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I don’t think there is a discrete answer to this question so I picked ‘Other.’ I’m always willing to pay a fair price for eBooks but I don’t know what that is, and the publishing industry has done nothing to explain. For example, a series of books I like cost between $8 and $16.50 in paper and from $13.50 to $17 in eBook form. It doesn’t seem to make sense especially since the eBook version is poorly formatted and only half the series is available as eBooks. Is this an oversight by the publisher or what?
Some books I want are back listed and unavailable from anywhere except the library (Amazon can sometimes sell me a used copy). Having run out of shelf space I have to throw out a paper book for every new one I buy, so I hate doing it. Nevertheless I'm willing to pay the hard cover price for an eBook version of something I want that’s out of print, except of course, the publishers don’t permit back listed eBooks to be sold. Why is that?
If there is a reason publishers need to charge the same price for the eBook as for the hard back of a book I want, I will pay the price but at present eBook pricing is irrational. If there are reasons for eBook prices I have yet to hear what they are. The publishers are sinking their resources into a power struggle with Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble, etc., and forgetting that readers are a third stake holder and maybe the most important one.
I think the test for prices of anything is reasonable fairness. Right now I could weigh in on most of the choices in this poll depending on the situation. If I could only hear a rational explanation why I should pay more for the eBook of something I want, I’ll gladly pay it.
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