Waterstones Ebook store to Launch midday 04/09/08

stustaff · 09-03-2008, 05:52 PM

Woohoo UK Ebooks

Store to launch in just over 12 hours at waterstones.com

Source = http://www.waterstones.com/waterston...o?pPageID=1576

garygibsonsf · 09-04-2008, 04:31 AM

At this precise moment of writing, it appears to be live already. There's not a huge amount of books yet, so presumably it's going to take time to get them listed and up.

simond · 09-04-2008, 04:46 AM

Prices don't seem too bad for UK based books, but I get the feeling I'll often be waiting for a US based release due to them still being cheaper

HarryT · 09-04-2008, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simond

Prices don't seem too bad for UK based books, but I get the feeling I'll often be waiting for a US based release due to them still being cheaper

They do seem awfully expensive.

One completely random example: "Ashes of Worlds" by Kevin J. Anderson:

Waterstones price: £12.99 = US$23.17 (using the xe.com exchange rate)
Fictionwise price: $11.58 (or $9.85 for club members)

That's less than half the price that Waterstones are charging.

simond · 09-04-2008, 05:24 AM

Bear in mind that most people who're just starting with ebooks won't even think about looking abroad for ebooks and won't want the hassle of converting them. I was thinking more that Fictionwise books tend to start off at $20-25 when the hardback version is out, which isn't all that much different.

But personally, I doubt I'll buy from the Waterstones store much if at all, not least as I still don't like my books being tied to one device, which although ePub is nice, with the DRM they still are as no other device currently supports it

Megapode · 09-04-2008, 05:35 AM

Hi, new to these forums as eagerly awaiting the delivery of shiny new 505 via Waterstones...
Really like this idea and keen to partake but already disappointed to see that many ebooks on Waterstones are more expensive than the 'hardcopy' version...!
Not in all cases it has to be said - but found enough examples already from a quick trawl through...

Selzernium · 09-04-2008, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

They do seem awfully expensive.

One completely random example: "Ashes of Worlds" by Kevin J. Anderson:

Waterstones price: £12.99 = US$23.17 (using the xe.com exchange rate)
Fictionwise price: $11.58 (or $9.85 for club members)

That's less than half the price that Waterstones are charging.

I think you are misled by the sites strange layout, they have so few ebooks that all the ebooks make one category in the left pane? alongside pbook genres like sci-fi.
What I mean is the books are organised like this..
ebooks <---- (all genres!)
science <---- pbook
fiction <---- pbook

So If I am not completely mistaken the waterstones book is pbook while the fictionwise's dito is ebook hence not a correct comprison.

amandajarrett · 09-04-2008, 06:17 AM

I expected the prices to be more than US prices - fair enough, just about everything costs more here than in the US - but the fact they are selling ebooks for more money than PB and HB equivalents is very hard to swallow.
eg
City of the Sun by David Levien

ebook £8
hardback £6

and both show a recommended price of £10.

If Waterstones are selling ebooks at the price (or more) of pb's they won't be selling them for long. An ebook is a wonderful thing but it is NOT the equivalent of a hard copy.

dadioflex · 09-04-2008, 06:22 AM

Edit.

HarryT · 09-04-2008, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Selzernium

I think you are misled by the sites strange layout, they have so few ebooks that all the ebooks make one category in the left pane? alongside pbook genres like sci-fi.
What I mean is the books are organised like this..
ebooks <---- (all genres!)
science <---- pbook
fiction <---- pbook

So If I am not completely mistaken the waterstones book is pbook while the fictionwise's dito is ebook hence not a correct comprison.

You're absolutely right! Thank you for the correction.

stustaff · 09-04-2008, 07:20 AM

Hmmm seems really good for this example even cheaper than fictionwise

Fictionwise
Into the Out of by Alan Dean Foster
Regular Club
You Pay: $8.99 $7.64

Waterstones
Into the Out Of by Alan Dean Foster
Format: Ebook
£3.62 - List price: £4.53 - You save: £0.91

Into the Out of by Alan Dean Foster
Format: Paperback 384 pages
£14.99

Into the Out of by Alan Dean Foster
Format: Hardback 384 pages
£29.99

BIG savings for this.

Amazon Pback price
Into the Out of (Paperback)
by Alan Dean Foster (Author)
RRP: £14.99
Price: £14.24 & eligible for Free UK delivery on orders over £15 with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £0.75 (5%)

stustaff · 09-04-2008, 08:02 AM

One big problem! you cant search just the ebook section!

igorsk · 09-04-2008, 08:54 AM

Use advanced search and select eBook in the Format dropdown.

amandajarrett · 09-04-2008, 09:34 AM

Advanced search seems hit and miss to me. If I input an author and specify only ebooks but there aren't any ebooks, it returns all the hard copy books by that author instead. Which is all very well if you are paying attention, but if like me you are doing ten things at once you can find yourself filling our shopping cart with paperbacks by accident.

