Amazon's profits are small publishers' losses - Page 2

Worldwalker · 04-11-2011, 02:52 PM

I have a new business model: I'm going to make ebook reader covers, really good ones, and sell them for less than I pay for the materials. Y'know, lose money on each one, but make it up on volume. And if that doesn't work, I'll whine about how the retailers shouldn't get paid for selling my covers because I set my price too low to pay both them and myself. This will really be great ... um ... won't it?

MrsJoseph · 04-11-2011, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

I have a new business model: I'm going to make ebook reader covers, really good ones, and sell them for less than I pay for the materials. Y'know, lose money on each one, but make it up on volume. And if that doesn't work, I'll whine about how the retailers shouldn't get paid for selling my covers because I set my price too low to pay both them and myself. This will really be great ... um ... won't it?

emellaich · 04-12-2011, 12:31 AM

Well, it seems to me that we've missed the obvious response.

She is paying (converted from pounds to US$):
- $6.54 for production
- $4.08 for shipping

Because she does such small print runs (I assume it also affects her ability to negotiate shipping).

So, there is this new thing out there where publishers don't have to pay anything for printing and shipping is free. I'm not sure what its called, but I read about it on this web site called mobileread once. Somehow they use that fancy-schmancy electronic stuff to send books to these little handheld reader thingys. I'm not sure what the thingy's are called though ...

GeoffC · 04-12-2011, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emellaich

Well, it seems to me that we've missed the obvious response.

She is paying (converted from pounds to US$):
- $6.54 for production
- $4.08 for shipping

Because she does such small print runs (I assume it also affects her ability to negotiate shipping).

So, there is this new thing out there where publishers don't have to pay anything for printing and shipping is free. I'm not sure what its called, but I read about it on this web site called mobileread once. Somehow they use that fancy-schmancy electronic stuff to send books to these little handheld reader thingys. I'm not sure what the thingy's are called though ...

mr ploppy · 04-12-2011, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emellaich

Well, it seems to me that we've missed the obvious response.

She is paying (converted from pounds to US$):
- $6.54 for production
- $4.08 for shipping

Because she does such small print runs (I assume it also affects her ability to negotiate shipping).

So, there is this new thing out there where publishers don't have to pay anything for printing and shipping is free. I'm not sure what its called, but I read about it on this web site called mobileread once. Somehow they use that fancy-schmancy electronic stuff to send books to these little handheld reader thingys. I'm not sure what the thingy's are called though ...

But then you would have problems convincing all those wannabe writers that your services are worth handing over 80% of their income for the rest of their life.

Anyway, everyone knows that production and distribution of realbooks only accounts for 10% of their cost, that's why ebooks have to cost more than realbooks.

MrsJoseph · 04-12-2011, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emellaich

Well, it seems to me that we've missed the obvious response.

She is paying (converted from pounds to US$):
- $6.54 for production
- $4.08 for shipping

Because she does such small print runs (I assume it also affects her ability to negotiate shipping).

So, there is this new thing out there where publishers don't have to pay anything for printing and shipping is free. I'm not sure what its called, but I read about it on this web site called mobileread once. Somehow they use that fancy-schmancy electronic stuff to send books to these little handheld reader thingys. I'm not sure what the thingy's are called though ...

L.J. Sellers · 04-12-2011, 12:55 PM

Small publishers offer so little to their writers that it's only a matter of time before authors simply don't sign with them anymore. Another way to look at it is that small publishers are stealing profits from authors. Amazon treats indie authors better than most small presses do.

L.J.
(The Sex Club is only $.99)

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04-11-2011, 02:52 PM	#16
Worldwalker Curmudgeon Posts: 3,085 Karma: 722357 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: PRS-505	I have a new business model: I'm going to make ebook reader covers, really good ones, and sell them for less than I pay for the materials. Y'know, lose money on each one, but make it up on volume. And if that doesn't work, I'll whine about how the retailers shouldn't get paid for selling my covers because I set my price too low to pay both them and myself. This will really be great ... um ... won't it?

04-12-2011, 12:31 AM	#18
emellaich Wizard Posts: 1,101 Karma: 4388403 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Palm>Ebookman>IPaq>Axim>Cybook>Kndl2>IPAD>Kndl3SO>Voyager>Oasis	Well, it seems to me that we've missed the obvious response. She is paying (converted from pounds to US$): - $6.54 for production - $4.08 for shipping Because she does such small print runs (I assume it also affects her ability to negotiate shipping). So, there is this new thing out there where publishers don't have to pay anything for printing and shipping is free. I'm not sure what its called, but I read about it on this web site called mobileread once. Somehow they use that fancy-schmancy electronic stuff to send books to these little handheld reader thingys. I'm not sure what the thingy's are called though ...

04-12-2011, 12:55 PM	#22
L.J. Sellers Novelist Posts: 287 Karma: 387979 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eugene, Oregon Device: Kindle	Small publishers offer so little to their writers that it's only a matter of time before authors simply don't sign with them anymore. Another way to look at it is that small publishers are stealing profits from authors. Amazon treats indie authors better than most small presses do. L.J. (The Sex Club is only $.99)

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