What's a book worth?

[John Carroll]

Originally Posted by KenJackson

Stopped? As in stopped? That's drastic.

Sorry, I should clarify. I got a computer and started writing too. I didn't stop immediately, but slowed down a lot. I didn't buy anything but paperbacks and when it went over $5 I would only buy used, then those started getting way too expensive. Now I spend most of my free time writing and paying $15 for a book is just ridiculous. I have a family to support so it's a luxury I can do without for now.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by John Carroll

Sorry, I should clarify. I got a computer and started writing too. I didn't stop immediately, but slowed down a lot. I didn't buy anything but paperbacks and when it went over $5 I would only buy used, then those started getting way too expensive. Now I spend most of my free time writing and paying $15 for a book is just ridiculous. I have a family to support so it's a luxury I can do without for now.

I think that last point is key. I am a DINK(Y) (Double income no kids yet). My husband and I make a nice amount of money. We are responsible with our money but I am sure that there are folks who think that we spend too freely. I don't have to worry about my book purchases hindering my 401 K contributions, money going into savings, preventing us from paying bills, or hindering out ability to do something special like a vacation.

I know I am lucky to be in that position but it does mean that I am fine paying for a book that I really want to read. When I was unemployed I walked to the library 3 times a week to check out books. I got on the wait list for the newly released books that I wanted to read and waited, impatiently mostly, for them to be available. I didn't have the extra money to buy what I wanted to read.

So what is reasonable for me now was not reasonable for unemployed me three years ago and might not be appropriate for me in a year (hopefully).

Which is why I have never fully understood the hard line stance that some folks take. What is good for you might not work for me. I would prefer lower book prices but I don't think that there is a hard price line for me.

The industry is changing and is not happy about it. The Publishers don't fully understand the e-book market and don't get that it works differently. As long as the DTB market is still the way the vast majority of the population buys books the prices that we pay for an e-book will reflect the traditional costs, including the marketing strategies and production costs. Once DTB diminish in popularity and e-books become the majority there will be a change in pricing but I doubt that it will be as major as some folks want.

[leebase]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

The Publishers don't fully understand the e-book market and don't get that it works differently.

There are some differences, for sure, but I don't think pricing is one of them. There are people who have expendable money, like you described yourself -- and there are those who think $5 is way too much money. This has always been the case.

Libraries and used books -- nothing wrong with them. My own finances have been on a roller coaster the last few years, so I do appreciate my library and used books.

When you don't have the money -- it doesn't matter why a book costs more than you can (or want to) pay. It's not about how much the book costs to make, or what format it is in.

When you have the money -- and you want to read a book -- you pay the price -- because you can. Some might take a principled stance, but those are going to be few and far between.

For the most part, life with ebooks is going to be like life without them. Books will come out at a price, and folks will buy them or not depending on their own desire and ability to pay. After awhile, the price will come down and the next level of the market will spend their money. And finally, some will have to use their library or find it in the used stack somewhere.

With ebooks, there is also easy access to public domain books.

Lee

[ProfCrash]

I do think that as e-books grow that there will be a change in the cost of producing a book. Obviously there will be a decline in the printing, shipping costs. From what I have read that is actually a small part of the cost.

I think there will be a change in how e-books are marketed. Companies will change marketing techniques because people are going to be going to the internet to buy books, even more then they are now, and not to bookstores. I wonder how many book signings will occur. They won't have to pay for placement in stores and ad space in stores.

We have already read about a decrease in advances given to authors because of the decline in readership overall. Editors and proof readers are still going to have to be paid. Cover art will be less necessary.

I think that new publishing houses will develop. They will offer authors editors and proofreaders and help with marketing but no advances. The Publishing House will get less of the cut and more authors will have the ability to publish a book that is better quality then most self published work.

Prices will drop but I doubt not as much as some folks would like to see.

[wvcherrybomb]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

So what is reasonable for me now was not reasonable for unemployed me three years ago and might not be appropriate for me in a year (hopefully).

Awwwwww

Like ProfCrash said, just like in any other spending situation it depends on how much disposable income a family has.

There is a book coming out in 2011 that I will buy even if the price is unreasonable. That is certainly the exception and not something I would do everyday. Even with free Amazon gift cards I have personal criteria.

$0 - $5 .......Anything I want (5 or 6 a month limit - freebies unlimited )
$5 - $10 .....Has good reviews and fairly sure I will like it (2 a month limit)
$10 - $15 ....Good reviews, familiar author (1 a month)
$15 plus .....Only if I will dwell on it extensively if I don't get it ( rarely)

[John Carroll]

Originally Posted by wvcherrybomb

Awwwwww

Like ProfCrash said, just like in any other spending situation it depends on how much disposable income a family has.

I don't understand what disposable income means . . . .

