Is this greedy? - Page 2

JeremyR · 04-19-2011, 09:31 PM

Yes. To me, the most important thing for a dead author is for his books to be read after they're gone.

Granted, maybe I'd feel different if I had a dead author relative that I wanted to sponge off of. (and if the author died young, and had a partner/young children to support, that's almost different...)

But still, in my case, there's a series I want to read (Pelbar cycle) that I used to have in paperback. $9.99 for the Kindle editions. These really aren't big books, either, 200-250 pages at most. And the author is dead.

99 cents I'd snap them up. $1.99, maybe. $2.99 -$6.99 probably not. $9.99? Hell no.

HistoryWes · 04-20-2011, 12:28 AM

6.99 is a bit high, but not outrageous. I would pay it for an author I loved.

issybird · 04-20-2011, 10:05 AM

Quantity would matter to me. One book I loved, even if I thought it was overpriced? I'd probably do it. But if this is an author who cranked out another 200 pages of fluff every two months, so we're looking at a large oeuvre at $6.99 a pop? Uh, no.

crossi · 04-20-2011, 11:23 AM

$6.99 is my upper limit for a single fiction book. For an onmibus I'll pay $6.99/each book included.

Hellmark · 04-20-2011, 12:01 PM

Yeah, if it was part of a series, especially a large series, I'd think not.

Sydney's Mom · 04-20-2011, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abookreader

Have you seen the Cherry Ames books? $9.99!!!!

If they were reasonably priced I'd click the whole darn series but not at $10 each.

That is my point exactly. I would love to introduce these books to my daughter (when I was 18 and working nights, I would buy (I think they were under $2 then) one and read one each night before I went to bed (about 5).

Sydney's Mom · 04-20-2011, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abookreader

eh, I'm not sure you can even compare the price of a collectible hard back to a new eBook. They are completely different purchases. I have about the first 10 initial issue Trixie Beldens that are in fabulous condition. I think those were put out about 1959 to mid-1960s. Obviously the price I paid is far more reflective of their collectible nature than the story itself. I'd barf if they tried to price an eBook off of what they go for on EBAY.

Trixie Beldon! I wish you could see the big smile on my face!

I'd be pleased to buy the whole darn series of these books, but it numbers in the hundreds. That is why $7 makes me so sad.

Sydney's Mom · 04-20-2011, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poppaea

Its Cathrine Cookson, isn't it? I read somewhere her books where to be released by Amazon due to a deal her estate executor made and would be sold by 2.99$ each. I went immediately to Amazon to buy some. Turned out they are 6.99$ and 7.99$.

Nope. I will pm you.

Piper_ · 04-20-2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATDrake

Gellis' Ellora's Cave reprint titles are available as DRM-free ePub via Kobo. They're 9.29 to begin with at the "standard" discount, but you can apply coupons to take the price down further.

Although I do agree that they seem kind of overpriced to begin with, considering the age and the original printing format/prestige range and the target audience and all.

And the pricing on those SKPenman titles is absolutely delusional. I bet they're also typo-riddled and don't come with the cover art.

Or maps. That drives me bonkers.

Thanks for the pointer to kobo's Gellis books! I'll keep my eye out for more coupons.

Lemurion · 04-20-2011, 04:59 PM

I think $6.99 is too much, though not egregiously so - but for most things $4.99 is fine because I figure if it's worth buying at all, it's probably worth five bucks. I'd want to lower that for a big series (or maybe offer bundles) just because you're not going to sell all the books at anything over two or three dollars each.

It's the nine or ten dollar ones that drive me nuts. I'm not paying close to ten bucks to replace a book I bought new in paperback twenty years ago for about half that - especially when I can find it in the used bookstore for about three or four bucks (or a penny on Amazon plus $3.99 shipping). That's a bigger rip-off than $13 for something that's still in hardcover.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 04-21-2011, 09:52 AM

I'd need an "on the fence" option for this poll... it's a tough call. I would prefer to see an old book sell for less, but I don't consider $7 outrageous, either.

Neither would I call you cheap for wanting to see a $3 book.

Catlady · 04-21-2011, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

I'd need an "on the fence" option for this poll... it's a tough call. I would prefer to see an old book sell for less, but I don't consider $7 outrageous, either.

Neither would I call you cheap for wanting to see a $3 book.

$7 seems to be the price on most mass-market paperbacks these days, so I think it's a legit price for an e-book. Over $10 is where I start to feel sales resistance for a backlist e-book.

patrickt · 04-21-2011, 03:33 PM

What the book is worth to you and what the book is worth to the seller are two different issues. There are people who are convinced their Rolex watch is superior to my Timex and some stocks in my portfolio.

