Sticker Shock for E-Book Readers

Originally Posted by david_e

I still don't think these price drops everyone wants are ever going to come. The millions upon millions of devices that are being sold are going into the hands of everyday consumers, people who are used to paying retail prices for the few books they read a week / month. They are going to buy what they want, regardless of price.

But how many of these devices are landing in the hands of the average consumer? And even if they realize that they can read on other types of devices, how many average consumers are going to want to? After all, the casual reader is just as easy to scare off as they are to draw in.

And there is plenty to scare them off. Clearly there is price, if they don't have a huge disposable income. Think of it this way: a $20 book is about 3 weeks of cable or internet. There's a lot more entertainment and information for the buck there. Or think of it another way: it is also equivalent to watching a couple of movies at the cinema, or eating out 3 times. I bring those up because a lot of people simply cannot afford it. It is out of their reach. Do we really want to put reading out of the reach of low income families? Maybe we can look at it a third way: print books provide options for everyone. Want the latest release, pay the high price. Want to share a book (and conversations about it with a friend), lend or borrow a book. Do you absorb books by the dozen? Head over to the library. Perhaps you want to enjoy a crisp new book without paying too much. Try the book store's discount bin. Want to collect what you read, but you don't have wads of dough? Check thrift stores (some of them still sell 4 books for a $1), or watch out for the box of "FREE" books on your neighbours lawn.

You can do all of that with print books. You can only use the library (assuming that your library can afford it) or pay the high retail price with ebooks. Consumers may be temporarily blinded by fads, but they aren't stupid. If things keep going as they are, they will catch on. And when they do, publishers will have problems.

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by Ntsimp

There's no reason getting an ad-supported Kindle couldn't give you a discount on ebooks.

Sure there is. The Publishers.

.... and there have been discounts on some ebooks, as well as on audiobooks, and other Amazon purchases. But there won't be on Agency published ebooks.

[david_e]

Originally Posted by BWinmill

But how many of these devices are landing in the hands of the average consumer? And even if they realize that they can read on other types of devices, how many average consumers are going to want to? After all, the casual reader is just as easy to scare off as they are to draw in.

And there is plenty to scare them off. Clearly there is price, if they don't have a huge disposable income. Think of it this way: a $20 book is about 3 weeks of cable or internet. There's a lot more entertainment and information for the buck there. Or think of it another way: it is also equivalent to watching a couple of movies at the cinema, or eating out 3 times. I bring those up because a lot of people simply cannot afford it. It is out of their reach. Do we really want to put reading out of the reach of low income families? Maybe we can look at it a third way: print books provide options for everyone. Want the latest release, pay the high price. Want to share a book (and conversations about it with a friend), lend or borrow a book. Do you absorb books by the dozen? Head over to the library. Perhaps you want to enjoy a crisp new book without paying too much. Try the book store's discount bin. Want to collect what you read, but you don't have wads of dough? Check thrift stores (some of them still sell 4 books for a $1), or watch out for the box of "FREE" books on your neighbours lawn.

You can do all of that with print books. You can only use the library (assuming that your library can afford it) or pay the high retail price with ebooks. Consumers may be temporarily blinded by fads, but they aren't stupid. If things keep going as they are, they will catch on. And when they do, publishers will have problems.

Are people who have to decide between a book or a movie really buying the devices?

And pricing ebooks the same as their new hardback and paperback counterparts isn't going to deprive anyone of anything. People who frequent second hand stores and libraries aren't going to suddenly find themselves deprived.

I simply believe that the devices are now getting into the hands of the casual reader and that they, as a consumer group, won't care that the ebook they are now buying is priced the same as the hardback or paperback they would have bought. They just want the book and it costs what it costs.

[Blue Tyson]

Sure. Buy a $50 cheap on sale device (and the odd replacement) and with even dialup internet or occasional free wifi at places you could grab enough free books now to last you forever - and more new ones for free when you want.

[DuskyRose]

Originally Posted by Blue Tyson

Sure. Buy a $50 cheap on sale device (and the odd replacement) and with even dialup internet or occasional free wifi at places you could grab enough free books now to last you forever - and more new ones for free when you want.

People that hard up for money aren't moving in droves to buy the cheaper devices, even when they know there's freebies out there.

I belong to a paperback swap site, and while a handful here and there are holding their breath for sales on devices and diving in for the freebies, it's not a lot. Especially since they see the used physical book as still having value, as swap offerings, game trades, box swaps, credit at used book stores and the like.

Those that are having that hard a time aren't shelling out for the devices, they're sticking with what's cheap and has a turnover value.

[Sydney's Mom]

I would buy 11.22.63 in a heartbeat if it were $10.99. A couple heartbeats if it were $12.99. But at its current price (it has come down to $14.99), I cannot justify (and I am pretty good at justifying spending money on something I want) buying it, with all the TBR books I have. As a matter of fact, Under the Dome (for which I paid $7.20) is still in the TBR file.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

I would buy 11.22.63 in a heartbeat if it were $10.99. A couple heartbeats if it were $12.99. But at its current price (it has come down to $14.99), I cannot justify (and I am pretty good at justifying spending money on something I want) buying it, with all the TBR books I have. As a matter of fact, Under the Dome (for which I paid $7.20) is still in the TBR file.

This is a book which is only available in hardback, I believe? The ebook price will fall when the paperback is released.

[Blue Tyson]

Maybe for you. Clearly not happening here.

Just After Sunset is over two years old. 13.23 currently.

[rhmorrison]

Most publishers base the ebook price on what printed version is available, others always use the hardcover price even though a paperback version is also released.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by rhmorrison

Most publishers base the ebook price on what printed version is available, others always use the hardcover price even though a paperback version is also released.

Which publisher does the latter?

[carld]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Which publisher does the latter?

I thought they all did that.

[DuskyRose]

I don't now if it's based on the HB price, but Touchstone/Simon Shuster always seems to stay high. As far as I've been watching, anyway.

Publisher: Touchstone
Sold by: Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc

Current prices...

Will Thomas - "Some Danger Involved" (2005) Paperback $5.60 Kindle $11.99
Will Thomas - "To Kingdom Come" (2006) Paperback $5.60 Kindle $10.99
Will Thomas - "The Limehouse Text" (2006) Paperback $5.60 Kindle $10.99
Will Thomas - "The Hellfire Conspiracy" (2007) Paperback $10.19 Kindle $11.99
Will Thomas - "The Black Hand" (2008) Paperback $5.17 Kindle $11.99

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by carld

I thought they all did that.

I buy a fair number of eBooks on Amazon UK (4 or 5 in a typical week), and the eBook price is almost always below the paperback price.

[tecweston]

I see this in music as well. Sometimes a CD at Best Buy or Target is less expensive than the same album from iTunes. However, factoring in gas to get to the store can sometimes make up for that dollar or two.

I noticed the Game of Thrones paperbacks at Target for less than what I paid for them in ebook format ($6.99 vs $8.99). But I'm done with paper books after my last move. From now on I'll buy the ebook version, even if it does cost a couple dollars more.

[MovieBird]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I buy a fair number of eBooks on Amazon UK (4 or 5 in a typical week), and the eBook price is almost always below the paperback price.

Oh, just off the top of my head, Penguin.

Dune @ Amazon.com
              List       Discount
Paperback     $18.00     $12.24
eBook         $14.99     $14.99

This was 'published' in 2005. So, 6 years after the fact, it still has egregious errors and is priced higher than the paperback.

This price was set by the publisher