Would you pay more for a DRM free book?

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

It depends on what you mean. IMO, DRM eBooks are already too expensive, especially since the DRM restricts a lot of the things you should be legally able to do. If they want to offer DRM vs non-DRM version, then the DRM should be cheaper than the current prices. If that's your model, then I'm OK with it.

There's no way I would pay more for something that is already overpriced, just to get capabilities that it should already have.

Agreed! (but I really don't see the publishers/sellers going much below $10 -- sort of along the lines of what has happened with MP3 CDs).

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

Me too

Me Too!

[calvin-c]

Originally Posted by DawnFalcon

DRM reduces the value of a book. This is not the same thing at all as paying more for a DRM-free one.

While I agree with your statement it rests on one assumption that I don't necessarily agree with. That is that DRM'd books sell for the 'market value' of the book. First, I've found ebook prices to vary too widely to make any blanket statement about how they relate to the 'value' of the book.

And second, I feel that if market forces do drive prices, as is popularly supposed to be the case, then the current price of DRM'd books represents the value of DRM's books-which I totally agree is less than the value of DRM-free books.

So in my case, I'll definitely pick a DRM-free version over a DRM'd version, even to the extent of paying for for the DRM-free version, but with the caveat that there is a ceiling price that represents the value of the book-to me. Above that ceiling, DRM or not, I won't buy it. And if the DRM'd version is below that ceiling but the DRM-free is above it then I'll probably buy the DRM'd version. Reluctantly, maybe, but it's either that or do without the book.

[fugazied]

If their DRM was REALLY restrictive and a pain in the butt, and I really wanted the book for the long term then I would pay a little extra.

But I'd have to really want the book, otherwise I'd just tell the publisher with the super restrictive DRM to go jump.

[hike_gc]

Originally Posted by A4-

Respect the customer and you will be rewarded, treat him/her as a thief and you will suffer the consequences.

Needless to say I would not pay more for a non-DRM book. If I am going to purchase a book, no publisher is going to dictate how and when I can read that book via their dratted DRM. I shop carefully for any book I purchase whether it is paper or e-book. If the book isn't available in the format I want in the price range I want, then I re-think the purchase. Besides, there are thousands of books to read. Why waste time on a publisher who wants to control me with DRM?

[Jellby]

More than what? More than now or more than for a DRMed ebook?

Most people seem to think a DRMed ebook is worth less than a DRM-free one, but they are not ready to pay more for something that is worth more?

If you could find a certain ebook in a DRMed format for $5 and in a DRM-free format for $6, which one would you buy? Would it be different if the DRMed format had been there at $5 for some months before the DRM-free format appeared? And if it was the DRM-free format which had been available for $6 before? What if the DRMed format had been available for $6 and got its price reduced when the DRM-free format appeared?

[hansl]

Just for the case that I ever run out of free ebooks which I can hardly imagine.
More means that the ebook in question exists in a DRM and DRM-free version. If the latter is more expensive I feal cheated by that publisher not only for this book.
On the other hand I see the danger that giving away an ebook without DRM means in effect giving it away for free. But paying more for other people's crimes is not what I do if I can avoid it (as opposed to pay for prisons with my income tax money).

BTW: If the difference would be that the DRMed version expires or cannot freely be moved (not copied) to other devices, the publisher is in my eyes good for the Darwin Award.
Also, since I have a PRS-500 and will not buy a new device as long as they cost more than 100 $ (compared to netbook prices this seems appropriate to me for a single purpose device) the chances that I buy a DRMed book are void anyway.

hansl

[JoeD]

Originally Posted by Jellby

More than what? More than now or more than for a DRMed ebook?

Most people seem to think a DRMed ebook is worth less than a DRM-free one, but they are not ready to pay more for something that is worth more?

If you could find a certain ebook in a DRMed format for $5 and in a DRM-free format for $6, which one would you buy? Would it be different if the DRMed format had been there at $5 for some months before the DRM-free format appeared? And if it was the DRM-free format which had been available for $6 before? What if the DRMed format had been available for $6 and got its price reduced when the DRM-free format appeared?

Why would a publisher sell both a DRM'd and DRM free version though? If they're going to release a DRM free version, why not save themselves money by not having to license DRM at all and save the time and hassle it involves?

[zacheryjensen]

Originally Posted by dwanthny

I am curious if any enterprising author has approached his publisher with the concept of selling an ebook version of their work with two price points. Suggesting to the publisher that a DRM free version be made available for $?.?? more then the encrypted version and splitting the extra cash with the publisher.

...

I think it's wrong that they are "selling" books with DRM. Period. Nobody should have to pay a premium to get what is already perceived as the offer. DRM encumbered files are a deception.

That said, I would happily pay less and accept DRM. I would, for example, pay to rent a book. In 20 years of reading I've only read two books twice. I would be ok paying to read it each time, assuming it was cheap like a movie rental.

But I hate these companies putting up big buttons that say "Buy" when you're not acquiring any ownership of anything. You're not "buying" a book. I find it underhanded and deceiving. I can go buy an actual book at the bookstore which I can easily scan and send on the internet in a relatively short amount of time, yet, these are not encrypted or something. There's no copy protection other than the time it takes to make a copy and that's becoming less and less. It won't be too long before you can cheaply buy a scanning rig to effectively copy one or two books each afternoon. Make a copy of your local library in the course of a couple years...

