What happened to $9.99?

crutnacker · 01-09-2010, 10:39 AM

Three books I've wanted to purchase, two that are out and one coming next week are ALL listed as $13 or above.

I know it is only $3 more, but I'm wondering if I should wait a few more weeks or take the plunge.

kindlekitten · 01-09-2010, 10:53 AM

isn't it the "Best Sellers" that are the ones that are promised at 9.99?

rcuadro · 01-09-2010, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

isn't it the "Best Sellers" that are the ones that are promised at 9.99?

Yes...

desertgrandma · 01-09-2010, 10:59 AM

From the main Kindle page.

Low Book Prices: New York Times Best Sellers and New Releases are $9.99, unless marked otherwise. When traveling abroad, you can download books wirelessly from the Kindle Store or your Archived Items. U.S. customers will be charged a fee of $1.99 for international downloads.

Amazon has never promised all books would be $9.99 or less.

"Edit.....with a little patience, the books will drop in price. May take a month, but they WILL drop........."

poohbear_nc · 01-09-2010, 01:48 PM

Patience will pay off most of the time. I waited over a year for Atmospheric Disturbances to drop to 9.99 - but it did.

Interestingly enough, the first Flavia de Luce mystery still sells for 10.99, while the new one pre-orders for 9.99.

SensualPoet · 01-09-2010, 03:05 PM

I see Sarah Palin's Going Rogue is available at this "best seller" price point. The Kindle edition even has text-to-speech enabled. Or you can buy the abridged audiobook for around $20. Hmmmm ....

jeffcdo · 01-09-2010, 05:08 PM

Despite the lack of overhead prices for Kindle books continue to creep up, up up.

squeaky · 01-09-2010, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffcdo

Despite the lack of overhead prices for Kindle books continue to creep up, up up.

This has been a fear of mine. Something to consider as I enter my second month of deciding which e-reader to buy (Sony or Kindle).

crutnacker · 01-09-2010, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

I see Sarah Palin's Going Rogue is available at this "best seller" price point. The Kindle edition even has text-to-speech enabled. Or you can buy the abridged audiobook for around $20. Hmmmm ....

Is that in the fiction best sellers?

crutnacker · 01-09-2010, 11:08 PM

Yeah, I guess that's my fear is that as people start committing to the readers, the cost will creep up. Still better than buying a hardcover, but kind of ridiculous.

cypherslock · 01-09-2010, 11:20 PM

I'd rather pay 11.99 than $20. Just as I'd rather pay $20 than $50-60 for tech books. I wish people would stop complaining about price. It is not price but value that is important.

drofgnal · 01-10-2010, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crutnacker

Is that in the fiction best sellers?

drofgnal · 01-10-2010, 07:44 AM

They can't go too much higher. Typically new edition hardbacks are 30% off in bookstores and some can be had for as little as 15 bucks early in release.

Ea · 01-10-2010, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crutnacker

Three books I've wanted to purchase, two that are out and one coming next week are ALL listed as $13 or above.

I know it is only $3 more, but I'm wondering if I should wait a few more weeks or take the plunge.

Are you outside USA? (What's you location) That could add $3-4. But prices have been quite varied lately, too. Perhaps Amazon aren't so aggressive in their pricing at the moment.

SensualPoet · 01-10-2010, 09:03 AM

Frankly, I'm not so fussed that best sellers are $8, $10 or $12 since these volume books are used as "loss leaders" or, at any rate, low margin come-ons. The publishers (and authors) don't take a hit when Wal-mart charges $9 for a $24 best seller -- Wal-mart takes the hit. I want Amazon to continue to thrive so it can expand choice.

Where I would like to see savings are on the back catalogue items that should be considerably cheaper than trade paperbacks and lower than mass paperbacks. These are the "disposable" reads -- like Erle Stanley Gardner, Agathe Christie or Ross Macdonald. These books ought to be repackaged at $2.99 and $3.99 not $6.99 or $8.99. Just as they have done before, they can be brought out every few years in "new cover editions" and then discontinued for a time before returning again. Book stores can continue to carry selected paper editions and trade editions for the fans and collectors.

