Can someone explain the publishers stinking-thinking to me

[SilverBear]

Originally Posted by crossi

True there is no such thing as surplus ebooks, still if you've spent money producing an ebook and no one is buying it you might as well try selling it at surplus prices in the hope of at least getting something back. Or even giving it away and writing it off as a tax loss in the hopes that someone would read it and like it enough to buy your next book.

I tend to agree. HarryT is absolutely correct as far as his technical assessment goes re: the realities of physical inventories vs. digital reproduction technology. But, IMO, the big mistake that publishers are making is to do exactly that: view a digital commodity the same way they view a physically tangible commodity.

People KNOW that once a book is in digital form --and except for editing, it is already in digital form when an author submits it to the publisher!-- the costs to the publisher for reproduction and distribution are almost negligible.

To even try to equate the "fair and just" price for an eBook with the price of the same book in print form is not just a futile exercise like trying to "compare apple with oranges." It's more like trying to compare apples with sounds or smells or colors.

A fundamental change in thinking, and a fundamental change in marketing and distribution is urgently needed.

[SilverBear]

I am minded to relate a Shaykh Nasruddin story.
Shaykh Nasruddin is a mythic figure in Sufi parables. AFAIK, he never actually lived --but he is very alive, because stories about him relate to the basic trials of human nature.

A beggar had a rough day. But before the sun went down had managed to get JUST enough copper coin to buy a small flat loaf of bread (think "pita" or something like it.)

He bought his bread, looking longingly over at the stall where a fat fellow was selling bowls of thick meat stew. "Hmmm- UMM!" The beggar wished that he could get some, but he only had bread.

But my bread would be MUCH more satisfying if it at least smelled, maybe tasted like that stew, he thought. So while the fat merchant was talking to his customers, the beggar held his little loaf over top of the stewpot where it could absorb the steam.

Sudden the merchant whirled around and grabbed the beggar by the wrist. "Thief!" And he continued to accost the beggar. The two disputing parties went before Shaykh Naasruddin, who was reclining against the wall with a circle of his students.

Both men related their sides of the dispute. The merchant insisted that the beggar had taken the rich odours of his stew without paying for them.

Nasruddin was quiet a moment and said,
"Allright, brother. It is true this brother took something without paying. And I am a charitable Muslim. Though a poor man myself, I will pay you what this beggar owes you. What is the price?"

The merchant promptly quoted the price of a full bowl of stew.

Shaykh Nasruddin opened his purse, took out the correct number of coins, and dropped them in front of the merchant. But before the merchant could take them, Nasruddin snatched them up as they bounced, and returned them to his purse.

"What!!!? You would cheat me, Shaykh?"

"I give you your just price," replied Nasruddin. "This man took from you the smell of your stew without depleting your pot. I paid you with the sound of my coins without depleting my purse."

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by SilverBear

To even try to equate the "fair and just" price for an eBook with the price of the same book in print form is not just a futile exercise like trying to "compare apple with oranges."

You are right to put the "fair and just" in quotes here. There is no reason for a publisher to set any price other than the one which maximizes profit. If publishers make more money, they are going to, on average, pay more taxes and share more with authors. What about the far larger profit margins of a Microsoft or Apple? I'm not criticizing them for their success, just pointing out that publishers are normal in pricing what the market will bear.

A fundamental change in thinking, and a fundamental change in marketing and distribution is urgently needed.

Why? As far as I know, publishers are doing rather well, especially considering there being a recession/depression at present.

I guess that the answer, as to why they have to change, could be the darknet threat. There does seem to be evidence this has cost the music industry sales. But part of the reason for this is the music industry's disproportionate reliance on young people. Book publishers have an older customer base that is, perhaps, more likely to play by the rules. I say perhaps there because I am not sure. Publisher profit margins over the next few quarters may bear watching. However, it seems that there are more book titles than ever. Also, the darknet is going to pull off readers who care about price, and only price, regardless. This skews the remaining group a bit in the direction of those who can afford to pay more. There no reason I can see why publishers should ignore this in their calculations.

I don't like that the selection of new books at my public library is going down, and the selection of eBooks is puny. You may not like that you can't afford to buy as many eBooks as you like. But I don't see why a publishing company should make that their problem.

P.S. I do think companies need to act morally. No sweatshop factories! No child labor! Pay the authors their royalties by the contracted date! However, I just don't see why I have a right to low prices.