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The "no library has Tor books, and the few we have aren't read by anybody" defense. Really? You want the big publishers to do their experiment on the most in demand books that the libraries will really feel if time boxed?
There is no public need for genre fiction. Past that, there is no public need for books to be delivered in electronic format. Both libraries and book publishers are in the same boat as to getting people to read anything at all.
Forever we accepted the time boxing of first release hard back books at higher prices. Then trade books for less. Then finally mass market paperback editions. None of this ever had anything to do other than allowing the publishers to maximize their revenue based on those most interested in a book's willingness to pay more to read earlier.
It was Amazon's putting out the entire NYT's best seller list of ebooks for $9.99 and NOT time boxed for the publisher to maximize their opportunities that started this whole rigmarole to begin with.
eBooks completely do away with scarcity and damage. There is no such thing as a "used ebook". There is no such thing as being out of stock on an ebook.
Whether it's ultimately good business or not....well, that's for the publishers to work out and decide.
For the reader. If you want to read NOW....you pay the NOW price. There are far more choices for reading at ANY price point than anyone could actually read in their lifetime.
Now if you are picky, and want to read a particular author's particular book....then you either pay the price or you wait.
As someone who's occasionally tried to read a popular book from the library....you still have to wait as they never buy the rights to enough copies to satisfy initial demand. That initial demand will bring in the most a particular book will ever bring in.
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