Quote:
Originally Posted by Kali Yuga
Last but not least, there is absolutely no reason why there needs to be a direct link between the public's perception of the cost of a good (accurate or otherwise), and its final price. The price is merely what the market will bear, and it's way too early in the game to categorically state that $10 is the only price for a new book that can possibly work.
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I'm not sure this is true any more. Publishers are now competing with pirates supplying free and often superior versions of the same product. Publishers are basically relying on three very flimsy selling points:
1) Lack of computer literacy and awareness of pirated sources. They're living on borrowed time here. You'll already be very hard pressed to find anyone under 30 who would find it a struggle to learn how to pirate digital products, and I suspect the vast majority have already done so at least once.
2) Morality. Most people would like to reward the creator of the work. That sympathy often doesn't extend to the large corporations who help to bring that work to market, however unfair that may be.
3) Fear of the law. Again, I think this is a generational thing that is rapidly dying out, at least as far as piracy goes. There is potential for change here if there are a few high profile cases, however.
Considering the weak position that puts the publishers in, I think there is a genuine need for prices and public perception to be somewhat in line. At least, if you want to have any hope of remaining in business.
We are creatures of habit. It's only the first few illegal downloads that feel strange and wrong to most. Once the individual gets used to breaking the law in this way, then as a seller you've *really* screwed yourself, because you aren't going to get that customer back simply by lowering the price a little.