MobileRead Forums
Register Guidelines E-Books Today's Posts Search

Go Back   MobileRead Forums > E-Book General > General Discussions
Reload this Page Ebook pricing: A mystery

Notices

Reply
Page 1 of 2 1 2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 09-25-2015, 07:55 AM   #1
AprilHare
Wizard
AprilHare ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AprilHare ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AprilHare ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AprilHare ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AprilHare ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AprilHare ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AprilHare ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AprilHare ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AprilHare ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AprilHare ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AprilHare ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
AprilHare's Avatar
 
Posts: 2,981
Karma: 11862367
Join Date: Apr 2008
Device: Sony Reader PRS-T2
Ebook pricing: A mystery
I was reading an abstract for a book: Body Lengths by Leisel Jones. It got me interested, so I followed the link to Booktopia provided.
The pricing has left me mystified.
Paperback: $23.95
eBook: $32.75
It's crazy. eBooks cost virtually nothing to distribute. Pbooks need to be shipped and are bulky at that. Yet the eBook costs $8.80 more.
Why? Can anyone possibly explain this in a way that doesn't sound conspiratorial?
AprilHare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2015, 09:28 AM   #2
pdurrant
The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠
pdurrant ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.pdurrant ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.pdurrant ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.pdurrant ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.pdurrant ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.pdurrant ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.pdurrant ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.pdurrant ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.pdurrant ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.pdurrant ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.pdurrant ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
pdurrant's Avatar
 
Posts: 74,450
Karma: 318076944
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Norfolk, England
Device: Kindle Oasis
I note that the RRP difference is 'only' $2.76.
Hey - the ebook is available one day before the paperback, surely that's worth $2.76?

I suspect it's that the paperback is sold to the retailer at about 50% of the RRP and the retailer can choose what price to sell it at, but the eBook must be sold at the RRP.

But I've got no idea why the eBook RRP is higher than the paperback RRP. In the UK the ebook is £15.05 at Amazon and the paperback is £19.99.

Oddly, the ebook is only £7.49 at Kobo UK.
pdurrant is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2015, 10:50 AM   #3
Cinisajoy
Just a Yellow Smiley.
Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Cinisajoy's Avatar
 
Posts: 19,161
Karma: 83862859
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Texas
Device: K4, K5, fire, kobo, galaxy
I saw an older book "All I needed to know I learned in kindergarten", the paperback was $9.99. The ebook was $11.99.
Maybe the publishers figure people will pay more because it is an electronic version and the buyer did spend money on a reader.
Yes, that logic escapes me too.
Cinisajoy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2015, 11:07 AM   #4
SleepyBob
Evangelist
SleepyBob ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.SleepyBob ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.SleepyBob ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.SleepyBob ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.SleepyBob ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.SleepyBob ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.SleepyBob ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.SleepyBob ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.SleepyBob ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.SleepyBob ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.SleepyBob ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 426
Karma: 8522810
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Device: Kindle PW3
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cinisajoy View Post
I saw an older book "All I needed to know I learned in kindergarten", the paperback was $9.99. The ebook was $11.99.
Maybe the publishers figure people will pay more because it is an electronic version and the buyer did spend money on a reader.
Yes, that logic escapes me too.
It's not necessarily a bad strategy. Paper book readers and ebook readers have become increasingly disjoint groups. Since few people will buy the paper copy just because it is cheaper, or vice versa, there is no real reason for publishers to price to the two groups in the same way.

Sort of like how they sell textbooks in India at one price point, and the same book in the U.S. at a different price point. As long as you don't get an exporter taking advantage of the price arbitrage, they don't need to charge the same price in the two locations.
SleepyBob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2015, 11:12 AM   #5
MikeB1972
Gnu
MikeB1972 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.MikeB1972 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.MikeB1972 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.MikeB1972 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.MikeB1972 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.MikeB1972 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.MikeB1972 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.MikeB1972 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.MikeB1972 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.MikeB1972 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.MikeB1972 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 1,222
Karma: 15625359
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Device: BeBook,JetBook Lite,PRS-300-350-505-650,+ran out of space to type
Quote:
Originally Posted by AprilHare View Post
I was reading an abstract for a book: Body Lengths by Leisel Jones. It got me interested, so I followed the link to Booktopia provided.
The pricing has left me mystified.
Paperback: $23.95
eBook: $32.75
It's crazy. eBooks cost virtually nothing to distribute. Pbooks need to be shipped and are bulky at that. Yet the eBook costs $8.80 more.
Why? Can anyone possibly explain this in a way that doesn't sound conspiratorial?
$12.49 at B&N.

