Pricing the way it shouldn't be. - Page 2

Avarwen · 12-13-2010, 03:30 PM

LOL $14 for an ebook I'm willing to pay up to $12 if I really really really like the book but no more than that. IMO an ebook should be no more than $15 at the most. But $18 is a joke I don't pay that for a regular book so why would I pay it for an ebook. I understand they have to make a profit but being that an ebook is just an electronic file I shouldn't have to pay the hardback or large paper back price.

JSWolf · 12-13-2010, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jehane

Most of them are available for 5.99USD here.

I find it ironic that there are more ebooks available for the US than the UK.

While I can understand your point about used prices, it's not really a fair comparison. How much would you (or the general consumer) be prepared to pay for a new mmpb copy? I would say that 5.99USD is a reasonable price, provided it's a professionally produced work.

So how do you actually buy the eBooks from there and what format are they in?

P.S., I found out how. You have to create an account to do it. That's not nice to make you create an account to find out what the format of the eBooks is.

murraypaul · 12-13-2010, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

When determining what you are willing to pay, do you compare the cost of a new 2011 BMW 328i to the cost of a 1985 BMW 325i with 75,000 miles on it?

If I were paying to hire it for a week, then yes, I'd pick the cheaper one.
If I was planning to drive it until it died, it might be worth buying the new one.

It's a book. It has the same words on the same pages, the same content.
If you are buying because you want to read it, rather than collect it, there really is no difference.
(And the quality of secondhand books tends to be pretty good, at least in the shops I've been to, the shops don't buy really tatty books, in the same way that hire firms don't have non-running cars.)

JSWolf · 12-13-2010, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wetdogeared

I usually anxiously await new releases from author Peter Robinson and his Inspector Banks series.

At these current prices (available from Canada), I can wait:

Sony's Reader Store. $18.19
Kobobooks. $15.99
Amazon Kindle. $14.29

I just found the latest Ian Banks book available at the library via Overdrive in ePub.

JSWolf · 12-13-2010, 04:19 PM

have any of the authors working for the Agency 5 tried actually telling the publisher that they want the price of the eBook version lowered?

Andrew H. · 12-13-2010, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Strnad

The bargain priced ebook may not bring much profit to the publisher, but it's certainly more than a used paper book provides, which is nothing.

It's more complicated than that, though. There are a certain number of people who will buy a Christie e-book for $6.99. And a larger number of people who will buy the book at $2.99. But the additional number of people who would buy the book at $2.99 may not be enough to counteract the profit lost by the people who would have bought the book at $6.99.

I.e., let's assume that the profit on the $3 book (I'm rounding) is $1, which would make the profit on the $7 book be $5. If 10,000 would buy the book at $7, the total profit is $50,000. You would need to sell 50,000 copies at $3 to make the same profit as selling 10,000 at $7.

Of course you can change the numbers and get different results; the point is that while lowering prices will cause more sales than otherwise, it may not produce enough additional profit to be worthwhile - in this case, even though a lower price might triple sales or quadruple sales, you are still better off selling fewer at a higher price.

I think that publishers and everyone else are trying to find what the best combination of profit and sales are. But simply selling more isn't enough.

I believe that Christie is the best selling fiction author of all time, so it's also worth pointing out that her ability to sell at $7 is a lot higher than that of almost any other author.

Note: Christie died in the mid-70's, so her works would still be under copyright regardless of recent revisions to the copyright laws.

Barcey · 12-13-2010, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wetdogeared

I usually anxiously await new releases from author Peter Robinson and his Inspector Banks series.

At these current prices (available from Canada), I can wait:

Sony's Reader Store. $18.19
Kobobooks. $15.99
Amazon Kindle. $14.29

But the Kobo price is 47% discounted from the list price of $29.99. It's a deal!

I wonder how long they'll continue to piss people off experimenting with the movie theatre popcorn pricing scheme. At least the movie theatres don't say $15 popcorn and pop sale, discount from $30 list.

taming · 12-13-2010, 06:39 PM

OTOH, when Kobo lists two prices, it is generally an indication that their discount coupons work with that title. The coupon today is worth an additional 20% off the discounted price.

Jakie · 12-14-2010, 12:57 AM

The only book I purchased at more than $9.99 was the third in the milenium series, because it was not out in paperback yet. I believe I paid about $14. Of course, shortly thereafter, they came out with three packs that I retroactively drooled over. I guess better than crying

Laine · 12-14-2010, 02:05 AM

I got Bad Boy by Peter Robinson from Audible for 1 credit months ago. I'm now finding that some books are actually cheaper as audio. Also some books not available in e in my country can be got as audio.

I now rely on Audible and Smashwords for most of my fiction and I don't even check regularly at BooksOnBoard any more.

astra · 12-14-2010, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wetdogeared

I usually anxiously await new releases from author Peter Robinson and his Inspector Banks series.

At these current prices (available from Canada), I can wait:

Sony's Reader Store. $18.19
Kobobooks. $15.99
Amazon Kindle. $14.29

Check other sources if you have no issues with it?

Wetdogeared · 12-15-2010, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wetdogeared

I usually anxiously await new releases from author Peter Robinson and his Inspector Banks series.