So, you get to decide based on whatever criteria you want. Hosting a pity party really accomplishes nothing. Just yesterday, I bought an old mystery written by A.A. Milne, better known for Winnie-the-Pooh for a price that was, in my opinion high, but not prohibitive for a book I really wanted to read.

Just out of curiosity, how long ago were you buying these books at $2 each? I remember taking my dad to lunch and he muttered, "I can remember getting lunch for $.25." "Great. Do you remember working for $1 a day?" "Yeh, I remember that, too."

It's amazing how much people long for 2011 wages and 1950 prices.

Nyssa · 04-21-2011, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

I'd need an "on the fence" option for this poll... it's a tough call. I would prefer to see an old book sell for less, but I don't consider $7 outrageous, either. <snip>

+1

Although, I did say you were" being cheap", only because the first part of the statement was how much you loved the books. $7.00 for a beloved book, is NOT a big deal. In fact, I think any amount under double digits, is worth the joy of rereading a favorite.

MrsJoseph · 04-21-2011, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piper_

Or maps. That drives me bonkers.

Thanks for the pointer to kobo's Gellis books! I'll keep my eye out for more coupons.

The lack of maps drive me crazy, too. And they should make the maps part of the fricking TOC and not just at the beginning of the book. I want to be able to flip to a map and back again without major hassle.

Or is this just a kobo related issue?

View Poll Results: Is $6.99 too much?
Yes. The estate is greedy	57	55.88%
No. You are cheap	19	18.63%
I'm sick of whining about ebook prices!	26	25.49%
Voters: 102. You may not vote on this poll

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04-19-2011, 09:31 PM	#16
JeremyR Guru Posts: 973 Karma: 2458402 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: St. Louis Device: Kindle Keyboard, Nook HD+	Yes. To me, the most important thing for a dead author is for his books to be read after they're gone. Granted, maybe I'd feel different if I had a dead author relative that I wanted to sponge off of. (and if the author died young, and had a partner/young children to support, that's almost different...) But still, in my case, there's a series I want to read (Pelbar cycle) that I used to have in paperback. $9.99 for the Kindle editions. These really aren't big books, either, 200-250 pages at most. And the author is dead. 99 cents I'd snap them up. $1.99, maybe. $2.99 -$6.99 probably not. $9.99? Hell no.

04-20-2011, 12:28 AM	#17
HistoryWes Teacher/Novelist Posts: 632 Karma: 2274466 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nevada Device: Nook STR, iPad	6.99 is a bit high, but not outrageous. I would pay it for an author I loved.

04-20-2011, 10:05 AM	#18
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,514 Karma: 236076651 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	Quantity would matter to me. One book I loved, even if I thought it was overpriced? I'd probably do it. But if this is an author who cranked out another 200 pages of fluff every two months, so we're looking at a large oeuvre at $6.99 a pop? Uh, no.

04-20-2011, 11:23 AM	#19
crossi Guru Posts: 997 Karma: 12000001 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Seattle Wahington U.S. Device: kindle	$6.99 is my upper limit for a single fiction book. For an onmibus I'll pay $6.99/each book included.

04-20-2011, 12:01 PM	#20
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, if it was part of a series, especially a large series, I'd think not.

04-20-2011, 04:59 PM	#25
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	I think $6.99 is too much, though not egregiously so - but for most things $4.99 is fine because I figure if it's worth buying at all, it's probably worth five bucks. I'd want to lower that for a big series (or maybe offer bundles) just because you're not going to sell all the books at anything over two or three dollars each. It's the nine or ten dollar ones that drive me nuts. I'm not paying close to ten bucks to replace a book I bought new in paperback twenty years ago for about half that - especially when I can find it in the used bookstore for about three or four bucks (or a penny on Amazon plus $3.99 shipping). That's a bigger rip-off than $13 for something that's still in hardcover.

04-21-2011, 09:52 AM	#26
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	I'd need an "on the fence" option for this poll... it's a tough call. I would prefer to see an old book sell for less, but I don't consider $7 outrageous, either. Neither would I call you cheap for wanting to see a $3 book.

04-21-2011, 03:33 PM	#28
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	What the book is worth to you and what the book is worth to the seller are two different issues. There are people who are convinced their Rolex watch is superior to my Timex and some stocks in my portfolio. So, you get to decide based on whatever criteria you want. Hosting a pity party really accomplishes nothing. Just yesterday, I bought an old mystery written by A.A. Milne, better known for Winnie-the-Pooh for a price that was, in my opinion high, but not prohibitive for a book I really wanted to read. Just out of curiosity, how long ago were you buying these books at $2 each? I remember taking my dad to lunch and he muttered, "I can remember getting lunch for $.25." "Great. Do you remember working for $1 a day?" "Yeh, I remember that, too." It's amazing how much people long for 2011 wages and 1950 prices.