Amazon must have got confused about trying to get the pbook price cheaper than ebook for even non agency titles.
OK, you said no conspiracy theories, but I just checked and Amazon doesn't sell tin foil hats, they are coming to get us

Seriously, probably a typo in the upload feed, it'll probably get sorted by release day.
MikeB1972 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2015, 11:20 AM   #6
Cinisajoy
Just a Yellow Smiley.
Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Cinisajoy's Avatar
 
Posts: 19,161
Karma: 83862859
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Texas
Device: K4, K5, fire, kobo, galaxy
Quote:
Originally Posted by SleepyBob View Post
It's not necessarily a bad strategy. Paper book readers and ebook readers have become increasingly disjoint groups. Since few people will buy the paper copy just because it is cheaper, or vice versa, there is no real reason for publishers to price to the two groups in the same way.

Sort of like how they sell textbooks in India at one price point, and the same book in the U.S. at a different price point. As long as you don't get an exporter taking advantage of the price arbitrage, they don't need to charge the same price in the two locations.
I never said price the same. We are asking or trying to figure out why some ebook prices are higher.
I personally would not pay more for a digital copy than for a hardback.
Unless the hardback was over 1000 pages and in tiny print.

And last time I looked India and the US had two totally different economies. So pricing will vary.

The only thing I know where pricing is consistent across markets is precious metals.
Last edited by Cinisajoy; 09-25-2015 at 11:23 AM.
Cinisajoy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2015, 11:59 AM   #7
Little.Egret
Wizard
Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 3,168
Karma: 37800000
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, UK
Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G, Kindle Fire 2, NOOK ST, Kindle HDX, Fire 7"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cinisajoy View Post
I never said price the same. We are asking or trying to figure out why some ebook prices are higher.
Usually when the ebook price is higher it's because the pbook is discounted.

Sometimes the publisher whose routine is to reduce the ebook price when the paperback is published just forgets. Some publisher respect the exact publication day so, even though when you have the pbook in store it may be a few days before the ebook is reduced.
Little.Egret is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2015, 12:53 PM   #8
Cinisajoy
Just a Yellow Smiley.
Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Cinisajoy's Avatar
 
Posts: 19,161
Karma: 83862859
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Texas
Device: K4, K5, fire, kobo, galaxy
Quote:
Originally Posted by Little.Egret View Post
Usually when the ebook price is higher it's because the pbook is discounted.

Sometimes the publisher whose routine is to reduce the ebook price when the paperback is published just forgets. Some publisher respect the exact publication day so, even though when you have the pbook in store it may be a few days before the ebook is reduced.
This was the book I was referring to.
http://www.amazon.com/Really-Need-Kn...3196238&sr=1-1

The new books I understand.
Cinisajoy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2015, 02:51 PM   #9
Little.Egret
Wizard
Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Little.Egret ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 3,168
Karma: 37800000
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, UK
Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G, Kindle Fire 2, NOOK ST, Kindle HDX, Fire 7"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cinisajoy View Post
This was the book I was referring to.
http://www.amazon.com/Really-Need-Kn...3196238&sr=1-1

The new books I understand.
In UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Really-Need-...dp/034546639X/

Paperback Buy New £9.08
Kindle £8.54 inc tax
Little.Egret is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2015, 03:05 PM   #10
bgalbrecht
Wizard
bgalbrecht ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bgalbrecht ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bgalbrecht ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bgalbrecht ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bgalbrecht ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bgalbrecht ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bgalbrecht ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bgalbrecht ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bgalbrecht ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bgalbrecht ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bgalbrecht ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 1,806
Karma: 13399999
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: US
Device: Nook Simple Touch, Kobo Glo HD, Kobo Clara HD, Kindle 4
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cinisajoy View Post
This was the book I was referring to.
http://www.amazon.com/Really-Need-Kn...3196238&sr=1-1