I don't know. I think I'm being a bit silly on the $5 line. I guess I believe there are thousands of books out there that would be good for under that priceline and I don't really like any authors well enough to pay more than double digits. I kinda hope I'm not getting old and cranky

[abookreader]

What is this "disposable income" you speak of?
Sorry, I have a son who is a Junior in College and another lined up to start the whole testing/college selection process next year. Right now I'm pretty much just working to pay tuition bills and have little left for anything as frivolous as my own entertainment. And I gripe constantly even as I hold my $189 Kindle in my hand.

But yeah, I get frustrated.

One of these days when my money is my own again I'll probably be one clicking like a mad woman and saying things like: "$15 for a book doesn't seem that bad to me!!!!"

[wvcherrybomb]

Originally Posted by John Carroll

I don't understand what disposable income means . . . .

I don't know. I think I'm being a bit silly on the $5 line. I guess I believe there are thousands of books out there that would be good for under that priceline and I don't really like any authors well enough to pay more than double digits. I kinda hope I'm not getting old and cranky

Disposable income has pretty much been elimated here too. This is why I frequent the points sites to earn Amazon gift cards. Even so, at times I feel like I should be using them for more practical things.

If I were using real money, my criteria would be downgraded. With all the good freebies offered I would only be able to justify the most deperately desired eBook purchase.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by abookreader

What is this "disposable income" you speak of?
Sorry, I have a son who is a Junior in College and another lined up to start the whole testing/college selection process next year. Right now I'm pretty much just working to pay tuition bills and have little left for anything as frivolous as my own entertainment. And I gripe constantly even as I hold my $189 Kindle in my hand.

But yeah, I get frustrated.

One of these days when my money is my own again I'll probably be one clicking like a mad woman and saying things like: "$15 for a book doesn't seem that bad to me!!!!"

I love the commercial where the daughter gets a full ride scholarship and the parents buy a boat and name it College Fund. I am not there yet. When I get there I am sure that my spending habits will have changed.

[Nyssa]

I understand a new book (hardcover or e-book) being $14.99, but I do not understand the paperback for the same book being $7.99 while the e-book is more expensive at $9.99.

I don't quite have a "spending rule" as yet. My Kindle is only 2 weeks old and I already have a couple hundred free books to go through. My thought at the moment, however, is that I'll probably stick to only purchasing e-books equivalent to paperback price (currently avg. $7.99) or less. Anything above that feels expensive, to me.

[JimKal]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I think that new publishing houses will develop. They will offer authors editors and proofreaders and help with marketing but no advances. The Publishing House will get less of the cut and more authors will have the ability to publish a book that is better quality then most self published work.

Prices will drop but I doubt not as much as some folks would like to see.

I agree that it will take new publishing houses to change the market. In fact, I think they are beginning to develop. Amazon seems to be entering the e-publishing market. Some of the other online stores may be doing this as well. On the BBC overnight (overnight here in the USA) they interviewed some tech guru who predicted an explosion in the e-book field. There will be a number of new tablets available in the coming year. And as much as the Kindle fans seem to dislike them, they work well as e-readers for many people (I don't want to argue about which is the better e-reader, but simply state that many will fine the new tablets acceptable as an e-reader). With the advent of these new devices there will be more people interested in purchasing e-books. Someone will fill that void. I, for one, have enjoyed some of my $2.99 purchases on Amazon.

As time passes, I think we will have a better idea as to how this will impact the price of books and ,especially, e-books.

[Sydney's Mom]

My absolute top is $10 for a single book. Anything under $1 by an author I enjoy is game, too. In between, it mostly depends on the ebook being cheaper than the pbook - otherwise, I will just check it out of the library.

[rePete]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

A book is worth a) what you're willing to pay for it relative to b) the enjoyment or utility you expect to derive from it.

I have a couple of author autographed books. One I bought in Galena, IL from a high end used books store - I 'afforded' a small book by Ansel Adams that was signed. I learned a lot about photography from Ansel, wore out his 'basic' series so the book was more valuable to me than the price I paid for it - could care less what it may or may not be worth now

[WilliamVitka]

I recently spent $27.99 on a nice hardcover. A big, physical book is worth almost any price to me, though generally I prefer them to be around $14.99. As for eBooks, I think $2.99 is a good price for a novel, $1.99 for a novelette, $.99 for short stories. But I can understand why opinions on that would differ wildly.

[crich70]

I think it's not so much what a book costs that determines if a person will buy it but how it is presented (the cover image & blurb) and if it's about a topic (non-fiction) or characters(fiction) that captures a person's interest. The most expensive single book I ever bought was around $50.00 (it was a copy of the Oxford Shakespeare) back when I was around 18 yrs old. There were no e-readers back then (in 1988) so if I wanted a copy of Shakespeare's complete works I had to pay the price that Waldenbooks asked. I still have it though I now have access to ebook versions of course. It really comes down to supply and demand at some point. If a person wants a given book badly enough they will spend the amount that the retailer asks (within reason) to get it. On the other hand if they have no interest in a given book they might turn it down if there was a free giveaway of that particular book.