Pricing and Policies ... what is fair?

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Timboli

You can only use one account with Kindle For PC on your PC. And not that I have tried, but I have heard and it makes sense, that it even applies for a different user on same PC. Oddly it is not user based, just an ALL Users scenario. So one account on a PC in total, regardless of user.

That is not true. You can have different user accounts on your PC signed into a different Amazon account in Kindle for PC.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by Timboli

You can only use one account with Kindle For PC on your PC. And not that I have tried, but I have heard and it makes sense, that it even applies for a different user on same PC. Oddly it is not user based, just an ALL Users scenario. So one account on a PC in total, regardless of user.

You can de-register the Kindle for PC application from your account and re-register it to a different one as many times as you like (at least I have never hit a limit). Tools->Options->Registration. Each time you do it it removes any downloaded books from the previous account, so you can only be actively using one at a time, but if you are importing them into Calibre anyway that doesn't matter.

[darryl]

There is a lot of misinformation in this thread. It is not limited only to multiple accounts on K4PC. Just about everything claimed to be impossible to achieve or nearly so is far from it. Even some things which some posters claim to have tried without success in fact work. It is easy to buy US e-books at US prices. I only buy e-books from Australia on the rare occasions that they are cheaper in Australia and/or unavailable overseas. Australians are indeed price gouged relentlessly. The Publishing industry here is a disgrace. And yes, we have only ourselves to blame.

So far as a fair price is concerned, it seems very clear to me that objectively there is no such thing. Subjectively, of course, we each decide whether we think a price is fair and then choose to pay it or not.

[murraypaul]

To put it very simply:
Why do publishers charge much higher prices in some regions that others? Because they can, and it makes them money.
Why do people set up multiple accounts to buy books from cheaper regions? Because they can, and it saves them money.

There are two options, pick one or both:
Campaign for lower/fairer prices in your region.
Buy books from a cheaper region.

The first may end up providing more benefit to more people over time.
The second will get you cheaper books right now.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Timboli

Personally I felt what I said was perfectly okay, and it never occurred to me I had transgressed, but clearly a certain MOD here feels different ... perhaps because I was calling out what was behind her sarcastic remark.

I've certainly discussed pretty much the same elements here before and never been told off.

If you have an issue with moderation, contact the mod in question privately or report the post. Moderation actions are not to be discussed in the open forum. Read the Guidelines.

Just for the record, I wasn't being sarcastic. Not only do I find pricing, availability, etc. arguments based on "fairness" to be without merit, I am increasingly tired of and bored with them. That the original post was interminable just bolstered my original take. However, you are certainly free to go nuts with it as you'd like, but a certain quote from Harry Truman comes to mind.

[exaltedwombat]

Originally Posted by issybird

If you have an issue with moderation, contact the mod in question privately or report the post. Moderation actions are not to be discussed in the open forum. Read the Guidelines.

Just for the record, I wasn't being sarcastic. <discussion, by a moderator, of a moderation issue follows>

So, do as I say, not as I do? :-)

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by exaltedwombat

So, do as I say, not as I do? :-)

Nope. "Do as the rules say." The rules as written/posted by the site's owner and not the moderators/editors.

Besides ... "discussion, by a moderator, of a moderation issue" is not at all what followed. She was addressing the notion that her previous, non-moderator-issue, post was sarcastic. Which was never part of the moderation issue.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by exaltedwombat

So, do as I say, not as I do? :-)

Reread the post. I wasn't commenting on moderation or even moderating; hence the different colors. I was addressing Timboli's characterization of my original post as sarcastic. By the way, the stricture on commenting on moderation also applies to those on the sidelines.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by exaltedwombat

So, do as I say, not as I do? :-)

Moderating is a very tough job. I've done it on a couple of boards. IMPO, the toughest thing is separating out the moderation from the back and forth. On one particular forum that I moderated, I only moderated, I never posted an opinion on the subject at hand. It was a forum on politics, so it could get pretty heated. Since I was enforcing well established rules for decorum, i.e. no cussing, no name calling, etc. I thought that method worked best. On the other hand, it was zero fun for me given that I enjoy the back and forth of an honest debate.

