ebook pricing

Hoods7070 · 04-29-2012, 06:17 AM

Today I went to Amazon (and checked other stores) to buy the Meg Gardiner novel Crosscut, first published on paper in 2005. The ebook version ranges from AU$11.99 (consistent on all sites I checked) to a high of US$13.17 on Amazon. (Although we pay less in AU$, it's made up for in currency exchange fees.) A paperback of the same book is as low as $7.99 on Amazon, or you can get it delivered free from the bookdepository in the UK for AU$6.60 with the current 10% discount.

I'm just wondering what others think - is paying up to twice the price for an ebook reasonable? Given how easy it is to acquire ebooks unlawfully, it makes me wonder if these high prices for ebooks make commercial sense.

VaporPunk · 04-29-2012, 06:29 AM

In cases like this, I'm tempted to buy the paperback and torrent the ebook.

Author gets paid and I don't get robbed. I know its illegal but...

DrNefario · 04-29-2012, 07:35 AM

I would buy the paperback in that situation. Or get it from kobo with a discount coupon. Or stick it on my wish list and hope it is reduced one day.

Fbone · 04-29-2012, 08:21 AM

The book is available through Overdrive. Do you by chance have access to a library that offers ebook borrowing?

Fozzybear · 04-29-2012, 10:08 AM

Charging as much or more for an e-book as a paper book is just dumb, but the same thing happens with CDs and mp3 and in supermarkets with offers where a small box might cost more than a large box of the same thing. Sometimes pricing just makes no sense whatsoever... though greed and 'pricing models' often play a big role.

Talldog · 04-29-2012, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fozzybear

Charging as much or more for an e-book as a paper book is just dumb

Especially when you don't even own the book.

jbcohen · 05-01-2012, 08:03 AM

In my humble opinion book prices are set by publishers in order to attempt to get their customers to behave in a certain way that is best for their publishing model. Those that charge equal or more for the electronic books are attempting to get their customers away from electronic books. I have two strict rules for all of the books that I have: 1) I will pay no more than $6 for any book printed or electronic; 2) I will not buy any book where the electronic book price is equal to or more than the printed book price. I have found several publishers that are willing to meet my parameters and I am quite happy doing business the way I have for a while now. Freequently I pay $0 for the books, however I do not feel that I can expect to get all of the books for $0 simply the first book in a series, that's the loss leader concept again. I am willing to partake in the loss leader since I get to try an authors writting style before I invest any of my hard earned dollars.

petrucci · 05-01-2012, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoods7070

I'm just wondering what others think - is paying up to twice the price for an ebook reasonable?

Absolutely not. I think that the publishers are setting high e-book prices, because they are greedy, and they are attempting to recoup losses from piracy.

Rob Lister · 05-01-2012, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petrucci

Absolutely not. I think that the publishers are setting high e-book prices, because they are greedy, and they are attempting to recoup losses from piracy.

Both!?

Greed is good. Charge what the market will bear...what the customer is willing to spend before getting pissed and pirating.

Then, recouping is necessary.

jtdolphins · 05-01-2012, 08:34 AM

I just bought a paperback of a book because it was 6$ and change while the ebook was 10$. I usually get it from the library first if possibly, but in this case I got impatient. It was there, but on a long waiting list. I needed something different to read.

I have a general rule of not buying an ebook if it cost more than the paperback. I will skip a book rather than pay more.

Harry_Y · 05-01-2012, 08:45 AM

I believe if you let Amazon know they will adjust the price.

Harry_Y · 05-01-2012, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petrucci

Absolutely not. I think that the publishers are setting high e-book prices, because they are greedy, and they are attempting to recoup losses from piracy.

As a consumer your choice is simple: Either Buy it or do without.

I recently bought an $80 book in PDF format.
It was worth $80 to me to have the information in the book.

jbcohen · 05-01-2012, 08:56 AM

There is an old saying in the computer security community - to every attempt to secure information there is always a way around the security improvements. No mater how hard publishers attempt to secure the books they sell there will always be someone who will find a way around those safeguards. Its a loosing battle that publishers seem to be intent on fighting and has been waged for as long as PCs were invented in the early 80s.

petrucci · 05-01-2012, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Lister

Both!?