The new books I understand.
If you look at the Amazon page, it says that the list price for the paperback is $16.00 and Amazon is selling it at a discounted price of $9.14. The Kindle price of $11.99 is set by the publisher. The publisher doesn't care what the retailer discounted price for the paperback is, they have a standard ebook discount of 25% off the paperback list price that for the ebook, regardless of the retailer.
bgalbrecht is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2015, 03:37 PM   #11
Cinisajoy
Just a Yellow Smiley.
Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Cinisajoy's Avatar
 
Posts: 19,161
Karma: 83862859
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Texas
Device: K4, K5, fire, kobo, galaxy
Quote:
Originally Posted by bgalbrecht View Post
If you look at the Amazon page, it says that the list price for the paperback is $16.00 and Amazon is selling it at a discounted price of $9.14. The Kindle price of $11.99 is set by the publisher. The publisher doesn't care what the retailer discounted price for the paperback is, they have a standard ebook discount of 25% off the paperback list price that for the ebook, regardless of the retailer.
Thanks. Now it makes more sense.
Cinisajoy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-26-2015, 12:00 AM   #12
doubleshuffle
Unicycle Daredevil
doubleshuffle ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.doubleshuffle ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.doubleshuffle ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.doubleshuffle ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.doubleshuffle ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.doubleshuffle ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.doubleshuffle ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.doubleshuffle ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.doubleshuffle ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.doubleshuffle ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.doubleshuffle ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
doubleshuffle's Avatar
 
Posts: 13,944
Karma: 185432100
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Planet of the Pudding Brains
Device: Aura HD (R.I.P. After six years the USB socket died.) tolino shine 3
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeB1972 View Post
OK, you said no conspiracy theories, but I just checked and Amazon doesn't sell tin foil hats, they are coming to get us
But they do sell Vogue Industrial Size Aluminium Foil. Check the customer reviews!!
doubleshuffle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-26-2015, 12:44 AM   #13
Cinisajoy
Just a Yellow Smiley.
Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Cinisajoy's Avatar
 
Posts: 19,161
Karma: 83862859
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Texas
Device: K4, K5, fire, kobo, galaxy
Quote:
Originally Posted by doubleshuffle View Post
But they do sell Vogue Industrial Size Aluminium Foil. Check the customer reviews!!
It sounds wonderful but alas I cannot buy it as it is only for Brits.
Cinisajoy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-26-2015, 01:09 PM   #14
fjtorres
Grand Sorcerer
fjtorres ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.fjtorres ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.fjtorres ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.fjtorres ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.fjtorres ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.fjtorres ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.fjtorres ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.fjtorres ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.fjtorres ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.fjtorres ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.fjtorres ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 11,732
Karma: 128354696
Join Date: May 2009
Location: 26 kly from Sgr A*
Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cinisajoy View Post
It sounds wonderful but alas I cannot buy it as it is only for Brits.
Explains the reviews, doesn't it?
fjtorres is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-26-2015, 01:56 PM   #15
Cinisajoy
Just a Yellow Smiley.
Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Cinisajoy ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Cinisajoy's Avatar
 
Posts: 19,161
Karma: 83862859
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Texas
Device: K4, K5, fire, kobo, galaxy
Quote:
Originally Posted by fjtorres View Post
Explains the reviews, doesn't it?
Yes it does. And I needed it oh so bad.
Cinisajoy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply
Page 1 of 2 1 2

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
ebook pricing Hoods7070 General Discussions 29 05-04-2012 12:08 PM
Ebook Pricing 46jimbo Kobo Reader 0 04-20-2012 12:56 PM
UK ebook pricing ? rosyposy363 Which one should I buy? 1 09-15-2011 07:07 PM
Ebook Pricing botrerta General Discussions 53 10-20-2010 08:02 AM
Ebook pricing from someone who knows starrigger News 41 03-05-2009 05:05 AM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:00 AM.

Contact Us - FAQ - Guidelines - Privacy - Top

MobileRead.com is a privately owned, operated and funded community.