Sony Store Caves to MacMillan

[kennyc]

Just got this in my email:



Dear Reader Store Customer,

The publishing industry is turning a page and so are we.

Beginning April 1st some major publishers will be instituting a change in the pricing of eBooks, which puts decisions on eBook pricing firmly in their hands. As a result, prices of bestsellers and new releases from these publishers will be changing on the Reader Store, and during the transition time, some titles may be unavailable. Although most of these eBooks will be priced from about $12.99 to 14.99, there will not be a broad pricing change across the Reader Store. In fact, new releases and bestsellers from other publishers will still be priced at $9.99.

Starting a new chapter can be a good thing. With this change, you may see more of your favorite books available in eBook format at the same time they’re released in print. Book lovers like you are driving a revolution in digital reading and the Reader Store is committed to providing you access to the widest selection of digital reading content. Since its inception in September 2006, Sony’s Reader Store has introduced a wide offering of new releases, bestselling eBook titles and newspapers. Today it features access to more than one million titles and links to borrow eBooks from local libraries nationwide.

For more information please visit the Reader Store FAQ: http://ebooks.custhelp.com

Thank you,

The Reader Store

[coleman]

I just ordered a PRS-900 to replace my lost PRS-500, and I will love it, but damn if that's not irritating

[kenschunk]

I would think that Sony would welcome the "Agency" model where the publisher sets the same price for everyone. Without Sony having to do a thing they end up matching everyone else for price on the books from the gang of 5.

Now they just have to compete on customer service and .... oh. Right. Sony. Well, at least their prices aren't higher now.

[KY_TY]

I, too, am very upset over this. I'm not sure what all of the politics are, but from what I have read the ebook pricing issue has been brought to a head because of the Apple iPad availability and the iTunes store.

In any case, ebooks should be priced much less than hard or soft cover books because our digital rights are much less. The only way I know how to fight this higher pricing model is to support our digital libraries.

I hope everyone takes a firm stance on this.

[kennyc]

and despite the fact that I am vehemently against piracy I think this will actually make it much worse.....I hate to say it, but maybe that's what we need to happen....

[Meine]

The only thing that I would want from MacMillan or any other large publisher is a way to easily access their pricing method for my ebooks so I won't feel completely ripped off. At least I can imagine that certain books will be more expensive and such based on the recent date of publishing, edition, writer, or maybe even some vague connection to some other media event. But this does not mean that any price they ask would be justified, by making it more transparent I as a buyer can then actually make a better judgment to buy the book or not.

[lilac_jive]

I'm not sure what everyone would expect from Sony. If Amazon caved, surely Sony would not be able to stand up to it. At least they wrote a nice letter (which, btw, was posted elsewhere).