Would you pay more for a DRM free book? - Page 3

Elfwreck · 10-06-2009, 01:49 PM

I suppose I would pay "more" for a non-DRM'd book, in that I won't pay for a DRM'd book at all.

However, I suspect it doesn't matter how many people would pay more for non-DRM'd books, because publishers have to pay more to put DRM on the books in the first place. They've already decided to pass along the expense of limiting access to the purchase.

Crowl · 10-06-2009, 02:03 PM

No offence to those who have already posted, but can we just take it as read that there are plenty of people that won't buy books with drm, further posts with the same point would start giving longtime net users flashbacks to 'me too' posts from aol users.

CleverClothe · 10-06-2009, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crowl

No offence to those who have already posted, but can we just take it as read that there are plenty of people that won't buy books with drm, further posts with the same point would start giving longtime net users flashbacks to 'me too' posts from aol users.

QFE

45

LDBoblo · 10-06-2009, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CleverClothe

QFE

Me too

ahi · 10-06-2009, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crowl

No offence to those who have already posted, but can we just take it as read that there are plenty of people that won't buy books with drm, further posts with the same point would start giving longtime net users flashbacks to 'me too' posts from aol users.

Perhaps the problem is that the primary response that was sought would be better captured via a poll instead?

- Ahi

A4- · 10-07-2009, 04:07 AM

I would pay less for a non-drm book, because I'm not willing to pay for the development/implementation costs of drm schemes. As a 'reward' for putting up drm free books I'd not upload(pirate) em, which I might do if I had to take the time to de-drm em.

Respect the customer and you will be rewarded, treat him/her as a thief and you will suffer the consequences.

astra · 10-07-2009, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremy_ahn

if it had no errors and was pleasingly formatted, then absolutely. i would pay the little more for the added freedom to convert and customize for my reader as need be for the consumer.

Absolutely agree.

pdurrant · 10-07-2009, 06:44 AM

The iTunes case isn't a perfect analogy. The DRM-free versions were also at twice the bitrate. So not only did paying the extra get rid of the DRM, it also got you a better quality file.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellmark

I would pay more for a DRM free version, but not too much more. I tunes had a good system when they offered the choice, 99 cents for DRM and $1.29 for DRMless. I've talked quite abit about how I don't want to pay more than $5 for a book, since I'm poor (not saying ebooks shouldn't be more, just that is all I can afford), so, if it is under that price range still, I would definitely pay more for DRM free.

astra · 10-07-2009, 07:44 AM

For DRM infected ebook I would pay no more than $2 to $3, if I cannot disinfect it.

For DRM infected ebook that I can disinfect, I pay no more than $7, max. 8$, because it requires my personal time to disinfect it in the first place, then convert it to another format.

For DRM free ebook I would pay up to $10 max. Ebook cannot be more expensive than printed paper back edition.

CathalMagus · 10-07-2009, 12:45 PM

So, if there were poll options, we would have:

No, DRM doesn't bother me
No, I already strip the DRM anyway
Yes, I'd pay a bit more, particularly if the formatting were better
Yes, in that I don't buy DRM books and I'd pay more than the current market price for DRM-Free e-books

Of which I'd choose the last option.

bill_mchale · 10-07-2009, 12:47 PM

Well personally, I think that ebooks (well at least those that are novels) by many of the big publishers are too expensive in the first place (Not that I want the authors to get less money, but I know, they tend to only get a very small percentage of the actual money from the sale of a book, even though they are essentially responsible for 70-99% of the value (Value is added in editing and publishing as an ebook, but how much the editing is worth definitely depends on the author and the editor involved).

To answer the original question, I will not pay more for an ebook without DRM. Why not? Because it is insulting that we should be asked to pay more to be allowed to do with a book that which is already ours to do by right.

--
Bill

Steven Lyle Jordan · 10-07-2009, 01:11 PM

The one thing this thread makes clear: Pretty much no one wants to pay more for e-books, even if they don't consider them too expensive now. DRM or no DRM doesn't seem to make as much impact as cost. And if the two versions were offered side-by-side, people would automatically want the cheaper version, and find some reason to justify the cheaper version being DRM-free, and therefore be dissatisfied if that was not the case.

dwanthny, I think it would be counter-productive to offer both versions because of the reason above. Better to pick just one to sell, and find the best way to justify the choice, and the cost, to your customers.

If I was faced with a DRM-free book in a store, no DRM'd version next to it, and I knew the previous DRM'd versions cost less... I'd be satisfied buying the more expensive DRM-free copy (depending on the price with me, too... I won't pay just anything for an e-book, either).

Shaggy · 10-07-2009, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

To answer the original question, I will not pay more for an ebook without DRM. Why not? Because it is insulting that we should be asked to pay more to be allowed to do with a book that which is already ours to do by right.

Exactly. If they want to restrict our rights (and the value of the product), then lower the price of the restricted version. Current prices are already too high. I won't pay even more in order to get rights that should already be included at the current price.

Xenophon · 10-07-2009, 02:16 PM

My absolute peak price for an eBook is 3/4 of the going market price for the paper version (note: that's not the same as 3/4 of the list price!). If the book has DRM, it's worth rather less to me, as I then have to spend time and effort removing the DRM (for archiving, future-proofing, and use on whatever device I like -- but personal use only).

Thus, I already pay more for DRM-free books. I also pass up purchasing tons and tons of eBooks that I would otherwise be interested in because the pricing is out of whack.

There's no good reason why the eBook of a current front-list hardcover should cost more than about $10, or $6 for a paperback. There are, of course, a number of bad reasons -- such as publishers who can't get their heads around the idea of cutting layers out of the value chain between themselves and me.

