|
Hi, guys.
I've read this discussion and just wanted to add my couple of cents to it.
Actually, just wanted to remind that there 2 Mobipocket DRM servers, one is native Mobipocket and another one MIDAS (am I correct that Serguey Brin of Google has been developing that one before turning to Google completely?).
As I understand Mobipocket's part is down, but MIDAS belongs to a different identity and it is up, which enables Fictionwise and other bookstores to sell Mobipocket e-books acquired through that.
Actually, when Mobipocket was bought by Amazon, all things went messed up in a way. At least I liked their individual operations better.
Someone was asking about e-books economics here. It's quite simle - you need to find such a price for a book that will still be making sales and will not require huge processing efforts. So when you sell for 3 bucks, you sell a lot, but total is much less then if you sell few same copies for 40 bucks, and you put a lot more efforts in processing transactions for smaller amounts. If you put a book for 40, you will have fewer sales, but also fewer transactions. The trick is to find such an equilibrum that will mximize profits with minimum efforts.
In addition to this, distribution takes AT LEAST 55%, so if you buy a book for 12.95, publiesher gets less then 6 dollars (or an auther if he sells himself) - so the money from the sales are about equal to suggested to 5-6 dollars. This is when the price is 12.95.
This is without promotional expenses.
In my personal opininon an e-book can not possibly cost less then 12.95, otherwise it will be a loss for publisher, and such publisher will have to go out of business very fast because of never getting invested money back.
|