I think that the moderators here do a very good job. I've been on other boards where moderators use their moderator powers to squelch views they disagree with, or where favored cliques form.

[pdurrant]

Moderator Notice

Further comments on politics, or moderation decisions in this forum, will be deleted without comment.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by darryl

There is a lot of misinformation in this thread. It is not limited only to multiple accounts on K4PC. Just about everything claimed to be impossible to achieve or nearly so is far from it. Even some things which some posters claim to have tried without success in fact work. It is easy to buy US e-books at US prices. I only buy e-books from Australia on the rare occasions that they are cheaper in Australia and/or unavailable overseas. Australians are indeed price gouged relentlessly. The Publishing industry here is a disgrace. And yes, we have only ourselves to blame.

So far as a fair price is concerned, it seems very clear to me that objectively there is no such thing. Subjectively, of course, we each decide whether we think a price is fair and then choose to pay it or not.

Can't really comment on prices or publishers in Australia, but yes, it's very easy to get past geo restrictions with a little bit of research. The only thing holding anyone back is either lack of willingness, or personal morals (some consider it immoral to do something that is against the rules. I tend to view rules more as general guidelines. ) Several years ago, Amazon was a lot more diligent about enforcing Geo-restrictions. I suspect that's where all the comments about needing to use VPN or use an Amazon gift card come from.

[Alanon]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

Here’s an example I have a potato you want a potato. I offer to sell it to you for 500 dollars. You can choose to buy it or not. If you don’t buy it and no one buys it it sends a message to me because you have expressed interest in the potato but not for 500 dollars. I then reduce the price to the highest point you will buy the potato for.

This is what happens with most luxury items. What many here want is for me to reduce the price to the lowest they want to pay, let’s say 1 dollar.

Now I have to cut costs the next potato I make will be inferior.

You're ignoring that novel principle called marketing. For quite a while now it's not really been about the price of a potato, but about the ways of convincing customers that inside that $500 potato is a hidden gold nugget worth 5000 dollars. It's not about the actual value of the potato, but the perceived value.

Originally Posted by MGlitch

Yes I should use something other than a potato but you can substitute whatever you like for the sake of this example. We’re not dealing with the issues of commodities vs luxury items vs necessities. We’re just looking at the market setting a price for a good.

Just the market setting a price for a good? That doesn't really change anything.

[snip]

[leebase]

It’s really hard to swallow in this realm of abundance that there could exist “unfairness” in book pricing.

$15 outrageous for a new ebook? There are a gazillion priced at $10, ,$8, $5, $3, $1 and Free.

That’s if an author can convince you to read at all. There is YouTube and Facebook, Snapchat and good old fashion Tv and movies.

Sure...when talking about prescription drugs and many other products...there are forces at play beyond the free market.

But novels? A product that nobody needs and there is a seemingly infinite supply....it’s a wonder a publisher or author can get people to pay for their product at all. If a publisher charges $15 for an ebook...and is able to stay in business over time. Then $15 is surely a fair price

[MGlitch]

You're ignoring that novel principle called marketing. For quite a while now it's not really been about the price of a potato, but about the ways of convincing customers that inside that $500 potato is a hidden gold nugget worth 5000 dollars. It's not about the actual value of the potato, but the perceived value.

Less forgetting more setting aside since we’re talking about the publishers setting different prices in different countries which is explained potentially by the publishers having additional costs. So marketing while important wasn’t a factor in the discussion. Marketing also doesn’t set the price it explains it. Honestly book marketing is harder than most other entertainment media since the time investment for the consumer is rather high.

[snip]

[darryl]

Originally Posted by Alanon

You're ignoring that novel principle called marketing. For quite a while now it's not really been about the price of a potato, but about the ways of convincing customers that inside that $500 potato is a hidden gold nugget worth 5000 dollars. It's not about the actual value of the potato, but the perceived value.



Just the market setting a price for a good? That doesn't really change anything.[snip]

I thought your first 3 paragraphs were excellent and made some good points. However, I find that I can't really discuss your last paragraph in any meaningful way without crossing the line into politics. Perhaps a good illustration of one of the points you made. This whole topic reeks of politics.