Kindlers Boycott $10+ ebooks - Page 2

HarryT · 04-04-2009, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Harper Collins for example has taken to charging $14.99 for some ebooks while the paper version is $7.99 IMO that's ridiculous and I'd love to know what they're thinking.

Have you asked them the reason?

pdurrant · 04-04-2009, 12:27 PM

I haven't asked them why they're doing it, but I did query the prices, and after a week or two, got back the reply that the pricing had been checked and was correct.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Have you asked them the reason?

AnemicOak · 04-04-2009, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Have you asked them the reason?

Only half a dozen times. No answer though.

Renaldo · 04-04-2009, 12:54 PM

I'm boycotting Amazon ebooks at any price until they start selling them in .lrf.

Also, I've got a personal boycott against Ferrari. Until they start charging $9,999.00 for a car, I'm not buying one. I suggest everyone else does the same. That'll show 'em!

K-Thom · 04-04-2009, 01:05 PM

Most German buyers would be glad if eBooks from libri.de or thalia.de for the Sony Reader would be priced at about 10 US$.

Currently the best-selling book one of the "Twilight" series by Stephanie Meyer is tagged about 29 US$ ... the same price as for the hardcover version. Now that's where a boycott would make some sense!

Especially since the original US-version at Fictionwise is sold for about 12 US$.

Quote:

Also, I've got a personal boycott against Ferrari. Until they start charging $9,999.00 for a car, I'm not buying one.

And they don't even have a built-in eBook reading device. The nerve of those mechanics!

desertgrandma · 04-04-2009, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K-Thom

Most German buyers would be glad if eBooks from libri.de or thalia.de for the Sony Reader would be priced at about 10 US$.

Currently the best-selling book one of the "Twilight" series by Stephanie Meyer is tagged about 29 US$ ... the same price as for the hardcover version. Now that's where a boycott would make some sense!

Especially since the original US-version at Fictionwise is sold for about 12 US$.

Yeah, well, be sure and NOT tell them that its at

$6.04 for the Kindle......

rhadin · 04-04-2009, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Have you asked them the reason?

Yes, Harry, I have. The first time I received a response that said they appreciated my comments. The second time they didn't respond at all. The third time they replied that pricing was set by a different department and they would pass on my query.

I gave up and they gave up.

FizzyWater · 04-04-2009, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

The only books I'm personally 'boycotting' right now are the books where the publisher is charging more than the pbook.

Same here.

There have been a few of these offered at Fictionwise's 100% micropay prices that I have refused to buy. I know I get the money back, but the publisher still just sees me as one of the idiot masses who will pay twice the pbook price for an ebook.

For what it's worth, I've had a number of these on my Fictionwise wish list, and a few have dropped to the pbook price. I happily snatched those up (still "voting" with my pocketbook).

HarryT · 04-04-2009, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhadin

Yes, Harry, I have. The first time I received a response that said they appreciated my comments. The second time they didn't respond at all. The third time they replied that pricing was set by a different department and they would pass on my query.

I gave up and they gave up.

That is terrible; I completely agree.

phenomshel · 04-04-2009, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

The only books I'm personally 'boycotting' right now are the books where the publisher is charging more than the pbook.

Harper Collins for example has taken to charging $14.99 for some ebooks while the paper version is $7.99 IMO that's ridiculous and I'd love to know what they're thinking.

That would assume they think at all...

dealjunkie · 04-04-2009, 03:36 PM

While I personally think the boycott is a bit silly, I believe it's more complicated than a quick 'just don't buy it'. The fact is that a lot of users would buy the book if the price was low, giving publishers extra money they were never going to get in the first place. Ebooks give publishers far more flexibility to experiment with pricing models, but that experimentation hasn't happened yet.

If nothing else, this boycott raises an issue that is yet to be resolved, and I like it only for the fact that it might force a much needed discussion in the publisher-retailer circle.

boydcarts · 04-04-2009, 07:55 PM

I agree with "dealjunkie". When you "Just don't buy it", the seller never knows that they lost a sale. The boycott will at least lets sellers know their customers' expectations.

thibaulthalpern · 04-04-2009, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

So these people would buy a book if it costs $9.99, but "boycott" it if is costs a penny more? Don't you think that's slightly ridiculous?

I think so. The term "boycott" is also mis-appropriated by these folks. I find it really slightly ridiculous that consumers are "boycotting". Is it really called "boycotting"? It's merely the same as not buying a grocery store item because it's a little bit expensive. They are they appropriating ideologies of political movement when this act is not political at all and merely seeks to re-affirm the same socio-political-economic system? Marx will be turning in his grave.

LOL

thibaulthalpern · 04-04-2009, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellby

It depends on the ebook. A fully illustrated commented critical edition of the complete works of some important author may well deserve a price above that number, especially if it has been carefully formatted and proof-read, don't you think so?

Absolutely. I think academic books are well worth more than $10 most of the time.

thibaulthalpern · 04-04-2009, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

The only books I'm personally 'boycotting' right now are the books where the publisher is charging more than the pbook.

Harper Collins for example has taken to charging $14.99 for some ebooks while the paper version is $7.99 IMO that's ridiculous and I'd love to know what they're thinking.

Some academic digital books are more than triple the price of the paperback version. I found one where the paperback version cost $30 and the digital version cost $100. Ridiculous yes.

I wouldn't call it a boycott though. This is totally mis-appropriating a term that is political and socially critical in nature and applying it to a practice that is not actually thought out that politically or critically. We shouldn't call it boycott when the act is merely the same as visiting a grocery story and seeing a jar of jam is too expensive for our budgets so we leave the jar of jam on the shelf instead of buying it. That's not boycotting.

04-04-2009, 07:55 PM	#27
boydcarts Connoisseur Posts: 85 Karma: 30 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Nook WiFi, iPad2	I agree with "dealjunkie". When you "Just don't buy it", the seller never knows that they lost a sale. The boycott will at least lets sellers know their customers' expectations. Last edited by boydcarts; 04-04-2009 at 07:58 PM.

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04-04-2009, 12:54 PM	#19
Renaldo Addict Posts: 294 Karma: 250590 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Great Pacific Northwest Device: Kindle 3G + WiFi	I'm boycotting Amazon ebooks at any price until they start selling them in .lrf. Also, I've got a personal boycott against Ferrari. Until they start charging $9,999.00 for a car, I'm not buying one. I suggest everyone else does the same. That'll show 'em!

04-04-2009, 03:36 PM	#26
dealjunkie Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle	While I personally think the boycott is a bit silly, I believe it's more complicated than a quick 'just don't buy it'. The fact is that a lot of users would buy the book if the price was low, giving publishers extra money they were never going to get in the first place. Ebooks give publishers far more flexibility to experiment with pricing models, but that experimentation hasn't happened yet. If nothing else, this boycott raises an issue that is yet to be resolved, and I like it only for the fact that it might force a much needed discussion in the publisher-retailer circle.