What is a Fair Price For E-books - Page 3

alecE · 02-11-2010, 10:41 AM

Well I said $10 or less, but being half asleep I really meant pounds sterling not dollars

Totally agree that ebooks should never cost more than the pbook; if I think it's overpriced I won't buy it *and* I'll tell the retailer and the publisher why they lost the sale.

sakura-panda · 02-11-2010, 05:06 PM

In US dollars, since that's the currency I spend.

For regular hardcover books -- not book club editions -- I'd pay under $24 without thinking twice. (Love the warehouse club book prices!) For the larger paperback books and I'd pay $10 - $15, depending on how they feel in my hands.

For mass market, I wouldn't pay anything. I prefer the larger formats.

That said, for ebooks, I guess it would have to be less than $20 just released, under $15 when it comes to paperback, and then under $10 when the mass market version is released.

I don't mind the idea that if you can't wait, you pay more, and I have done it myself when I want a book badly enough, but I don't think they should be the same price. I like the idea of 40% off the price of the comparable paper version, to make them slightly cheaper than their counterparts, but not dramatically so.

Kevin2960 · 02-12-2010, 06:13 AM

I chose $8 because thats around £5, I buy mainly older books, as and when they appeal, but if i want the latest greatest right now, I'll pay whatever, just need my bus fare home and enough that i can eat today, after that, i'll pay whatever i've got, but if i'm honest, i really want it beow $10 given a choice, but authors and publishers need to eat and their bus fare home too, i feel sorry for all those poor and destitute publishers!

Kevin2960 · 02-12-2010, 06:21 AM

Oh and another thought ! If we bought direct from the Author, would we pay the same for hardback, Paperback and eBook, after all the Author does the same amount of work, Be Honest, Would we ???

desertgrandma · 02-12-2010, 04:23 PM

I asked that the title be changed because I think I was trying to be 'too cute'.

I wonder what the majority of our members think a fair price is for ebooks?

All votes and posts welcome!

LCF · 02-12-2010, 07:13 PM

60-80% of the hardcover edition. Then 80-100% of the pocket editions.

Kevin2960 · 02-13-2010, 05:34 AM

Most Members think TOO LITTLE is a fair price, lets face it, most DON'T want to pay market price!

HarryT · 02-13-2010, 05:45 AM

One issue with a poll such as this is that the book market is very different across the world, hence what seems "reasonable" to a reader in one country, may seem totally unreasonable to a person elsewhere. In the UK, for example, paperbacks typically cost between about US$11 and US$13 and hardback are generally well over (and often a lot over) US$20. If you live somewhere where books are cheaper, that may well impact your view on what constitutes a "reasonable" price.

Dylrob · 02-13-2010, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin2960

Most Members think TOO LITTLE is a fair price, lets face it, most DON'T want to pay market price!

What I don't want to pay is the same I would for a hardback, or honestly even a paperback, for something don't even have any real ownership over. (Ebook purchases are honestly just a lease.)

kennyc · 02-13-2010, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dylrob

What I don't want to pay is the same I would for a hardback, or honestly even a paperback, for something don't even have any real ownership over. (Ebook purchases are honestly just a lease.)

and particularly if they are DRM'd and tied to a particular reader/computer.

Kevin2960 · 02-13-2010, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dylrob

What I don't want to pay is the same I would for a hardback, or honestly even a paperback, for something don't even have any real ownership over. (Ebook purchases are honestly just a lease.)

Yeah i get that, but as I've already asked in another forum, If it was the "Norm" to buy books from the author, what would be a fair price then, for Hardback, Paperback, eBook, after all the "Author" does the same work whatever form,

So should we price solely on form the books published in ?

desertgrandma · 02-13-2010, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

One issue with a poll such as this is that the book market is very different across the world, hence what seems "reasonable" to a reader in one country, may seem totally unreasonable to a person elsewhere. In the UK, for example, paperbacks typically cost between about US$11 and US$13 and hardback are generally well over (and often a lot over) US$20. If you live somewhere where books are cheaper, that may well impact your view on what constitutes a "reasonable" price.

Very good point, HarryT.

Dylrob · 02-13-2010, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin2960

Yeah i get that, but as I've already asked in another forum, If it was the "Norm" to buy books from the author, what would be a fair price then, for Hardback, Paperback, eBook, after all the "Author" does the same work whatever form,

Well if I bought an ebook directly from the author then I would most certainly desire a lower price point. Since they can price much lower and still presumably make a greater per unit profit than if they had gone through a publisher.

Quote:

So should we price solely on form the books published in ?

When the medium by definition limits the rights of the end user, then yes.

