Would you pay MORE for an ebook

Barty · 06-19-2015, 02:23 PM

I just did.

I got a pbook from my library and after struggling with the hard to read font and having to handle a physical book for a day I bit the bullet and bought the kindle version for $9.99. Pretty stiff price for a backlist published in '92, but sometimes the heart wants what it wants. (I wonder how I managed to do much reading before e-readers.)

The consensus feeling on MR seems to be the zero margin cost of ebooks and their non transferability mean they should cost less than paper books, but for me ebooks are just better -- at least for narrative fiction (as opposed to, say, text books, technical manuals, references). I'm just happy the publishers are not able to price discriminate against people like me, due to above sentiment and, well, the fact that if they charge too much for ebooks it would just drive more people to piracy.

At this point, the pbooks lovers are essentially subsidizing the book industry for me, which is great :-)

eschwartz · 06-19-2015, 02:29 PM

If I don't want to read the pbook and the ebook is overpriced, I would check it (ebook) out of the library rather than paying exorbitant prices.

latepaul · 06-19-2015, 02:38 PM

I haven't bought a paper book (except as a present) for a few years. So I don't compare prices between formats, I compare between books. If I want it enough I'll buy it. If it looks pricey I'll stick an ereaderiq alert on it and move on - after all that TBR pile is big enough.

HarryT · 06-19-2015, 02:50 PM

How much does the paper book cost?

DiapDealer · 06-19-2015, 02:52 PM

Sure. I'd pay more for an ebook under certain circumstances. I'd pay a couple of bucks more to start reading it right now rather than 3-4 days from now when I might be out of the mood for it. I don't buy books (e or p) when they're on sale, or ahead of time to add to my TBR pile (very often anyway). Nine times out of ten, I buy a book when I'm ready to start reading it. So the "right now" feature inherent to ebooks is worth a crap-ton to me. I gladly shell out for that feature.

jhowell · 06-19-2015, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barty

I got a pbook from my library and ...

Here's another reason to go with e-books instead of paper library books. From the local newspaper in my area:

Quote:

Bedbugs appear in Tampa Bay libraries

Overdue books are one thing, but these days local libraries are dealing with a creepier problem:

Bedbugs.

The bloodsucking little critters have cropped up in libraries in St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Pinellas Park.

...

Hotels are particularly vulnerable, but in recent years bedbugs have also infested libraries throughout the nation. The reason: So many people spend time in these public buildings, it's easy for someone to unknowingly carry in a bedbug on their clothes from an infested home. The nocturnal bloodsuckers can also enter libraries in the binding of books returned from infested homes.

"They tend to come in through books. People have their books by their bedside," said Clearwater library director Barbara Pickell. "For whatever reason, bedbugs tend to like books as well."

...

teija · 06-19-2015, 03:54 PM

Yuck!! I heard about the bedbug issue - it apparently showed up in one of our area libraries as well... but that is good food for thought. As we "densify" so do the pests and the risks of them spreading.

Personally, I still LOOK at (used) paperback books, but I can't remember the last time I bought one brand new. And given the choice between a paperback or e-format, I'll admit that I did recently put down a physical book in favour of finding it in e-format. I guess that means I have been (mostly) converted!

HarryT · 06-19-2015, 04:00 PM

I still read a lot of paper books because most of the books I read for my Egyptology degree aren't available as ebooks.

Wearever · 06-19-2015, 04:07 PM

I just bought a new e-book from an author I like. I usually wait till they go on sale, but this author's books don't drop that much in price anyway. So far the only real bargain was the first book in the series at like $2.99 all the others are about $9.99 which is only $3.00 less than the latest one that just came out. I could wait years for these to drop to $7.99. It was an impulse buy, but I wanted to read the book now while it's summer here. Also the library won't get it for a while, and I have bought the other books in the series. Not happy it was $12.99 but I know it will only come down in price when another book is written. That could take a while.
I'm always looking for a bargain, and can usually wait a while for books to come down. But sometimes the only book I want to read, is the one that just came out.

Cosimo · 06-19-2015, 07:41 PM

I don't look at the price of paper books so I don't know if I am paying more and I don't compare prices from different ebook vendors. If Kobo has the book, I buy the book from Kobo.

Phogg · 06-19-2015, 07:51 PM

Used book > one dollar scans > Sigil > ebook.
Also works if there is no ebook available.

BWinmill · 06-19-2015, 08:55 PM

I would rarely pay more for an ebook, mostly because the price difference is substantial. In the few cases when I would pay more, it is because I want to keep the book.

The nasty thing about ebooks is that they are not transferrable. That means that I cannot sell the book, or even give it to someone else to enjoy. That's not an issue if I'm keeping it (I just strip the DRM to be safe). That is an issue for a casual read.

odamizu · 06-19-2015, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barty

Would you pay MORE for an ebook

Yes, though like others here I don't compare prices between paper books and ebooks. I read ebooks exclusively. They are my preferred format for a variety of reasons -- adjustable font size, changeable font, instant delivery, my entire library in a 6-ounce device ...

So if I want a book and the ebook price is within my budget, I just buy it, regardless of how much the paper version costs.

PandathePanda · 06-20-2015, 12:11 AM

If I buy, I buy ebooks, and mostly from Amazon. Since book prices are astronomical here

cromag · 06-20-2015, 01:17 AM

Would I pay MORE for an ebook than a pbook?

