Oddities in buying eBooks

Hellmark · 01-06-2011, 07:13 PM

Today, after showing up to work in a bathrobe, olive drab tshirt, and cowboy hat, the guys got me thinking about MASH when they jokingly called me Hawkeye. I looked around online for the original book, and saw on inkmesh that all the places had it for $9.99, with the exception of Harpercollin's now defunct store (which had it for $8.79), and Powells (for $9.34).

First I thought it was strange, that HarperCollins sold it for a $1.20 less than everyplace else that was authorized to sell the book. I still don't understand how they can claim that Agency Pricing will "stimulate competition" as it most recently claimed, especially when they set their own price lower than where they set the price for everyone else.

Next up, Powells lists the book as being out of stock. How can an ebook be out of stock?

Any of you guys run into weird stuff like this?

bgalbrecht · 01-06-2011, 09:07 PM

I think the Harper Collins and Powells prices are leftover from before the April 1 contract changes. I saw that with a couple other HC books. I don't buy very many Agency 5 ebooks anymore, since they're usually priced over the discounted mass market paperback price at B&N.

wvcherrybomb · 01-06-2011, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Next up, Powells lists the book as being out of stock. How can an ebook be out of stock?

This is a new one on me.

Hellmark · 01-06-2011, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgalbrecht

I think the Harper Collins and Powells prices are leftover from before the April 1 contract changes. I saw that with a couple other HC books. I don't buy very many Agency 5 ebooks anymore, since they're usually priced over the discounted mass market paperback price at B&N.

I've never known Inkmesh to be out of date on anything, which is what surprised me about it.

GA Russell · 01-06-2011, 09:49 PM

Sounds like another example showing that they are fibbing when they say the price of older books will come down. Richard Hooker's M*A*S*H is 42 years old, published in 1968!

Hellmark · 01-07-2011, 01:14 AM

Yeah, seeing the price kinda put the kibosh on me grabbing an ebook copy. Is about double what I like paying for an ebook, and is an extremely short on in my standards (Dead tree versions clock in around 200 pages) so less incentive to go for it. I'd have ripped through it in an evening.

jehane · 01-07-2011, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Powells lists the book as being out of stock. How can an ebook be out of stock?

I've seen this before, a few times. No, I don't understand it either. At first I thought it might be that they were in the process of adding/removing the title from their catalogue, but there were some that I checked back a few times on that persisted with that. Can't remember the books or stores now though.

Anthem · 01-07-2011, 06:21 PM

An out of stock eBook?

You wouldn't think they would go all Library with it and be restricted to serving a limited number of "copies".

jehane · 01-10-2011, 02:22 AM

I found a site with a lot of "out of stock" ebooks - bookdepository, both US and UK sites. I suspect they really mean that the books are geo-restricted.

Hellmark · 01-10-2011, 11:33 AM

I can see an out of stock message if it is a georestriction issue. They have it, just not copies for all regions.

In this case, it was a US book seller, with an US book from a US publisher, and I'm in the US.

screwballl · 01-10-2011, 12:00 PM

Just part of the scam that many publishers are trying to force on us... limit the availability and only allow the highest price sellers to continue selling it in order to make a higher profit off the ebooks.

Another few years when fewer authors go with agencies and publishers and the prices sit around $3-5 per book, 99% of which goes to the author... then when ebook sales from publishers start dropping, they will have no choice but to sell it for what the market allows, not what they think is right or limiting availability.

Hellmark · 01-10-2011, 01:14 PM

I don't think that 99% will ever go to the publisher. Credit card fees alone would make it not worthwhile for anyone to retail ebooks. On a $5 book, works out to be 14% of the price, give or take. Plus someone still has to edit the book, format it, etc. Plus the publishers do advertising, work out deals to have stores give attention to the book, etc. Even for ebooks, publishers do a lot of work that most people don't think of. Doesn't mean that I don't think they're not over charging now.

RolandD · 01-13-2011, 11:10 PM

The ebook price of older books like MASH should be based on the going used paperback price. Really, has anyone bought a new copy of that book in the last 15 years?

Hellmark · 01-14-2011, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RolandD

The ebook price of older books like MASH should be based on the going used paperback price. Really, has anyone bought a new copy of that book in the last 15 years?

