superficial pricing analysis in the complaints before the Court, has resulted in lower e-book prices,” B&N says, presenting a chart that shows “average e-book price (weighed by units sold)” between August 2009 and February 2012. Barnes & Noble previously shared this data with the DOJ but is revealing it to the public for the first time.
Furthermore, Barnes & Noble says that “hardback retail prices” have also declined under agency
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Now that's most likely because folks shifted to buying bestsellers to buying indies-which was actually great for indie discovery. If prices fall for bestsellers again, its going to hurt indies.
If agency pricing goes away, folks will shift back to buying bestsellers- but then again, windowing might come back. Consumers here seem to hate windowing even more than agency pricing.