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eBooks are priced for what the market will bear (basic economics). If folks are willing to pay the price (and many are - me included), stores will continue selling at that price point until demand subsides, at which time, prices will fall.
The LotR ebooks are an excellent example where many folks bought the ebooks even if they may have had the pbooks or pirated ebook copies. I doubt many were thinking about the benefits to the publisher but how it benefited them for having the ebook.
My motivation for buying an ebook is not for how it benefits the publisher but how it benefits me. (convenience, size, permanency, instant gratification, etc.)
Of course I would like $2 ebooks but we all have the option to also speak with our wallets. If there's no demand, they'll either be lower prices or the ebook will not be offered. If the model doesn't benefit you, then don't buy the ebook.
I will speculate that the folks who complain about the prices for ebooks are also the folks that aren't necessarily early adopters for anything "new" (tech/gadgets where the prices are generally higher early on) or may generally be frugal in their everyday lives and that's perfectly OK. Perhaps those folks were the ones to finally buy a DVD player when VHS movies stopped being offered anymore. Let's face it. Ebook readers aren't cheap today and may largely be reserved for those with the ability and disposable income to purchase one. eBooks are likely priced in line with that. I'm not looking to offend but it's just my speculation.
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