Surprisingly, a new paperback copy of it is $10.40 on Amazon. Makes no sense to me.

tts52 · 01-27-2011, 05:17 PM

On my iPad I have eReader, iPad Books, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, and Nook. When I buy a book I sometimes check all of the sites and invariably all have the exact same price. Are eBooks a cartel--there seems to be no competition.

01-06-2011, 07:13 PM	#1
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,592 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	Oddities in buying eBooks Today, after showing up to work in a bathrobe, olive drab tshirt, and cowboy hat, the guys got me thinking about MASH when they jokingly called me Hawkeye. I looked around online for the original book, and saw on inkmesh that all the places had it for $9.99, with the exception of Harpercollin's now defunct store (which had it for $8.79), and Powells (for $9.34). First I thought it was strange, that HarperCollins sold it for a $1.20 less than everyplace else that was authorized to sell the book. I still don't understand how they can claim that Agency Pricing will "stimulate competition" as it most recently claimed, especially when they set their own price lower than where they set the price for everyone else. Next up, Powells lists the book as being out of stock. How can an ebook be out of stock? Any of you guys run into weird stuff like this?

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01-06-2011, 09:07 PM	#2
bgalbrecht Wizard Posts: 1,806 Karma: 13399999 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: US Device: Nook Simple Touch, Kobo Glo HD, Kobo Clara HD, Kindle 4	I think the Harper Collins and Powells prices are leftover from before the April 1 contract changes. I saw that with a couple other HC books. I don't buy very many Agency 5 ebooks anymore, since they're usually priced over the discounted mass market paperback price at B&N.

01-06-2011, 09:49 PM	#5
GA Russell Stampeders are hot! Posts: 7,692 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Sounds like another example showing that they are fibbing when they say the price of older books will come down. Richard Hooker's MAS*H is 42 years old, published in 1968!

01-07-2011, 01:14 AM	#6
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,592 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	Yeah, seeing the price kinda put the kibosh on me grabbing an ebook copy. Is about double what I like paying for an ebook, and is an extremely short on in my standards (Dead tree versions clock in around 200 pages) so less incentive to go for it. I'd have ripped through it in an evening.

01-07-2011, 06:21 PM	#8
Anthem Guru Posts: 704 Karma: 1622328 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: USA Device: Kindle Oasis, OnePlus Nord	An out of stock eBook? You wouldn't think they would go all Library with it and be restricted to serving a limited number of "copies".

01-10-2011, 02:22 AM	#9
jehane Book addict Posts: 441 Karma: 2650464 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Antarctica/Australia/Ohio Device: Sony PRS-300/T1/Asus TF101	I found a site with a lot of "out of stock" ebooks - bookdepository, both US and UK sites. I suspect they really mean that the books are geo-restricted.

01-10-2011, 11:33 AM	#10
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,592 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	I can see an out of stock message if it is a georestriction issue. They have it, just not copies for all regions. In this case, it was a US book seller, with an US book from a US publisher, and I'm in the US.

01-10-2011, 12:00 PM	#11
screwballl NewKindler Posts: 504 Karma: 1865773 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: NWFL Device: Kindle3 Wifi	Just part of the scam that many publishers are trying to force on us... limit the availability and only allow the highest price sellers to continue selling it in order to make a higher profit off the ebooks. Another few years when fewer authors go with agencies and publishers and the prices sit around $3-5 per book, 99% of which goes to the author... then when ebook sales from publishers start dropping, they will have no choice but to sell it for what the market allows, not what they think is right or limiting availability.

01-10-2011, 01:14 PM	#12
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,592 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	I don't think that 99% will ever go to the publisher. Credit card fees alone would make it not worthwhile for anyone to retail ebooks. On a $5 book, works out to be 14% of the price, give or take. Plus someone still has to edit the book, format it, etc. Plus the publishers do advertising, work out deals to have stores give attention to the book, etc. Even for ebooks, publishers do a lot of work that most people don't think of. Doesn't mean that I don't think they're not over charging now.

01-13-2011, 11:10 PM	#13
RolandD Fanatic Posts: 561 Karma: 3228980 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Branson, MO, USA Device: Kindle Touch is now my main eReader.	The ebook price of older books like MASH should be based on the going used paperback price. Really, has anyone bought a new copy of that book in the last 15 years?

01-27-2011, 05:17 PM	#15
tts52 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2005 Device: Clie UX50	On my iPad I have eReader, iPad Books, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, and Nook. When I buy a book I sometimes check all of the sites and invariably all have the exact same price. Are eBooks a cartel--there seems to be no competition.

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