JSWolf · 09-04-2008, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by igorsk

Use advanced search and select eBook in the Format dropdown.

Doesn't work. I still get paper books in the search results unless I put in the author and title. But if I leave either out, I get non-ebooks if there are any.

09-03-2008, 05:52 PM	#1
stustaff Wizard Posts: 1,055 Karma: 2110 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Derbyshire UK Device: sony reader PRS505 and 600	Waterstones Ebook store to Launch midday 04/09/08 Woohoo UK Ebooks Store to launch in just over 12 hours at waterstones.com Source = http://www.waterstones.com/waterston...o?pPageID=1576 Last edited by stustaff; 09-03-2008 at 05:54 PM.

09-04-2008, 06:17 AM	#8
amandajarrett Member Posts: 10 Karma: 64 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: PRS 505	rip-off prices I expected the prices to be more than US prices - fair enough, just about everything costs more here than in the US - but the fact they are selling ebooks for more money than PB and HB equivalents is very hard to swallow. eg City of the Sun by David Levien ebook £8 hardback £6 and both show a recommended price of £10. If Waterstones are selling ebooks at the price (or more) of pb's they won't be selling them for long. An ebook is a wonderful thing but it is NOT the equivalent of a hard copy.

09-04-2008, 06:22 AM	#9
dadioflex Dyslexic Count Posts: 526 Karma: 5041991 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: Palm TX, Advent Vega, iPad, iPod Touch, Kindle	Edit. Last edited by dadioflex; 12-16-2010 at 04:27 AM.

09-04-2008, 07:20 AM	#11
stustaff Wizard Posts: 1,055 Karma: 2110 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Derbyshire UK Device: sony reader PRS505 and 600	Hmmm seems really good for this example even cheaper than fictionwise Fictionwise Into the Out of by Alan Dean Foster Regular Club You Pay: $8.99 $7.64 Waterstones Into the Out Of by Alan Dean Foster Format: Ebook £3.62 - List price: £4.53 - You save: £0.91 Into the Out of by Alan Dean Foster Format: Paperback 384 pages £14.99 Into the Out of by Alan Dean Foster Format: Hardback 384 pages £29.99 BIG savings for this. Amazon Pback price Into the Out of (Paperback) by Alan Dean Foster (Author) RRP: £14.99 Price: £14.24 & eligible for Free UK delivery on orders over £15 with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions You Save: £0.75 (5%) Last edited by stustaff; 09-04-2008 at 07:56 AM.

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09-04-2008, 04:31 AM	#2
garygibsonsf Addict Posts: 321 Karma: 432192 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Glasgow, Scotland Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite	At this precise moment of writing, it appears to be live already. There's not a huge amount of books yet, so presumably it's going to take time to get them listed and up.

09-04-2008, 04:46 AM	#3
simond Fanatic Posts: 532 Karma: 1062755 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London, UK Device: Kobo Aura One, iPad, iPhone	Prices don't seem too bad for UK based books, but I get the feeling I'll often be waiting for a US based release due to them still being cheaper

09-04-2008, 05:24 AM	#5
simond Fanatic Posts: 532 Karma: 1062755 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London, UK Device: Kobo Aura One, iPad, iPhone	Bear in mind that most people who're just starting with ebooks won't even think about looking abroad for ebooks and won't want the hassle of converting them. I was thinking more that Fictionwise books tend to start off at $20-25 when the hardback version is out, which isn't all that much different. But personally, I doubt I'll buy from the Waterstones store much if at all, not least as I still don't like my books being tied to one device, which although ePub is nice, with the DRM they still are as no other device currently supports it

09-04-2008, 05:35 AM	#6
Megapode Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 14 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: PRS-505	Hi, new to these forums as eagerly awaiting the delivery of shiny new 505 via Waterstones... Really like this idea and keen to partake but already disappointed to see that many ebooks on Waterstones are more expensive than the 'hardcopy' version...! Not in all cases it has to be said - but found enough examples already from a quick trawl through...

09-04-2008, 08:02 AM	#12
stustaff Wizard Posts: 1,055 Karma: 2110 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Derbyshire UK Device: sony reader PRS505 and 600	One big problem! you cant search just the ebook section!

09-04-2008, 08:54 AM	#13
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Use advanced search and select eBook in the Format dropdown.

09-04-2008, 09:34 AM	#14
amandajarrett Member Posts: 10 Karma: 64 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: PRS 505	Advanced search seems hit and miss to me. If I input an author and specify only ebooks but there aren't any ebooks, it returns all the hard copy books by that author instead. Which is all very well if you are paying attention, but if like me you are doing ten things at once you can find yourself filling our shopping cart with paperbacks by accident.