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Amazon's subsidizing of ebooks sales is distorting the market. It means that the optimal list price for a new release is the highest that Amazon will sell for $9.99. Which is somewhere between $25 and $30 for major titles. This helps Amazon by pricing all other ebook retailers out of the game. They don't have the profits from the Kindle to help subsidize ebooks.
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While Amazon adjusted their price to $9.99 for "First Family", they have not followed up with that policy for new books from other popular authors. i.e. Lee Child's prerelease for "Gone Tomorrow" is $14.85, and Michael Connelly's new books range from $11.99 for "Brass Verdict" to $15.39 for the pre-release price of "The Scarecrow".
As a Kindle owner, I personally feel it's a bit of the bait and switch syndrome, feared when I purchased the Kindle, but hoped not to see. It seems short-sighted, particularly during the present economic climate. As a purchaser, I won't buy at these prices.
cheers