Under the Dome released. We're now officially e-screwed.

[Sporadic]

Originally Posted by FligMupple

I'm sorry, but there's nothing "ridiculous" about selling a $35 book for $35. It might be/is higher than what most people would *want* to pay, but "ridiculous", no. If it was $750 then I would that that's a ridiculous price.

It's pretty ridiculous when the going rate for an ebook is $9.99. That's 3.5 times the normal price.

Originally Posted by FligMupple

And I disagree that the "backlash from the community would be even bigger than not releasing it at all until the 24th". How is "if you want it that bad, here it is at normal retail price" worse than "screw you, Kindle owners... you can't get it for weeks... hahahahahaha!!!!!!!!"?

Because instead of all Kindle owners being forced to wait, it's "hey if you want it bad enough, pay the extra cash. if you don't want to get gouged, f**k off and wait until the 24th"?

If you don't think that would send the community into a tizzy, I don't know what to tell you.

It would set an even worse precedent than staggered releases are currently doing.

[krighton]

i preordered the Under the Dome book from Amazon for $9...for that price i'll somehow suffer through reading actual pages in an actual book.

[FligMupple]

Your talk of a tizzy is making me dizzy!

Just to confirm, please answer the following poll-like question:


The eBook version of Under the Dome is being delayed until Dec. 24th. With this fact in mind, which of these two choices do you think is better?

a) NO early ebook options
b) ONE early ebook option to buy it at retail price

[Dils Islid]

Sweet lord and a half, this conversation is wacky.

Right now, it's impossible to buy Under The Dome on Kindle. Even if you're a millionaire!

Why not give people the option of paying RETAIL PRICE for the book now, on the Kindle, and then reduce it on the 24th?

It's more expensive now because it just came out. If you don't want to pay more, you can wait until the price goes down. But at least you have the option.

If people are going to pirate it at $35, they're going to pirate it at $10 too. That's what pirates do, they steal things.

Here's an article about the price wars on this book from this week's New Yorker:
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financ...alk_surowiecki

I see no reason to disallow people the option to pay full price for something that is only available to a small number of people who have paid $300+ for a special device to read those books. Ebook people are already a small section of the book buying public. Why make it harder for them?

To the not-a-real poll, I vote B

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by FligMupple

There is absolutely a reason for an earlier higher priced ebook edition when the ebook is intentionally delayed. The reason? SO WE CAN GET THE EBOOK AND READ IT!

Right now you are being punished for having a Kindle. If $35 is "ludicrous", how did you justify buying the Kindle in the first place? And why are not angry for being punished for doing so with the delayed ebook release? And why would a possible early $35 ebook option make things worse for you?

Froth at the mouth much?

Paying more for an ebook version just to have it at the same time the paper version is released would be stupid.

Paying $9 for a pre-order, and waiting for 6 weeks or whatever, for a release, makes sense one one hand. At least I know the book is coming. I don't need instant gratification. I've learned to wait.

On the other hand......why they both aren't released at the same time, makes no sense.

[FligMupple]

Thanks for calling me stupid for owning a Kindle and wanting to read my favorite author's book as soon as it's released.

I suppose I'm also an idiot for being able to buy a product at retail price, and not have to wait 6 weeks to afford it.

Only a fool would think that a 1000+ page book that normally takes weeks to read and enjoy is a "ludicrous" value at $35. You'd have to have a pretty low IQ to realize that going to a 90 minute movie (plus food/drinks) is easily over $20, or going to a concert or play would probably cost $50-$150. I am mentally deficient to think that the $35 book is a much better entertainment value than most other fun options.

As a dummy, I'd still like to know which of the two options you'd pick. a or b?

Do you think NO early ebook options is better than ONE?

[tekchic]

I for one, would also have paid a higher price to get it in eBook format on the *real* release day. I read on my Sony PRS-505 and on my iPhone (Kindle books). I still read plain old dead-tree editions from my local library as well.

For me, this book is one that due to its size, I would really have paid a premium to have had it as an ebook on release day. I can't imagine toting around "Under the Dome" hardcover anywhere, and I'm one of those goofs that chooses her purse size so it fits my Sony Reader and iPhone.

Edited to say, no, I wouldn't pay $35 for it on release day... but I would have paid more than $9.99. Let's say... $15.

[Sporadic]

Originally Posted by FligMupple

Your talk of a tizzy is making me dizzy!

Just to confirm, please answer the following poll-like question:


The eBook version of Under the Dome is being delayed until Dec. 24th. With this fact in mind, which of these two choices do you think is better?

a) NO early ebook options
b) ONE early ebook option to buy it at retail price

Did you seriously make a new account (Dils Islid) to back up your position?

It's pretty obvious where I stand and that's A. I would much rather have publishers stagger their new releases instead of thinking they can get away with releasing something at 3.5 times the normal rate for an ebook and double the rate of a hardback for a few months to rake the hardcore fans over the coals. It's still wrong but at least it is fair for all the ebook users.

