Quote:
Originally Posted by kennyc
But that is just silly. The price should be based on the cost of doing business which has got to be less for digital than for hardback or paperback.
|
If you're saying that
all prices should be based on the cost of doing business, then I have to disagree. If your saying that only publishers are required to adhere to this rule, then it's a little bit unfair, since other businesses aren't required to do so.
Economically, the more commoditized a product is, the more closely its price tends to be tied to the cost of doing business. The more unique it is, the less costs tend to impact price. Demand-side forces
Clearly, e-books, and books in general, are not commoditized, otherwise titles would be interchangeable and lack of availability of one title would not lead anyone to the darknet. It would lead them to just pick a title that
is available. The fact that consumers want
this title or
that title puts e-books squarely in the "unique product" category--more akin to a limited-run lithograph than a can of peas--where prices are based on the demand-side "desirability" of the item.
I do, however, completely agree with your earlier post. The publishers are squandering an opportunity to grow with the inevitable e-book market rather than fight it. They could not only turn a profit on it, but they could guarantee an enormous amount of good will.