Another grossly overpriced ebook.

[dkb]

Originally Posted by Anthem

If we end up paying the same amount for the content, whether printed or digitized, I say we come out on top because I think a digitized book has features that greatly increase the desirability over a printed book (even though there are definitely some issues that still need smoothed away).

Personally I think DRM makes the digital version worth less than the print versions. If it weren't for that, I would agree that there are advantages to having a digitized book over print. I still wouldn't pay more than the paperback price. It should also be noted that one of the reasons that digitized books cost as much as print books is that there is a cost to adding DRM to a book. Since it devalues the book for me, I don't care to pay "extra" for it.

[silasgreenback]

Originally Posted by dkb

Personally I think DRM makes the digital version worth less than the print versions. If it weren't for that, I would agree that there are advantages to having a digitized book over print. I still wouldn't pay more than the paperback price. It should also be noted that one of the reasons that digitized books cost as much as print books is that there is a cost to adding DRM to a book. Since it devalues the book for me, I don't care to pay "extra" for it.

If a digital version is more than the paperback, it's a dealbreaker for sure. Content is one thing, but a tangible item will always trump a file in value for me.

[Xanthe]

Any publisher that charges more for an ebook than it does for the tree version - for whatever excuse - just makes that ebook fair for the taking on the Dark Net, IMO.

Personally, I wouldn't buy any version of the book the OP mentioned as long as such overt price-fixing is in play.

[Belle2Be]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

There's no such thing as non-tangible goods.

Can you explain this?

[queentess]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

I think I see the problem, here, and the flaw in much of the criticism of ebook sales, and DRM:

There's no such thing as non-tangible goods.

They're actually called intangible goods, though non-tangible also gets the point across. Why is it you think there is no such thing as a good that cannot be touched?

I'm an accountant working in the SaaS industry. I am quite familiar with the distinction between a good and a service, especially as relates to tax laws in the U.S. (and some non-U.S. countries).

[OtterBooks]

They're actually called intangible goods, though non-tangible also gets the point across. Why is it you think there is no such thing as a good that cannot be touched?

I was going by the general definition that uses tangibility as one of the defining criteria of goods. I realize intellectual property inhabits what seems to be fuzzy area. And yeah, I was being picky with "non" vs "in"tangible. Even IP is rights-based. My point is that judging the value of intangible/non-tangible goods based on the commodity value of tangible ones ("paper costs more than data") is problematic, in the least.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by Angst

Lost in a Good Book, Jasper Fforde

Paperback (New): $10.20
ebook (Kindle): $14.99

A 50% markup just to read the ebook. As a matter of fact, for every book by Jasper Fforde carried by Amazon, the ebook price is higher than the paperback price. I'm getting really, really pissed off at the new agency rules.


edit:
Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse:
Thursday Next: First Among Sequels


Hardcover: $5.56
Paperback: $11.25
ebook: $12.99

I follow a number of forums and frankly, this sort of pricing *may* and *seems to me* to be pushing a number of people to the Noon and Sony--because of library lending. Kindle had a really great out-the-gate because they were offering book prices that people were willing to pay. Instead of learning from these sales...the publishers went the other direction. Granted, the library/lending feature was going to pull book readers in any case, but when you price popular books, best sellers and whatnot in a higher category, those doing their research are going to look for options like library lending.

From the forums I follow, Nook did VERY well this Christmas and the number one reason I saw for buying it was: Library.

Methinks the publishers didn't learn much from Amazon's pricing experiments. They took away the wrong message. They can control pricing, but what they want to control or have an effect on is BUYING.

[rogue_librarian]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

Kindle had a really great out-the-gate because they were offering book prices that people were willing to pay.

I agree with that assessment.

Granted, the library/lending feature was going to pull book readers in any case, but when you price popular books, best sellers and whatnot in a higher category, those doing their research are going to look for options like library lending.

Yes, although it can't be that bad: the Kindle could support epub in the blink of an eye, all it'd take is a firmware update.

[Angst]

Originally Posted by rogue_librarian

...the Kindle could support epub in the blink of an eye, all it'd take is a firmware update.

It would cost Amazon their monopoly on Kindle ebook sales. If you own a Kindle, the only, (at least primary 99%+), source for ebooks is Amazon. If Amazon supported ePub they would have to compete with other book sellers. I don't think they'll risk it.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

Can you really assess value by comparing cost of production between goods and services? Ebooks are not goods. When you buy an ebook, you're purchasing limited manufacturing and distribution rights, and the service of communicating the information required to utilize them. This is why referencing "resale value" regarding ebooks is pointless: You can't resell a "used" service.

In most cases you're also purchasing that continued service. If you think an ebook is just a paper book with lower materials cost, try this: Buy paper book. Take book home. Put book on bookshelf. Burn down house. Return to retailer and ask for another.

Your house burns down. Your reader is gone. You had a Kindle. You want a Sony. If you don't strip DRM/format shift, all those eBooks you bought will be useless on your shiny new Sony.

[Redcard]

And I bought Tinker, Tailor, Soldier , Spy at McKay's book store in Nashville for 15 cents. You can buy new versions of the book for $9.99. This problem isn't new. When you buy new products (or new products on new technologies), they cost more than older products on older technologies.

A book is only overpriced if people don't pay for it at that price point.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Perryw

This is just stupid pricing. The agency model doesn't have much to do with it.

The agency model has everything to do with it. Penguin is one of the Agency 5. So yes it is an agency eBook.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by silasgreenback

The 40th Anniversary Edition of Dune for Kindle is outrageously priced and according to reviews, very badly formatted.

Dune at Kindle Store

Even the paperback is expensive at $11.56.

You can buy the paperback from the Borders website for $7.99 and I saw a hardcover version on sale at a B&M Waldenbooks for the same price.

I don't have to think long about which store would get the cash.

One thing I'd never heard of until coming here was buying 2nd hand and slicing the spines off to be scanned. Learning about that alone was worth registering.

The list price of the paperback is $17.00. So to the Agency 5, $15.99 is a discount. This is how they think. They don't think but what about discounts on the paper version that will then make it cheaper. Well, they don't allow discounts on the eBooks. They basically feel that customers are stupid and they don't give a darn about us.

[screwballl]

Originally Posted by silasgreenback

The 40th Anniversary Edition of Dune for Kindle is outrageously priced and according to reviews, very badly formatted.

Dune at Kindle Store

Even the paperback is expensive at $11.56.

You can buy the paperback from the Borders website for $7.99 and I saw a hardcover version on sale at a B&M Waldenbooks for the same price.

I don't have to think long about which store would get the cash.

One thing I'd never heard of until coming here was buying 2nd hand and slicing the spines off to be scanned. Learning about that alone was worth registering.

My local small book store has 4 or 5 copies of the previously run versions of the book in their $1 section, last time I was there one of these was a hardcover.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

I follow a number of forums and frankly, this sort of pricing *may* and *seems to me* to be pushing a number of people to the Noon and Sony--because of library lending. Kindle had a really great out-the-gate because they were offering book prices that people were willing to pay. Instead of learning from these sales...the publishers went the other direction. Granted, the library/lending feature was going to pull book readers in any case, but when you price popular books, best sellers and whatnot in a higher category, those doing their research are going to look for options like library lending.

From the forums I follow, Nook did VERY well this Christmas and the number one reason I saw for buying it was: Library.

Methinks the publishers didn't learn much from Amazon's pricing experiments. They took away the wrong message. They can control pricing, but what they want to control or have an effect on is BUYING.

Sony did very well this season also. The reason? Better user experience and library lending. Publishers Publishers don't learn. They don't see that lower price eBooks are selling better.