Believe it or not, pirates are more likely to "steal" stuff if they feel like they are getting slighted and are more willing to purchase something if they feel like the company is trying to go above and beyond simple profits.

I don't understand why you keep bringing up the price of the device. I paid $200 for mine and it wasn't so I could be taken advantage of with outrageous prices. I'm not made of money. I purchased it so I could read free books, get a deal on new books and be able to carry around a device that's the size of a paperback.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by FligMupple

Thanks for calling me stupid for owning a Kindle and wanting to read my favorite author's book as soon as it's released.

I suppose I'm also an idiot for being able to buy a product at retail price, and not have to wait 6 weeks to afford it.

Only a fool would think that a 1000+ page book that normally takes weeks to read and enjoy is a "ludicrous" value at $35. You'd have to have a pretty low IQ to realize that going to a 90 minute movie (plus food/drinks) is easily over $20, or going to a concert or play would probably cost $50-$150. I am mentally deficient to think that the $35 book is a much better entertainment value than most other fun options.

As a dummy, I'd still like to know which of the two options you'd pick. a or b?

Do you think NO early ebook options is better than ONE?

shhhhhhh... *pet pet* it's ok.... relax. if you find yourself frothing too much, here's a cup to spit into and a towel to wipe up with

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by FligMupple

Your talk of a tizzy is making me dizzy!

Just to confirm, please answer the following poll-like question:


The eBook version of Under the Dome is being delayed until Dec. 24th. With this fact in mind, which of these two choices do you think is better?

a) NO early ebook options
b) ONE early ebook option to buy it at retail price

I choose neither. Its a skewed poll, not giving the logical choice.

Both formats available at the same time, for the same price, Amazon's $9.99

[BearMountainBooks]

Pre-ordering is often cheaper. I once saw a preorder for a book that was trade and expected at the 15 dollar price. It was 9. But I waited until it was released. Day of release it was 14.95...

I think the preorder is sometimes cheaper to generate interest. I only preorder if the price looks like it is discounted. Otherwise I just wait.

[andyafro]

I Think his last release (called UR) which was only for the Kindle shocked him abit, The fact it was only available for the kindle infuriated people and within 2 days of it being released someone had broke it converted it and multi-formatted it for all readers then posted it, must of killed any sales.

Saying no-one will scan UNDER THE DOME in before 24th doesn't take in to account the Scanners that do it for the praise or the thank you comments there are a few out there who will stop at nothing to be the first get it out there mainly because someone has said they can't have it till 24th.

The publishing industry is still predominately bout dead tree sales so can understand why he wants to keep that side happy first.

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by andyafro

I Think his last release (called UR) which was only for the Kindle shocked him abit, The fact it was only available for the kindle infuriated people and within 2 days of it being released someone had broke it converted it and multi-formatted it for all readers then posted it, must of killed any sales.

I could certainly be wrong about this, but I think one thing that probably hurt the sales of UR was the premise of the novella: It's a work commissioned by an e-book device manufacturer centered around an e-book device. This means that, artistically, it has all the creativity of a deodorant commercial. Granted, I haven't read UR, but part of the reason why is because it sounds like a project he took on because he needs the money, and that's the point: It doesn't matter how well it's written, because of the reason it was written. King should've written about something else. Anything else.

As far as pre-releases go: I would pay a premium for a pre-release of an e-book, if it was by a favorite author. (If Frank Herbert was still alive, I could see paying more for one of his, for example.) But even there, I think $35 would be too much. If I know that the book will be out soon enough at $10, I wouldn't pay more than say, $20, and even at that, I'd feel better about it if there was extra content. I would probably pay $15 for a pre-release copy that was identical to a release day copy. (Of course, this assumes a $10 release day price. I've paid $15 for certain books, but that's generally not for novels. I've paid that for reference type books.)

[mdibella]

For what it's worth, the book is fabulous. I'm only halfway through it but it's an amazing story.

I think it's interesting that in his early days, King thought we needed ghosts, vampires, and aliens to scare us. Now that he's older, he has realized that the *really* scary things can be the people who are standing right next to us.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by andyafro

I Think his last release (called UR) which was only for the Kindle shocked him abit, The fact it was only available for the kindle infuriated people and within 2 days of it being released someone had broke it converted it and multi-formatted it for all readers then posted it, must of killed any sales.

Saying no-one will scan UNDER THE DOME in before 24th doesn't take in to account the Scanners that do it for the praise or the thank you comments there are a few out there who will stop at nothing to be the first get it out there mainly because someone has said they can't have it till 24th.

The publishing industry is still predominately bout dead tree sales so can understand why he wants to keep that side happy first.

I'm trying to remember (I could look it up I guess) but I thought that was either free, or a buck... certainly not spendy!