No, I don't think I would. If it's new, I can probably get it at the library. If it's old, I can probably get the paper version cheap. And if, for some reason, neither of those is an option, there are too many other books I'm interested in (and probably already have).

06-19-2015, 02:23 PM	#1
Barty doofus Posts: 2,549 Karma: 13089041 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Voyage	Would you pay MORE for an ebook I just did. I got a pbook from my library and after struggling with the hard to read font and having to handle a physical book for a day I bit the bullet and bought the kindle version for $9.99. Pretty stiff price for a backlist published in '92, but sometimes the heart wants what it wants. (I wonder how I managed to do much reading before e-readers.) The consensus feeling on MR seems to be the zero margin cost of ebooks and their non transferability mean they should cost less than paper books, but for me ebooks are just better -- at least for narrative fiction (as opposed to, say, text books, technical manuals, references). I'm just happy the publishers are not able to price discriminate against people like me, due to above sentiment and, well, the fact that if they charge too much for ebooks it would just drive more people to piracy. At this point, the pbooks lovers are essentially subsidizing the book industry for me, which is great :-)

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06-19-2015, 02:29 PM	#2
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	If I don't want to read the pbook and the ebook is overpriced, I would check it (ebook) out of the library rather than paying exorbitant prices.

06-19-2015, 02:38 PM	#3
latepaul Wizard Posts: 1,270 Karma: 10468300 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: a variety (mostly kindles and kobos)	I haven't bought a paper book (except as a present) for a few years. So I don't compare prices between formats, I compare between books. If I want it enough I'll buy it. If it looks pricey I'll stick an ereaderiq alert on it and move on - after all that TBR pile is big enough.

06-19-2015, 02:50 PM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	How much does the paper book cost?

06-19-2015, 02:52 PM	#5
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,570 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Sure. I'd pay more for an ebook under certain circumstances. I'd pay a couple of bucks more to start reading it right now rather than 3-4 days from now when I might be out of the mood for it. I don't buy books (e or p) when they're on sale, or ahead of time to add to my TBR pile (very often anyway). Nine times out of ten, I buy a book when I'm ready to start reading it. So the "right now" feature inherent to ebooks is worth a crap-ton to me. I gladly shell out for that feature.

06-19-2015, 03:54 PM	#7
teija Gadget fiend Posts: 354 Karma: 2111100 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Vancouver, Canada Device: Kobo Clara HD, Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite 2021, Sony PRS-350	Yuck!! I heard about the bedbug issue - it apparently showed up in one of our area libraries as well... but that is good food for thought. As we "densify" so do the pests and the risks of them spreading. Personally, I still LOOK at (used) paperback books, but I can't remember the last time I bought one brand new. And given the choice between a paperback or e-format, I'll admit that I did recently put down a physical book in favour of finding it in e-format. I guess that means I have been (mostly) converted!

06-19-2015, 04:00 PM	#8
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I still read a lot of paper books because most of the books I read for my Egyptology degree aren't available as ebooks.

06-19-2015, 04:07 PM	#9
Wearever Wizard Posts: 1,063 Karma: 10944084 Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: New England Device: Oasis 2,Voyage, Kindlle hdx 8.9, Ipad mini 4. Air 2	I just bought a new e-book from an author I like. I usually wait till they go on sale, but this author's books don't drop that much in price anyway. So far the only real bargain was the first book in the series at like $2.99 all the others are about $9.99 which is only $3.00 less than the latest one that just came out. I could wait years for these to drop to $7.99. It was an impulse buy, but I wanted to read the book now while it's summer here. Also the library won't get it for a while, and I have bought the other books in the series. Not happy it was $12.99 but I know it will only come down in price when another book is written. That could take a while. I'm always looking for a bargain, and can usually wait a while for books to come down. But sometimes the only book I want to read, is the one that just came out.

06-19-2015, 07:41 PM	#10
Cosimo Groupie Posts: 160 Karma: 3337854 Join Date: Jun 2014 Device: Kobo Glo HD	I don't look at the price of paper books so I don't know if I am paying more and I don't compare prices from different ebook vendors. If Kobo has the book, I buy the book from Kobo.

06-19-2015, 07:51 PM	#11
Phogg PHD in Horribleness Posts: 2,320 Karma: 23599604 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: In the ironbound section, near avenue L Device: Just a whole bunch. I guess I am a collector now.	Used book > one dollar scans > Sigil > ebook. Also works if there is no ebook available.

06-19-2015, 08:55 PM	#12
BWinmill Nameless Being	I would rarely pay more for an ebook, mostly because the price difference is substantial. In the few cases when I would pay more, it is because I want to keep the book. The nasty thing about ebooks is that they are not transferrable. That means that I cannot sell the book, or even give it to someone else to enjoy. That's not an issue if I'm keeping it (I just strip the DRM to be safe). That is an issue for a casual read.

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06-20-2015, 12:11 AM	#14
PandathePanda a toy panda Posts: 2,568 Karma: 26020474 Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Onboard the Queen Anne's Revenge Device: Various Android dvices	If I buy, I buy ebooks, and mostly from Amazon. Since book prices are astronomical here

06-20-2015, 01:17 AM	#15
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 26,290 Karma: 459765791 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	Would I pay MORE for an ebook than a pbook? No, I don't think I would. If it's new, I can probably get it at the library. If it's old, I can probably get the paper version cheap. And if, for some reason, neither of those is an option, there are too many other books I'm interested in (and probably already have).