What's even more hilarious to me is that a company such as Amazon would be ignorant enough to continue using the DRM they know absolutely has been cracked for a long, long time even though they have another option that hasn't been cracked to my knowledge. The companies know that their DRM is useless garbage and yet they still punish the less technically savvy consumers with it. Makes no sense. I know three people, my wife and two of her friends, that were all about the Kindle until they found out they could never share books between each other without sharing one account (and thus romping over each others' bookmarks and latest page read). People share books. It's how they can tolerate paying $14 for trade paperbacks. That $14 pays for 3-5 people to read the book.

So if you're going to insist on punishing me with DRM I insist you give me a fair price for what you're actually selling me: rental. You're renting me a book, though supposedly indefinitely. It's still rental and I can't give it away or lend it out like a real book, so stop charging $10+ it should be more like $3-$5. And in exchange I'll let you delete that book off my device, say... 14 days after I've turned X pages, let's say 110% of total page turns. Or maybe a simpler 45 days or something would be better. I don't know. I rarely finish an individual book amongst the many I read in 5-14 days though so I know that wouldn't work out.

Ok rant over!

[BlackVoid]

Yes, provided it is reasonably priced - max $5 / book.

I will not buy anything with DRM though.

[bill_mchale]

Originally Posted by Jellby

More than what? More than now or more than for a DRMed ebook?

Most people seem to think a DRMed ebook is worth less than a DRM-free one, but they are not ready to pay more for something that is worth more?

If you could find a certain ebook in a DRMed format for $5 and in a DRM-free format for $6, which one would you buy? Would it be different if the DRMed format had been there at $5 for some months before the DRM-free format appeared? And if it was the DRM-free format which had been available for $6 before? What if the DRMed format had been available for $6 and got its price reduced when the DRM-free format appeared?

It makes no difference. Lets put it in simple terms. Publishers are trying to sell us books. If they include DRM, they are essentially restricting our fair use rights of that book. Therefore, they certainly should not be rewarded by paying them more for a DRM free book. Lets also consider that it costs them less to offer a DRM free book (Since most DRM'd books requires the maintenance of a Digital rights server). Further, lets us remember that ultimately DRM serves no real purpose. There are enough people on here who routinely strip DRM to demonstrate that if we want the book DRM free, it will be DRM regardless of whether or not the publishers want it DRM free.

So essentially, what you are asking, is if we are willing to pay more for a product that will allow us to do what we should have been allowed to do in the first place when it costs the publishers less to offer it? I think not.

--
Bill

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by Jellby

More than what? More than now or more than for a DRMed ebook?

Most people seem to think a DRMed ebook is worth less than a DRM-free one, but they are not ready to pay more for something that is worth more?

If you could find a certain ebook in a DRMed format for $5 and in a DRM-free format for $6, which one would you buy?

This is the the reverse of the case with several books that are available on both Smashwords and Amazon--with the DRM'd version costing more. And soon, that may be the case with Smashwords & BN.com. (I wonder if authors will create two listings for the same book; one "premium" to be eligible for BN inclusion at $7, and one "non-premium" only sold through Smashwords, at $4 or less--to get them close to the same amount in royalties from each sale.)

The discussion hasn't yet hit the issue, "how many people would buy the DRM'd version anyway, even for more money, if it were easier to access because it's on a larger site with more reviews & better search abilities?"

And it's pointless to ask that here at MR, where many (most? all regular?) readers know about the smaller ebook publishing/sales sites.

[Gideon]

I'd pay up to 10% more for a DRM free book. Assuming reasonable ebook prices (not much more than $10)

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by dwanthny

I am curious if any enterprising author has approached his publisher with the concept of selling an ebook version of their work with two price points. Suggesting to the publisher that a DRM free version be made available for $?.?? more then the encrypted version and splitting the extra cash with the publisher.

If the cost was 2-4 dollars more but you got a DRM free book would you cough up the extra cash? What would you be willing to pay extra for this convenience?

I think there must be a price point that makes this a win-win-win proposition for the publisher, author and consumer. Implementing it would be a one time cost. The books can be encrypted just prior to download or left DRM free. Heck publishers could let authors opt in or out of such a deal. It wouldn't take too long before enough data came in to optimize this model.

Maybe I'm missing something.

What are your thoughts?

Update: Expanding my thought just a little. It seems to me that some publishers fear losing sales by going DRM free. Doing something like this might allow them to tip their toes in the water, run the number comparisons and possibly find out they had nothing to fear but increased sales.

Simply put...NO I would not pay more for a non-DRM book. That is because due to the lack of DRM the profit margins are higher. This means sold w/o DRM and at the same price means a big increase in profit per book.

Kinda tired of this argument at this point in time...it will be whatever it will be.

[DoctorOhh]

From reviewing the answers I gather that we would all like our ebooks to be DRM free. We would like the cost of the ebook to be lower than or equal to the best priced printed book and last but not least if they insist on using DRM we believe that since they are restricting our use that the price should be drastically reduced.

Under the terms I just laid out we would pay more for a DRM free ebook as long as the cost was equal to or less than the printed version.

Personally I would at least like the option to purchase a DRM free copy of any ebook I chose to purchase.

Thank you for all of the responses.