View Poll Results: Where is your Sweet Spot?
$1 or less	1	1.08%
$2 or less	0	0%
$3 or less	1	1.08%
$4 or less	3	3.23%
$5 or less	17	18.28%
$6 or less	8	8.60%
$7 or less	12	12.90%
$8 or less	7	7.53%
$9 or less	4	4.30%
$10 or less	18	19.35%
Anything up to $15 is fair	10	10.75%
I think publishers should have the right to set their own prices	12	12.90%
Voters: 93. You may not vote on this poll

02-12-2010, 06:13 AM	#33
Kevin2960 YODA's Uglier Twin Posts: 974 Karma: 6295251 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Leicester, UK Device: PRS-600 and 2 Kindle 3's - and now a K4 + HTC Desire HD	I chose $8 because thats around £5, I buy mainly older books, as and when they appeal, but if i want the latest greatest right now, I'll pay whatever, just need my bus fare home and enough that i can eat today, after that, i'll pay whatever i've got, but if i'm honest, i really want it beow $10 given a choice, but authors and publishers need to eat and their bus fare home too, i feel sorry for all those poor and destitute publishers! Last edited by Kevin2960; 02-12-2010 at 06:14 AM. Reason: Removed excess smileys

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
2,000,000 free e-books from the 4th Annual World eBook Fair	Sonist	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	4	07-15-2009 11:31 PM
Fair price for ebook?	jasonb57	Lounge	15	02-06-2009 03:19 AM
eBook price vs pBook price--is that fair??	rlparker	Amazon Kindle	11	10-06-2008 11:55 AM
Price of e-books	Martin Smith	News	27	03-29-2008 10:46 AM
price of books	sianon	News	8	02-27-2008 09:06 AM

02-11-2010, 10:41 AM	#31
alecE Evangelist Posts: 412 Karma: 546196 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: UK canal boat Device: sony prs505, prs650, kobo Glo HD liseuses	Well I said $10 or less, but being half asleep I really meant pounds sterling not dollars Totally agree that ebooks should never cost more than the pbook; if I think it's overpriced I won't buy it and I'll tell the retailer and the publisher why they lost the sale.

02-11-2010, 05:06 PM	#32
sakura-panda Guru Posts: 934 Karma: 9558874 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Southeast Michigan, USA Device: Kindle Oasis; 11" iPad Pro (Books, Kindle, Kobo, MapleRead SE)	In US dollars, since that's the currency I spend. For regular hardcover books -- not book club editions -- I'd pay under $24 without thinking twice. (Love the warehouse club book prices!) For the larger paperback books and I'd pay $10 - $15, depending on how they feel in my hands. For mass market, I wouldn't pay anything. I prefer the larger formats. That said, for ebooks, I guess it would have to be less than $20 just released, under $15 when it comes to paperback, and then under $10 when the mass market version is released. I don't mind the idea that if you can't wait, you pay more, and I have done it myself when I want a book badly enough, but I don't think they should be the same price. I like the idea of 40% off the price of the comparable paper version, to make them slightly cheaper than their counterparts, but not dramatically so.

02-12-2010, 06:21 AM	#34
Kevin2960 YODA's Uglier Twin Posts: 974 Karma: 6295251 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Leicester, UK Device: PRS-600 and 2 Kindle 3's - and now a K4 + HTC Desire HD	Oh and another thought ! If we bought direct from the Author, would we pay the same for hardback, Paperback and eBook, after all the Author does the same amount of work, Be Honest, Would we ???

02-12-2010, 04:23 PM	#35
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462843 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	I asked that the title be changed because I think I was trying to be 'too cute'. I wonder what the majority of our members think a fair price is for ebooks? All votes and posts welcome!

02-12-2010, 07:13 PM	#36
LCF Wizard Posts: 1,472 Karma: 9795311 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germany Device: Hanlin V3 (LBook), GS3	60-80% of the hardcover edition. Then 80-100% of the pocket editions.

02-13-2010, 05:34 AM	#37
Kevin2960 YODA's Uglier Twin Posts: 974 Karma: 6295251 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Leicester, UK Device: PRS-600 and 2 Kindle 3's - and now a K4 + HTC Desire HD	Most Members think TOO LITTLE is a fair price, lets face it, most DON'T want to pay market price!

02-13-2010, 05:45 AM	#38
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	One issue with a poll such as this is that the book market is very different across the world, hence what seems "reasonable" to a reader in one country, may seem totally unreasonable to a person elsewhere. In the UK, for example, paperbacks typically cost between about US$11 and US$13 and hardback are generally well over (and often a lot over) US$20. If you live somewhere where books are cheaper, that may well impact your view on what constitutes a "reasonable" price.

Advert

Advert