Remember that markups between the publisher and the final purchaser represent the vast majority of the cost of a book. Estimates range between 60% and 85%, depending on the particular publisher, book, retailer, etc. Cutting out just one of the layers of markup in the chain can cut the cost to the end-user (me!) by 30-50%... without reducing the publisher's gross one iota.

Xenophon

pshrynk · 10-07-2009, 02:26 PM

I'd probably pay more to get it DRM free. It would be sort of a peace of mind insurance.

10-07-2009, 04:07 AM	#36
A4- Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 1110 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Netherlands Device: iRex iLiad v2	I would pay less for a non-drm book, because I'm not willing to pay for the development/implementation costs of drm schemes. As a 'reward' for putting up drm free books I'd not upload(pirate) em, which I might do if I had to take the time to de-drm em. Respect the customer and you will be rewarded, treat him/her as a thief and you will suffer the consequences. Last edited by A4-; 10-07-2009 at 05:19 AM.

10-07-2009, 12:45 PM	#40
CathalMagus Member Posts: 22 Karma: 68 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ireland Device: Hanlin V3 (lBook r2) with OpenInkpot	Me too, make a poll So, if there were poll options, we would have: No, DRM doesn't bother me No, I already strip the DRM anyway Yes, I'd pay a bit more, particularly if the formatting were better Yes, in that I don't buy DRM books and I'd pay more than the current market price for DRM-Free e-books Of which I'd choose the last option.

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10-06-2009, 01:49 PM	#31
Elfwreck Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,187 Karma: 25133758 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)	I suppose I would pay "more" for a non-DRM'd book, in that I won't pay for a DRM'd book at all. However, I suspect it doesn't matter how many people would pay more for non-DRM'd books, because publishers have to pay more to put DRM on the books in the first place. They've already decided to pass along the expense of limiting access to the purchase.

10-06-2009, 02:03 PM	#32
Crowl Wizard Posts: 1,340 Karma: 1160346 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Southport, GB Device: Kindle Voyage, PW Signature edition	No offence to those who have already posted, but can we just take it as read that there are plenty of people that won't buy books with drm, further posts with the same point would start giving longtime net users flashbacks to 'me too' posts from aol users.

10-07-2009, 07:44 AM	#39
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	For DRM infected ebook I would pay no more than $2 to $3, if I cannot disinfect it. For DRM infected ebook that I can disinfect, I pay no more than $7, max. 8$, because it requires my personal time to disinfect it in the first place, then convert it to another format. For DRM free ebook I would pay up to $10 max. Ebook cannot be more expensive than printed paper back edition.

10-07-2009, 12:47 PM	#41
bill_mchale Wizard Posts: 1,451 Karma: 1550000 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch, HPC Evo 4G LTE	Well personally, I think that ebooks (well at least those that are novels) by many of the big publishers are too expensive in the first place (Not that I want the authors to get less money, but I know, they tend to only get a very small percentage of the actual money from the sale of a book, even though they are essentially responsible for 70-99% of the value (Value is added in editing and publishing as an ebook, but how much the editing is worth definitely depends on the author and the editor involved). To answer the original question, I will not pay more for an ebook without DRM. Why not? Because it is insulting that we should be asked to pay more to be allowed to do with a book that which is already ours to do by right. -- Bill

10-07-2009, 01:11 PM	#42
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	The one thing this thread makes clear: Pretty much no one wants to pay more for e-books, even if they don't consider them too expensive now. DRM or no DRM doesn't seem to make as much impact as cost. And if the two versions were offered side-by-side, people would automatically want the cheaper version, and find some reason to justify the cheaper version being DRM-free, and therefore be dissatisfied if that was not the case. dwanthny, I think it would be counter-productive to offer both versions because of the reason above. Better to pick just one to sell, and find the best way to justify the choice, and the cost, to your customers. If I was faced with a DRM-free book in a store, no DRM'd version next to it, and I knew the previous DRM'd versions cost less... I'd be satisfied buying the more expensive DRM-free copy (depending on the price with me, too... I won't pay just anything for an e-book, either).

10-07-2009, 02:16 PM	#44
Xenophon curmudgeon Posts: 1,487 Karma: 5748190 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Redwood City, CA USA Device: Kobo Aura HD, (ex)nook, (ex)PRS-700, (ex)PRS-500	My absolute peak price for an eBook is 3/4 of the going market price for the paper version (note: that's not the same as 3/4 of the list price!). If the book has DRM, it's worth rather less to me, as I then have to spend time and effort removing the DRM (for archiving, future-proofing, and use on whatever device I like -- but personal use only). Thus, I already pay more for DRM-free books. I also pass up purchasing tons and tons of eBooks that I would otherwise be interested in because the pricing is out of whack. There's no good reason why the eBook of a current front-list hardcover should cost more than about $10, or $6 for a paperback. There are, of course, a number of bad reasons -- such as publishers who can't get their heads around the idea of cutting layers out of the value chain between themselves and me. Remember that markups between the publisher and the final purchaser represent the vast majority of the cost of a book. Estimates range between 60% and 85%, depending on the particular publisher, book, retailer, etc. Cutting out just one of the layers of markup in the chain can cut the cost to the end-user (me!) by 30-50%... without reducing the publisher's gross one iota. Xenophon

10-07-2009, 02:26 PM	#45
pshrynk Beepbeep n beebeep, yeah! Posts: 11,726 Karma: 8255450 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin, aka America's IceBox Device: iThingie, KmkII, I miss Zelda!	I'd probably pay more to get it DRM free. It would be sort of a peace of mind insurance.