At these current prices (available from Canada), I can wait:

Sony's Reader Store. $18.19
Kobobooks. $15.99
Amazon Kindle. $14.29

I waited until today.

I used the discount code 1stbirthday, found in the Deals, Freebies, and Resources forum in thread 'Celebrate Kobo’s 1st Birthday with 50% off – one day only.

Got the ePub at Kobo for 50% off: $8.00 + tax.

CleverClothe · 12-17-2010, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

The better question is whether the price matches what customers are willing to pay. If they are, then the price is justified. If they aren't, the publisher will feel market pressures to reduce the price.

And this my friend, is precisely the OP's, and several other poster's, point. They believe that most people won't pay that price for such old books in such a format.

"Market pressure" is just a nice way of saying "angry customers."

Kali Yuga · 12-17-2010, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CleverClothe

And this my friend, is precisely the OP's, and several other poster's, point.

Perhaps, but if so then they are using inapplicable ideas to index and/or anchor the price.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CleverClothe

They believe that most people won't pay that price for such old books in such a format.

They may be right. But they could also be projecting their own preferences onto others, who may or may not share their views.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cleverclothe

"Market pressure" is just a nice way of saying "angry customers."

Or, a way of saying "low sales."

Not everyone gets into a self-righteous snit over book prices. I think.

Rhynedahll · 12-19-2010, 07:11 AM

Well, to my way of thinking, books are still discretionary luxary items. Like all luxary items, the price of books, including ebooks, will always be as high as the market will bear.

I have litterally hundreds of paperbacks, some that I bought new in the 60's for as little as 75 cents. I've seen the prices of paperbacks rise from there to almost ten bucks. The price of a new paperback still smacks me with something of stickershock.

But for me, if I want to own it, I buy it if I've got the cash. I buy my favorite authors in hardback because I'll read them multiple times and I like the weighty feel of a hardback.

If I just want to read a book, I hit the library or the yard sales. Free or used for a dollar is as good a price as one is going to get.

When someone buys a band new book, they are paying for the convienence of having the book right away.

Of course we all will always gripe about prices, but I would expect them to stay high as long as readers are willing to pay them.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Pricing the way it should be?	jhempel24	News	6	12-13-2010 09:46 AM
Pricing	markstani	Writers' Corner	15	10-29-2010 08:16 PM
Possible EU pricing	Crowl	Apple Devices	22	05-11-2010 02:40 AM
Unutterably Silly Amazon's 9.99 Pricing Strategy vs Publishers Pricing Models	poohbear_nc	Lounge	0	04-12-2010 10:32 AM
Classic Pricing	geneaber	Barnes & Noble NOOK	10	11-03-2009 06:27 PM

12-13-2010, 03:30 PM	#16
Avarwen Connoisseur Posts: 87 Karma: 12170 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: EZ_ Reader, Nook wifi, Kindle 3G	LOL $14 for an ebook I'm willing to pay up to $12 if I really really really like the book but no more than that. IMO an ebook should be no more than $15 at the most. But $18 is a joke I don't pay that for a regular book so why would I pay it for an ebook. I understand they have to make a profit but being that an ebook is just an electronic file I shouldn't have to pay the hardback or large paper back price.

12-13-2010, 04:19 PM	#20
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,792 Karma: 146391129 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	have any of the authors working for the Agency 5 tried actually telling the publisher that they want the price of the eBook version lowered?

12-13-2010, 06:39 PM	#23
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	OTOH, when Kobo lists two prices, it is generally an indication that their discount coupons work with that title. The coupon today is worth an additional 20% off the discounted price.

12-14-2010, 12:57 AM	#24
Jakie Connoisseur Posts: 52 Karma: 225544 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Keremeos BC Device: Kindle PW5, Kobo Libre2	The only book I purchased at more than $9.99 was the third in the milenium series, because it was not out in paperback yet. I believe I paid about $14. Of course, shortly thereafter, they came out with three packs that I retroactively drooled over. I guess better than crying

12-14-2010, 02:05 AM	#25
Laine Addict Posts: 341 Karma: 1162396 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cabramatta, Sydney, Australia Device: Aura H2O, Voyage	I got Bad Boy by Peter Robinson from Audible for 1 credit months ago. I'm now finding that some books are actually cheaper as audio. Also some books not available in e in my country can be got as audio. I now rely on Audible and Smashwords for most of my fiction and I don't even check regularly at BooksOnBoard any more.

12-19-2010, 07:11 AM	#30
Rhynedahll Connoisseur Posts: 86 Karma: 504062 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle	Well, to my way of thinking, books are still discretionary luxary items. Like all luxary items, the price of books, including ebooks, will always be as high as the market will bear. I have litterally hundreds of paperbacks, some that I bought new in the 60's for as little as 75 cents. I've seen the prices of paperbacks rise from there to almost ten bucks. The price of a new paperback still smacks me with something of stickershock. But for me, if I want to own it, I buy it if I've got the cash. I buy my favorite authors in hardback because I'll read them multiple times and I like the weighty feel of a hardback. If I just want to read a book, I hit the library or the yard sales. Free or used for a dollar is as good a price as one is going to get. When someone buys a band new book, they are paying for the convienence of having the book right away. Of course we all will always gripe about prices, but I would expect them to stay high as long as readers are willing to pay them.

Advert

Advert