Greed is good. Charge what the market will bear...what the customer is willing to spend before getting pissed and pirating.

Then, recouping is necessary.

As Harry Y mentioned above, just ask Amazon to change the price. With monopolies and price fixing you may as well throw the free market out the window.

bookfunloving · 05-01-2012, 09:24 AM

prices are confusing

04-29-2012, 06:17 AM	#1
Hoods7070 Groupie Posts: 159 Karma: 24430 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Australia Device: Nexus 7"	ebook pricing Today I went to Amazon (and checked other stores) to buy the Meg Gardiner novel Crosscut, first published on paper in 2005. The ebook version ranges from AU$11.99 (consistent on all sites I checked) to a high of US$13.17 on Amazon. (Although we pay less in AU$, it's made up for in currency exchange fees.) A paperback of the same book is as low as $7.99 on Amazon, or you can get it delivered free from the bookdepository in the UK for AU$6.60 with the current 10% discount. I'm just wondering what others think - is paying up to twice the price for an ebook reasonable? Given how easy it is to acquire ebooks unlawfully, it makes me wonder if these high prices for ebooks make commercial sense.

05-01-2012, 09:24 AM	#15
bookfunloving Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2012 Device: Amazon Kindle	you're right prices are confusing

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04-29-2012, 06:29 AM	#2
VaporPunk Evangelist Posts: 409 Karma: 49204386 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Belgium Device: Kindle 4 + Asus Transformer	In cases like this, I'm tempted to buy the paperback and torrent the ebook. Author gets paid and I don't get robbed. I know its illegal but...

04-29-2012, 07:35 AM	#3
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,189 Karma: 12000000 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	I would buy the paperback in that situation. Or get it from kobo with a discount coupon. Or stick it on my wish list and hope it is reduced one day.

04-29-2012, 08:21 AM	#4
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,284 Karma: 101696762 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	The book is available through Overdrive. Do you by chance have access to a library that offers ebook borrowing?

04-29-2012, 10:08 AM	#5
Fozzybear Enthusiast Posts: 48 Karma: 45968 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G	Charging as much or more for an e-book as a paper book is just dumb, but the same thing happens with CDs and mp3 and in supermarkets with offers where a small box might cost more than a large box of the same thing. Sometimes pricing just makes no sense whatsoever... though greed and 'pricing models' often play a big role.

05-01-2012, 08:03 AM	#7
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,030 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	In my humble opinion book prices are set by publishers in order to attempt to get their customers to behave in a certain way that is best for their publishing model. Those that charge equal or more for the electronic books are attempting to get their customers away from electronic books. I have two strict rules for all of the books that I have: 1) I will pay no more than $6 for any book printed or electronic; 2) I will not buy any book where the electronic book price is equal to or more than the printed book price. I have found several publishers that are willing to meet my parameters and I am quite happy doing business the way I have for a while now. Freequently I pay $0 for the books, however I do not feel that I can expect to get all of the books for $0 simply the first book in a series, that's the loss leader concept again. I am willing to partake in the loss leader since I get to try an authors writting style before I invest any of my hard earned dollars.

05-01-2012, 08:34 AM	#10
jtdolphins Zealot Posts: 142 Karma: 248484 Join Date: May 2011 Device: ipod touch, Kindle3	I just bought a paperback of a book because it was 6$ and change while the ebook was 10$. I usually get it from the library first if possibly, but in this case I got impatient. It was there, but on a long waiting list. I needed something different to read. I have a general rule of not buying an ebook if it cost more than the paperback. I will skip a book rather than pay more.

05-01-2012, 08:45 AM	#11
Harry_Y Addict Posts: 305 Karma: 704492 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NY Device: Kindle 3, Kindle DX, Galaxy Tab 2	I believe if you let Amazon know they will adjust the price.

05-01-2012, 08:56 AM	#13
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,030 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	There is an old saying in the computer security community - to every attempt to secure information there is always a way around the security improvements. No mater how hard publishers attempt to secure the books they sell there will always be someone who will find a way around those safeguards. Its a loosing battle that publishers seem to be intent on fighting and has been waged for as long as PCs were invented in the early 80s.