Data behind what sells based on Smashwords

VydorScope · 04-27-2012, 10:15 PM

Mark Coker of Smashwords recently posted this slide deck discussion what works and does not work based on data taken from ebook sales. Some highlights are

Price point of 2.99 to 5.99 appears to be the best range for Indy Authors.
Price of 0.99 to 1.99 under perform by as much as 60%.
In general ebook readers prefer longer books (>100k words) but Romance and Erotica tend to want short books (75-85k).

Check the slide deck for other interesting facts:
http://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords...h-more-readers

Wingpeople · 04-27-2012, 10:25 PM

There's some interesting information in that slideshow. Thanks for passing it along. I've been reading about some authors who've experimented with raising their prices (e.g. from .99 to 2.99 or from 2.99 to 5.99) and actually saw more sales at the higher price -- perhaps because of the perceived value of a higher-priced book. I'll probably experiment with that once our next KDP Select free promo has run its course.

teh603 · 04-27-2012, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Mark Coker of Smashwords recently posted this slide deck discussion what works and does not work based on data taken from ebook sales. Some highlights are

Price point of 2.99 to 5.99 appears to be the best range for Indy Authors.
Price of 0.99 to 1.99 under perform by as much as 60%.
In general ebook readers prefer longer books (>100k words) but Romance and Erotica tend to want short books (75-85k).

Velly intellesting. That explains why page views for my short stories rose when I hiked the price.

Wonder what the sales numbers are for all those super short erotica pieces- the ones below 7k words.

mr ploppy · 04-28-2012, 10:40 AM

He wrote an ebook on the same topic. I haven't read it all yet but it seems quite good.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/145431

gmw · 04-29-2012, 01:37 AM

The curiosity is whether this information will generate an artificial price escalation - an ebook bubble? That is: if the stats indicate that people are using price as a form of selection filter, then maybe the current freebies will try raising their prices to get in on the act. Thus, for the user selection filter to continue to work, they will have to look at higher prices ... and so on. It may become cheaper to buy from traditional publishers.

VydorScope · 04-29-2012, 07:09 AM

gmw...

Doubtful. I would guess that his reach of readers is to small for that.

Greenkeeper · 04-29-2012, 03:05 PM

Maybe it's time I raise my prices, then. I've been at 99 cents since I started two years ago on the idea that since I write a series each volume should be cheaper so that the whole story doesn't get too expensive. I'm at three books so far at greater than 70k words each which seems a good deal at $2.97 for the set. Once I finish the planned five book series it'd be $4.95 for all. Sales have been very steady with the release of each new installment increasing total sales proportionally since my readers tend to buy all my books at once or within a short period of time, but I have been wondering if I'm not missing out on some profit by not going with the $2.99 price.

VydorScope · 04-29-2012, 03:08 PM

Greenkeeper,

Stuff in this world moves slowly... you could try leaving book 1 at 99 and making 2,3, and 4 $2.99 for a couple months and see what happens. If you get complaints, you can give out Smashwords coupons to reduce the price. If sales go up, then you know you under sold yourself. Just a thought.

teh603 · 04-29-2012, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

The curiosity is whether this information will generate an artificial price escalation - an ebook bubble? That is: if the stats indicate that people are using price as a form of selection filter, then maybe the current freebies will try raising their prices to get in on the act. Thus, for the user selection filter to continue to work, they will have to look at higher prices ... and so on. It may become cheaper to buy from traditional publishers.

If all the $2.99 erotica I've seen is any indication, it won't. Its probably more like in World of Warcraft when everyone notices what everyone else has an item up for, and puts their stuff up at the same price.

Minus the profiteers and speculators who buy up reasonably- priced stuff and then try to flip it over, of course.

04-27-2012, 10:15 PM	#1
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	Data behind what sells based on Smashwords Mark Coker of Smashwords recently posted this slide deck discussion what works and does not work based on data taken from ebook sales. Some highlights are Price point of 2.99 to 5.99 appears to be the best range for Indy Authors. Price of 0.99 to 1.99 under perform by as much as 60%. In general ebook readers prefer longer books (>100k words) but Romance and Erotica tend to want short books (75-85k). Check the slide deck for other interesting facts: http://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords...h-more-readers Last edited by VydorScope; 04-27-2012 at 11:33 PM. Reason: Mark's last name is Coker, not Cook ops :)

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04-27-2012, 10:25 PM	#2
Wingpeople ▲▲ Books with Altitude ▲▲ Posts: 29 Karma: 222386 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Colorado Device: Kindle	There's some interesting information in that slideshow. Thanks for passing it along. I've been reading about some authors who've experimented with raising their prices (e.g. from .99 to 2.99 or from 2.99 to 5.99) and actually saw more sales at the higher price -- perhaps because of the perceived value of a higher-priced book. I'll probably experiment with that once our next KDP Select free promo has run its course.

04-28-2012, 10:40 AM	#4
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	He wrote an ebook on the same topic. I haven't read it all yet but it seems quite good. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/145431

04-29-2012, 01:37 AM	#5
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,818 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	The curiosity is whether this information will generate an artificial price escalation - an ebook bubble? That is: if the stats indicate that people are using price as a form of selection filter, then maybe the current freebies will try raising their prices to get in on the act. Thus, for the user selection filter to continue to work, they will have to look at higher prices ... and so on. It may become cheaper to buy from traditional publishers.

04-29-2012, 07:09 AM	#6
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	gmw... Doubtful. I would guess that his reach of readers is to small for that.

04-29-2012, 03:05 PM	#7
Greenkeeper Connoisseur Posts: 67 Karma: 520312 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Texas Device: Kindle	Maybe it's time I raise my prices, then. I've been at 99 cents since I started two years ago on the idea that since I write a series each volume should be cheaper so that the whole story doesn't get too expensive. I'm at three books so far at greater than 70k words each which seems a good deal at $2.97 for the set. Once I finish the planned five book series it'd be $4.95 for all. Sales have been very steady with the release of each new installment increasing total sales proportionally since my readers tend to buy all my books at once or within a short period of time, but I have been wondering if I'm not missing out on some profit by not going with the $2.99 price.

04-29-2012, 03:08 PM	#8
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	Greenkeeper, Stuff in this world moves slowly... you could try leaving book 1 at 99 and making 2,3, and 4 $2.99 for a couple months and see what happens. If you get complaints, you can give out Smashwords coupons to reduce the price. If sales go up, then you know you under sold yourself. Just a thought.