Ebook Price War

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

All glass-tower produced "bestsellers"... did you really expect anything else from those folks?
Try some mid-list/back-list titles or some indies.
There's good reads out there that don't come with name-brand wallet-vacuuming.

I agree. The prices of these books have pretty much made me re-think my tastes, and what I "gotta have". There's always the library if I really want to read something out of my range.

I often stop to wonder why I want something, and I feel like a lot of my previous wishing for the big-name books has been long term conditioning. I don't like being told who's the best when it comes to entertainment. I like to just read and decide which stories are best for me.

"Because everyone says it's good", has often led me to make purchases I've regretted. If something is that good, and I just "have to" read something, well, I'll get in line at the library, or the person who feels I'll die if I don't read something can just buy me the book themselves.

[soulfuldog]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

How sizeable is sizeable?

I probably shouldn't have been quite so vague, my 'fairly sizeable' is probably only a very small number in comparison to those who buy books and know absolutely nothing about DRM. Just like the number of people who know about and use the 'tools' that are available.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Don't think it is a good idea to be puffing up the numbers of ebook pirates.
Besides, there is plenty of legally free and cheap content to keep most of us "cheapskates" satisfied.

"Cheapskates" seem to be thriving in ebook land.

The same survey that gave us the 19% ereader figure also told us only 11% purchased an ebook. That means 40% of ebook readers read free.

Public domain, library, free promotions and unauthorized downloading. Lots of options for the budget conscious. This is bad news for publishers both traditional, indie and self.

[crossi]

Originally Posted by Fbone

"Cheapskates" seem to be thriving in ebook land.

The same survey that gave us the 19% ereader figure also told us only 11% purchased an ebook. That means 40% of ebook readers read free.

Public domain, library, free promotions and unauthorized downloading. Lots of options for the budget conscious. This is bad news for publishers both traditional, indie and self.

Not really. Ebooks don't have used book sales, friends of the library sales, lending your copy to friends. Paper books can go through many owners and that is even without unlimited library checkouts. Overall I think publisher are ahead of the game with ebooks which is a pity. I've gotten a lot of cheap books from used book sales in my life.

[Anabana]

Last Dec while visiting a family member, I noticed she had a Kindle - her kids had given it to her the previous Christmas and showed her how to buy and download books.
So, she had purchased about 12-15 books and generally read a bit every evening. Beyond that, she knew nothing about the ebook world.
She was somewhat aware that other companies made ereaders, but had no idea that certain ebooks could only be read on certain readers, or that ebooks were available from her public library, Project Gutenberg, etc..
I rather expect there are thousands of others with no more knowledge than that. So at least a percentage of ereader owners aren't necessarily 'ok' with a walled garden, they just aren't aware it even exists.

I'm curious about the afore-mentioned survey. What criteria was used to find only 11% purchase ebooks? Does this include buyers who don't own a reader, but instead read on their computer? This is true of 3 of my friends, all of whom buy more ebooks than I, but I'm the one with a ereader. Does it count the person the book goes to, or the person making the purchase - e.g. I gave the relative a gift card which was spent on ebooks. Seems like there would be lots of variables to consider.

[dkperez]

All glass-tower produced "bestsellers"... did you really expect anything else from those folks?
Try some mid-list/back-list titles or some indies.
There's good reads out there that don't come with name-brand wallet-vacuuming.

Ah, I must have misunderstood. With all the angst and crying poverty, I was under the impression that e-books had suddenly dropped to a price so low as to make it impossible for the poor publishers to make a living... I read a LOT of books from a variety of authors, some of whom are reasonably (that'd be reasonably in MY opinion, not necessarily any one else's) priced.

Of course, as spindlegirl said, there's always the library. Unfortunately, if I recall correctly, very few of those "name-brand wallet-vacuuming" authors/books/publishers make e-books available to the library.

But, it's comforting to know the apocalypse isn't upon us, and that the poor, downtrodden publishers will still be able to make payroll tomorrow, despite discounts, pirates, libraries, famine, flood, and pestilence.

[DrNefario]

I think the original article is referring to the heavy discounting on a handful of big names in the UK. James Herbert's brand new Ash is 20p, for instance. It includes about half a dozen books, and hardly counts as a price war, in my eyes.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

I think the original article is referring to the heavy discounting on a handful of big names in the UK. James Herbert's brand new Ash is 20p, for instance. It includes about half a dozen books, and hardly counts as a price war, in my eyes.

Which is what Nate pointed out way back.
Wishful thinking is a powerful force, though.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by Anabana

I'm curious about the afore-mentioned survey. What criteria was used to find only 11% purchase ebooks? Does this include buyers who don't own a reader, but instead read on their computer? This is true of 3 of my friends, all of whom buy more ebooks than I, but I'm the one with a ereader. Does it count the person the book goes to, or the person making the purchase - e.g. I gave the relative a gift card which was spent on ebooks. Seems like there would be lots of variables to consider.

The survey simply asked if you purchased an ebook. This would include everyone with or without devices.

For your example the number should be higher than 19% to include device owners and other ereading or non-ereading people.

About half are finding free reads either authorized or not.