The magic of iTunes was getting people to pay for things they could quite easily steal. We all hear about the 99¢ price point but the album price is still $10 -- just like in the stores. You can't sell chapters of a book -- I grant that -- but a robust back catalogue at a realistic price with no-brainer purchase process will discourage the development of a no-brainer piracy movement.

01-09-2010, 10:39 AM	#1
crutnacker Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 850 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: None	What happened to $9.99? Three books I've wanted to purchase, two that are out and one coming next week are ALL listed as $13 or above. I know it is only $3 more, but I'm wondering if I should wait a few more weeks or take the plunge.

01-09-2010, 10:59 AM	#4
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462843 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	From the main Kindle page. Low Book Prices: New York Times Best Sellers and New Releases are $9.99, unless marked otherwise. When traveling abroad, you can download books wirelessly from the Kindle Store or your Archived Items. U.S. customers will be charged a fee of $1.99 for international downloads. Amazon has never promised all books would be $9.99 or less. "Edit.....with a little patience, the books will drop in price. May take a month, but they WILL drop........." Last edited by desertgrandma; 01-09-2010 at 11:06 AM.

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01-09-2010, 10:53 AM	#2
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	isn't it the "Best Sellers" that are the ones that are promised at 9.99?

01-09-2010, 01:48 PM	#5
poohbear_nc Bah! Humbug! Posts: 62,697 Karma: 135239851 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	Patience will pay off most of the time. I waited over a year for Atmospheric Disturbances to drop to 9.99 - but it did. Interestingly enough, the first Flavia de Luce mystery still sells for 10.99, while the new one pre-orders for 9.99.

01-09-2010, 03:05 PM	#6
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	I see Sarah Palin's Going Rogue is available at this "best seller" price point. The Kindle edition even has text-to-speech enabled. Or you can buy the abridged audiobook for around $20. Hmmmm ....

01-09-2010, 05:08 PM	#7
jeffcdo Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Upland, CA Device: iPad Pro	Despite the lack of overhead prices for Kindle books continue to creep up, up up.

01-09-2010, 11:08 PM	#10
crutnacker Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 850 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: None	Yeah, I guess that's my fear is that as people start committing to the readers, the cost will creep up. Still better than buying a hardcover, but kind of ridiculous.

01-09-2010, 11:20 PM	#11
cypherslock Groupie Posts: 178 Karma: 12392 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Vox	I'd rather pay 11.99 than $20. Just as I'd rather pay $20 than $50-60 for tech books. I wish people would stop complaining about price. It is not price but value that is important.

01-10-2010, 07:44 AM	#13
drofgnal Wizard Posts: 1,378 Karma: 9964334 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Ipad Pro/Kindle Oasis 3/iPhone 13 Pro Max	They can't go too much higher. Typically new edition hardbacks are 30% off in bookstores and some can be had for as little as 15 bucks early in release.

01-10-2010, 09:03 AM	#15
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	Frankly, I'm not so fussed that best sellers are $8, $10 or $12 since these volume books are used as "loss leaders" or, at any rate, low margin come-ons. The publishers (and authors) don't take a hit when Wal-mart charges $9 for a $24 best seller -- Wal-mart takes the hit. I want Amazon to continue to thrive so it can expand choice. Where I would like to see savings are on the back catalogue items that should be considerably cheaper than trade paperbacks and lower than mass paperbacks. These are the "disposable" reads -- like Erle Stanley Gardner, Agathe Christie or Ross Macdonald. These books ought to be repackaged at $2.99 and $3.99 not $6.99 or $8.99. Just as they have done before, they can be brought out every few years in "new cover editions" and then discontinued for a time before returning again. Book stores can continue to carry selected paper editions and trade editions for the fans and collectors. The magic of iTunes was getting people to pay for things they could quite easily steal. We all hear about the 99¢ price point but the album price is still $10 -- just like in the stores. You can't sell chapters of a book -- I grant that -- but a robust back catalogue at a realistic price with no-brainer purchase process will discourage the development of a no-brainer piracy movement.

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