Book/e-book prices around the world

[Blue Tyson]

Saw tons of $22 mass market paperbacks wandering around Melbourne the other day.

[AlexBell]

“The U.S. is neither the most nor the least price-competitive market in which we operate,” Tamblyn said. “There are very different prices that customers are used to paying and willing to pay on a market by market basis.”

This is copied from an earlier post, and in my opinion translates as 'Whatever the market will bear.' If we are willing to pay high prices we'll get charged high prices.

[electristan]

A small market with its own language being willing to pay a higher price makes some sense (though very frustrating). Having the price difference be that large across multiple English speaking marked, like Australia and the US/UK, seems off.

I would never buy a book from an Australian publisher if they are charging that much if there is an option to get from a US/UK

Either way it drives me nuts that the book industry in Norway are complaining that the e-book market is not taking off. Its them pushing people away.

[owly]

Hej från Sverige. Polis is 155 SKr. (about 136 in Norweigan) hardbound here, it hasn't come out as an e-book yet. But then we have only 6% sales tax on paper books. New e-books cost about the same because the taxes are higher on what is considered an "electronic service".

[electristan]

Originally Posted by owly

Hej från Sverige. Polis is 155 SKr. (about 136 in Norweigan) hardbound here, it hasn't come out as an e-book yet. But then we have only 6% sales tax on paper books. New e-books cost about the same because the taxes are higher on what is considered an "electronic service".

Hei på deg that is crazy, the book in another country than the country of origin is well over half price.

Be it books, games or films, it's all about squeezing every øre/cent/penny out of people.

I'm going to to buy some self-published book that are fairly priced now...

[Joseph R]

Originally Posted by electristan

A small market with its own language being willing to pay a higher price makes some sense (though very frustrating). Having the price difference be that large across multiple English speaking marked, like Australia and the US/UK, seems off.

I would never buy a book from an Australian publisher if they are charging that much if there is an option to get from a US/UK

Either way it drives me nuts that the book industry in Norway are complaining that the e-book market is not taking off. Its them pushing people away.

It shows the inefficiency of the so-called "free markets". There is no reason, distribution-wise why ebooks are more expensive, even in a smaller market like Norway than in bigger markets, like the U.S. You have to add the cost of a translator, which are from I heard, quite expensive, as an added cost.

So even with an added layer, the books are cheaper in English.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Joseph R

It shows the inefficiency of the so-called "free markets". There is no reason, distribution-wise why ebooks are more expensive, even in a smaller market like Norway than in bigger markets, like the U.S. You have to add the cost of a translator, which are from I heard, quite expensive, as an added cost.

So even with an added layer, the books are cheaper in English.

Population of Norway: 5 million
Population of USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand: 314+35+63+22+4 = 438 million.

So the English-speaking market is at least 80 times bigger than the Norwegian market.

I can see why, even taking into account translation costs, books in English might be cheaper than the Norwegian originals.

I am surprised that they are SO MUCH more expensive.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by electristan

Hei på deg that is crazy, the book in another country than the country of origin is well over half price.

Be it books, games or films, it's all about squeezing every øre/cent/penny out of people.

I'm going to to buy some self-published book that are fairly priced now...

Well, if the salary level is much higher in Norway (which it is) then of course the price of books have to be higher to pay these higher salaries.

Restaurant prices are also much higher in Norway for example.

[Joseph R]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Population of Norway: 5 million
Population of USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand: 314+35+63+22+4 = 438 million.

So the English-speaking market is at least 80 times bigger than the Norwegian market.

I can see why, even taking into account translation costs, books in English might be cheaper than the Norwegian originals.

I am surprised that they are SO MUCH more expensive.

I do not believe you can group the entire Anglosphere into one single population: translators translate a piece of work not in Standard Modern English but rather into the local vernacular. Example: a US translator would use a Webster-based vocabulary and syntax (color, theater, center,...) while a UK translator would use an Oxford-based syntax (colour, theatre, centre,...)

That said, due to Copyright and cultural issues, countries have laws that demand works of art to be published by a local publisher, and if necessary, a local translator. Of course, in the US, the size of the market would easily offset any translation cost but for smaller countries: Canada, Australia, NZ... , that added cost can be significant. I think that is what the point of this thread.

[owly]

Here's some interesting thought on e-bok prices in Norway from last year. http://imedia.brookes.ac.uk/jacobsen...ces_in_norway/
There is also the factor that book prices are fixedin Norway, they aren't in Sweden. for more about this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed_book_price_agreement

[taming]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The prices I quoted are MMPB prices.

I'm pretty sure Tamblyn was giving Kobo pricing and averages, Harry.

PS. He also talks about how those averages are being affected by the Indie books Kobo sells.

[Doitsu]

Amazon Germany lists the German translation of the latest Jo Nesbø novel for pre-order at these prices:

Hardback: €22.99, $30.40, £19.54
Kindle: €19.99, $26.43, £16.99

I.e. the Kindle book is only 17% cheaper than the print book.
BTW, there's no RRP for books in Germany, because of the Buchpreisbindung (Fixed Book Price Agreement).

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Joseph R

That said, due to Copyright and cultural issues, countries have laws that demand works of art to be published by a local publisher, and if necessary, a local translator.

Can you name a country which demands that works of art be published by a local publisher? I certainly can't think of one! It's entirely at the author's discretion to decide whether to give one publisher world-wide rights, or to sign separate contracts with publishers in different countries. The reason that many authors opt for the latter is that they can make more money that way (3 different publishers = 3 separate advances).

[andreabc]

Originally Posted by electristan

A small market with its own language being willing to pay a higher price makes some sense (though very frustrating). Having the price difference be that large across multiple English speaking marked, like Australia and the US/UK, seems off.

I would never buy a book from an Australian publisher if they are charging that much if there is an option to get from a US/UK

It also happens sometimes in the Spanish speaking markets... Last year people in Spain were somewhat upset at the high prices for A Dance with Dragons (46€ in hardcover and 38€ in paperback - released 3 weeks later) and when they later discovered that the international MMPB edition in Spanish was being released a few months later for about 10€ (and you could get it with free shipping from The Book Depository).

[Joseph R]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Can you name a country which demands that works of art be published by a local publisher? I certainly can't think of one! It's entirely at the author's discretion to decide whether to give one publisher world-wide rights, or to sign separate contracts with publishers in different countries. The reason that many authors opt for the latter is that they can make more money that way (3 different publishers = 3 separate advances).

I had that idea in my mind but right now, I can't pinpoint the exact source of it. If that is the reason why authors have different publishers, then it makes sense also.

Well then, I stand corrected, Thanks Harry!