|
I've had the same problem as the OP lately. If I buy used, by the time I add in shipping, I'm at 7 or 8 bucks anyway. I will buy the used paperback if it's 3.99 total, but sometimes I just skip entirely because I'm looking for something to read RIGHT NOW--and that means finding a lower-priced ebook.
I talked to a couple of authors about the pricing. One author was bringing back his list via his agent. The agent was bearing the upfront costs of scanning, new cover (because the rights to the old cover will have expired or not transfer), formatting and uploading. The covers run anywhere from 100 to 1000 depending on who is doing the work. The formatting runs about 100 if there is nothing special added, and the uploading can range from 60 to 100 or more. The "agent" as the publisher and the agent, gets a cut for being the agent/publisher (that runs 15 to 20 percent on average) of the cut. Amazon is going to take at least 30 percent.
In the case of the author above, the book was priced at 9.99 out the gate, mainly, I suspect, to recoup the costs of getting the book back out there. That same book a year later went to 4.99.
So that is ONE example of reasoning. I suspect that when a publisher is doing the work, the reasoning is the same, although I've not seen a regular publisher lower the price.
Two other trad authors I know used a service to do the above work (cover, scans, formatting and uploading). Those deals run a bit different and I think the services take at least 30 percent. Amazon gets the same 30 percent as always. The service handles sending out payments to the author, much as publishers used to do.
In talking to various authors, one of the things you, the reader, are paying for is the fact that they were trad published at some point--ie the quality reputation. They have a "brand" behind them, whether that brand is still visible or not. Now, whether the reader is willing to pay for the "stamp of quality/branding" remains to be seen, but in general, from what I hear, the reader is willing to pay up slightly for that "stamp." But it's more in the neighborhood of 5.99.
Some authors, especially ones with a backlist, are finding that they can set themselves apart by pricing the same as new books. Their name is already known, the quality known/assumed and by not pricing at 1.99 and 2.99, they appear more obviously to be a traditionally published author.
FWIW. Your mileage may vary. But I can tell you the trend for most authors is to price higher and use a sale to get attention. Or some price higher and leave it there because even though there are fewer sales, the money ends up about the same. Some authors have enough history they may know they can count on a certain number of sales--and those readers will buy at 7.99.
|