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My decisions on what books to read are not based on who published it. Big 5, independent, self-published? I don't care. Unless I've read reviews that formatting is terrible, but then I tend to blame that on a specific eBook and/or author, not the publisher generically. Because, as I said before, I really don't know or care who the publisher is.
My reading decision is simple: "Is it something that interests me and I want to read?" If yes, next question: "Does my library carry it?" If yes, then the decision is complete. I get it from the library. If the library doesn't carry it, my next question is "How much does it cost?" No decision is made based on this question (unless the cost is really low), I'm just gathering a data point. Now, the next question: "Do I already own something, or have something on my wishlist to purchase, that I want to read as much as the original item, and this alternate item costs less?" If I have a cheaper alternate item, then the decision is made. I read that alternate. If I don't have an alternate, I look at the price of the new book. I will make a decision to buy it or not on that price. My threshold changes constantly, but for the most part, if it's more than about $5 (for a fiction novel) then I put it on my Amazon Wishlist and hang back, hoping to get an email some day that "an item you like is on sale". I usually never get that email (sometimes I do), so that new book mostly never gets purchased. This is because I always seem to have an alternate book, several actually, that took the new purchase out of the running in a previous decision step.
I used to buy more books and never used the library. I just read too slowly to get a book completed in the 3 weeks they typically allow for an eBook. But now that I'm retired, I have a lot more time to read. And I've also discovered that several different libraries in my area have let me join, so if the eBook I'm reading has a hold blocking me from re-checking it out, I can usually get it right away from a different library. So I no longer have to worry about not being able to finish a book in time. And given that, libraries rule supreme over other sources for eBooks for me. Realistically, I'd never have to buy another book in my life given the supply in my libraries. There's so much more available there than I could ever read. So now I only buy eBooks that I really really really want. Two "really's" doesn't count. Gotta be three.
I did take advantage of the "Kindle Unlimited for three months for 99 cents" deal on the last Amazon Prime Day. So I am using that bargain to read as many newer and less established authors (that often times aren't in libraries) as I can before my three months runs out.
So while I don't like the (what I consider) high selling prices for eBooks, I don't give it much thought, except in online discussions like this one. Since I buy so few these days, it just doesn't affect me much.
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