Waterstones and ebook prices - Page 4

HansTWN · 01-13-2012, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabredog

Definitely not.

Myself, I am married to a lady from the UK.

Well, what do they call a Brit who doesn't have the wit to live in Australia?

Blue Tyson · 01-13-2012, 09:44 PM

Found a new record for a novel :-

Book of Transformations [Ebook] http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Boo...+charan+newton

By Mark Charan Newton
$42.99

http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Boo...+charan+newton

sabredog · 01-13-2012, 10:10 PM

ouch!

Beats the US$32.99, I paid for one of my fiction ebook purchases.

Blue Tyson · 01-13-2012, 10:17 PM

Yeah. This one was around $31 at Amazon. Is a 'normal looking' 29.99 at Google ebooks, rather than the formula converted exchange rate odd looking prices at Amazon.

The 42.99 almost seems like an NZ price that hasn't been exchange rated.

sabredog · 01-13-2012, 10:18 PM

Sounds like something Dymocks would charge.

Fbone · 01-13-2012, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Tyson

Found a new record for a novel :-

Book of Transformations [Ebook] http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Boo...+charan+newton

By Mark Charan Newton
$42.99

That's surprising for a Tor book. Not even Agency.

$9.99 at Amazon US.

Blue Tyson · 01-13-2012, 11:25 PM

Yeah, pricing via Tor UK though. When Tor USA has books available they aren't that outrageous.

kyteflyer · 01-14-2012, 12:24 AM

Borders has it for $29.99. Its still a stupid price for an ebook and its this kind of pricing that sends people scurrying to the torrents.
http://www.borders.com.au/ebook/book...ions/27909489/

BeccaPrice · 01-14-2012, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

That's surprising for a Tor book. Not even Agency.
.

I thought Tor was part of MacMillian?

HarryT · 01-14-2012, 02:52 PM

Yes, Tor are a part of Macmillan.

Adele Ward · 01-14-2012, 03:26 PM

It's the booksellers in a country, or online, who charge the price, rather than the publishers. They ask publishers to negotiate a price that appeals to them and then they mark it up to the price they feel their market can take. We sell to bookshops in Cambodia as we have a novel set there, and negotiate a rate that cuts our income down to 17p per book so that they can have the mark-up in the shop they want. The cost of delivery of a book does make it hard to sell books overseas and this is why ebooks are a great way of allowing publishers to take on authors in other countries. We struggle to get a decent price in shops in other countries otherwise, so we do have to turn authors down. However, if Amazon give only 35% in those countries for ebook sales they will stop publishers from taking on the authors. I would still take them on but I don't know how many publishing companies would. It's easy to think it's the publisher who sets prices, but it's the bookseller. They won't take books from publishers unless we give them a price they like.

HarryT · 01-14-2012, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adele Ward

It's the booksellers in a country, or online, who charge the price, rather than the publishers.

Not if the publisher has imposed an "agency" agreement, they don't. For agency publishers, it's the publisher who sets the price, and the store isn't allowed to change it. That's what some people don't like, although I have no issue with it myself.

If you look at a book on Amazon UK, and it says "This price was set by the publisher", that means it's an agency price.

Fbone · 01-14-2012, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

I thought Tor was part of MacMillian?

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Yes, Tor are a part of Macmillan.

Yes, Tor is Macmillan. But the book mentioned is not Agency priced.

Adele Ward · 01-14-2012, 04:22 PM

I see. Pricing is a problem here and I know it's going to get more difficult this year. Cover prices on print books haven't changed much despite printing costs going up and up and postage increasing and due for another hike. This hits smaller publishers more than the major publishers though.

I know bookshops want publishers to set the prices on Amazon so that they can compete and don't have to close down, but I suppose there's a limit and also you can't please everybody.

DuckieTigger · 01-14-2012, 10:13 PM

I just got a very stupid question here: Why does Amazon have the urge, need, reason for charging 65% markup in some parts of the world and even more in others ( I seen 70% mentioned)?

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01-13-2012, 09:44 PM	#47
Blue Tyson Blue Captain Posts: 1,595 Karma: 5000236 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G,Huawei Ideos X3,Kobo Mini	Found a new record for a novel :- Book of Transformations [Ebook] http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Boo...+charan+newton By Mark Charan Newton $42.99 http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Boo...+charan+newton

01-13-2012, 10:10 PM	#48
sabredog Geographically Restricted Posts: 2,629 Karma: 14933353 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Device: Sony PRS-T3, Kindle Voyage, iPad Air2, Nexus7v2	ouch! Beats the US$32.99, I paid for one of my fiction ebook purchases.

01-13-2012, 10:17 PM	#49
Blue Tyson Blue Captain Posts: 1,595 Karma: 5000236 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G,Huawei Ideos X3,Kobo Mini	Yeah. This one was around $31 at Amazon. Is a 'normal looking' 29.99 at Google ebooks, rather than the formula converted exchange rate odd looking prices at Amazon. The 42.99 almost seems like an NZ price that hasn't been exchange rated.

01-13-2012, 10:18 PM	#50
sabredog Geographically Restricted Posts: 2,629 Karma: 14933353 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Device: Sony PRS-T3, Kindle Voyage, iPad Air2, Nexus7v2	Sounds like something Dymocks would charge.

01-13-2012, 11:25 PM	#52
Blue Tyson Blue Captain Posts: 1,595 Karma: 5000236 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G,Huawei Ideos X3,Kobo Mini	Yeah, pricing via Tor UK though. When Tor USA has books available they aren't that outrageous.

01-14-2012, 12:24 AM	#53
kyteflyer Wizard Posts: 1,844 Karma: 9547754 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Newcastle, Australia Device: iPhone 12 Mini	Borders has it for $29.99. Its still a stupid price for an ebook and its this kind of pricing that sends people scurrying to the torrents. http://www.borders.com.au/ebook/book...ions/27909489/

01-14-2012, 02:52 PM	#55
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Yes, Tor are a part of Macmillan.

01-14-2012, 03:26 PM	#56
Adele Ward Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 490324 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: London Device: Kindle	It's the booksellers in a country, or online, who charge the price, rather than the publishers. They ask publishers to negotiate a price that appeals to them and then they mark it up to the price they feel their market can take. We sell to bookshops in Cambodia as we have a novel set there, and negotiate a rate that cuts our income down to 17p per book so that they can have the mark-up in the shop they want. The cost of delivery of a book does make it hard to sell books overseas and this is why ebooks are a great way of allowing publishers to take on authors in other countries. We struggle to get a decent price in shops in other countries otherwise, so we do have to turn authors down. However, if Amazon give only 35% in those countries for ebook sales they will stop publishers from taking on the authors. I would still take them on but I don't know how many publishing companies would. It's easy to think it's the publisher who sets prices, but it's the bookseller. They won't take books from publishers unless we give them a price they like.

01-14-2012, 04:22 PM	#59
Adele Ward Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 490324 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: London Device: Kindle	I see. Pricing is a problem here and I know it's going to get more difficult this year. Cover prices on print books haven't changed much despite printing costs going up and up and postage increasing and due for another hike. This hits smaller publishers more than the major publishers though. I know bookshops want publishers to set the prices on Amazon so that they can compete and don't have to close down, but I suppose there's a limit and also you can't please everybody.

01-14-2012, 10:13 PM	#60
DuckieTigger Wizard Posts: 4,763 Karma: 246906703 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: USA Device: Oasis 3, Oasis 2, PW3, PW1, KT	I just got a very stupid question here: *Why* does Amazon have the urge, need, reason for charging 65% markup in some parts of the world and even more in others ( I seen 70% mentioned)?

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