BooksOnBoard reports major changes in ebook pricing - Page 5

pilotbob · 04-01-2010, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

In the case of I, Alex Cross, the justification is that the paperback at $9.99 isn't out until 1st October 2010, while the ebook is available now.

Ah... I didn't notice the MMP was pre-order. At least that makes a bit of sense.

BOb

JSWolf · 04-01-2010, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phenomshel

I didn't ask anything, Jon. I expressed regret that this situation is causing delays in delivery of ebooks from the participating publishers, and made some suggestions for the Wishlist feature on the website, and additional information for Series listings.

There are a lot of new books that I am interested in being released on April 6th. Most of them have now disappeared from retailer's sites and there are no preorder options now, either. It isn't just Books on Board, I found one title at Mobipocket for full hardcover price, and that was all.

It would have been nice, since the publishers conceived of this notion, if they had put the mechanisms in place regarding the feeds to retailers for them to be implemented without delays. Since they in their infinite wisdom did not choose to do this (yes, that was sarcasm), readers who choose to read in electronic forms are paying the price with delays and frustration.
I still say there's bound to be a discrimination suit in this somewhere... (that was sarcasm too, Jon, before you jump on me...)

We do have Sony & Kobo who have complied with the new Agency pricing so we have two shops to go to to buy the eBooks that others do not have. Amazon has eBooks missing as well as BooksOnBoard and Fictionwise. No idea about B&N. But the problem is that they have had enough warning and should have had this in place for today.

JSWolf · 04-01-2010, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Yes, the price is now $13.00 as is the Hard Cover... yet the MMP is 9.99. I just don't understand what justifies the ebook being more than the pbook.

Insane.

BOb

The list price for the hardcover of I, Alex Cross is $27.99. The price of the eBook is now $14.99. These publishers are basing the eBook price in the list price, not any sort of discounted price like you are getting from Amazon. So really, the problem here is that these eBooks cannot be discounted yet the print edition can be. So yes, we will have print versions being cheaper then the eBook. Take Sunborn for example. I have a 15% coupon for B&N. I can buy Sunborn for $7.23 (after tax) vs. $7.99 for the eBook.

FireFeather · 04-01-2010, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

We do have Sony & Kobo who have complied with the new Agency pricing so we have two shops to go to to buy the eBooks that others do not have. Amazon has eBooks missing as well as BooksOnBoard and Fictionwise. No idea about B&N. But the problem is that they have had enough warning and should have had this in place for today.

It sounds to me like it's not the bookstores themselves that are scrambling, but the publishers and wholesalers, at least according to this quote from the BooksOnBoard article:

Quote:

EBooks from these publishers are not expected to be available on either of our stores starting April 1 until the publishers sort out the infrastructure to deploy this change. This could take several days or it may take weeks. BooksOnBoard is ready to deploy the changes once the publisher and wholesaler infrastructures are in place.

Splitting hairs, but regardless of who has what, it's still a lamentable mess.

JSWolf · 04-01-2010, 12:34 PM

Well, if it's the publishers scrambling, then why is it that Kobo and Sony seem to be ok?

FireFeather · 04-01-2010, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Well, if it's the publishers scrambling, then why is it that Kobo and Sony seem to be ok?

Hm, can't answer that. Maybe the publishers are done by now and the wholesalers are still scrambling and those stores don't operate through wholesalers? I don't know about the operations of the bookstores enough to suggest a viable answer.

DawnFalcon · 04-01-2010, 12:37 PM

The publishers are to blame, plain and simple. They're the ones who have initiated the change, it's their responsibility to get the parts in place. This kind of screw-up is a direct reflection on their competence to be setting the retail prices in the first place.

JSWolf · 04-01-2010, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DawnFalcon

The publishers are to blame, plain and simple. They're the ones who have initiated the change, it's their responsibility to get the parts in place. This kind of screw-up is a direct reflection on their competence to be setting the retail prices in the first place.

Are you sure it's all the publsiher's fault? Sony & Kobo have things in place.

DawnFalcon · 04-01-2010, 12:55 PM

No, two of the five publishers have pulled and will be unavailable at least until the 3rd. Cluster...

Also, I am aware (since I've been CC'ed into one's conversation for business reasons) of the extremely low degree of cooperation the publishers have been giving smaller ebook retailers.

JSWolf · 04-01-2010, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DawnFalcon

No, two of the five publishers have pulled and will be unavailable at least until the 3rd. Cluster...

Also, I am aware (since I've been CC'ed into one's conversation for business reasons) of the extremely low degree of cooperation the publishers have been giving smaller ebook retailers.

Which two publishers are not available at Sony & Kobo?

Why are the publishers giving so much grief?

DawnFalcon · 04-01-2010, 01:43 PM

Amazon has only signed HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Hachette. Penguin and Macmillian are not available "yet", since there's no agreement. Ditto other places.

And you expect me to explain what publishers are thinking? If I could see the logic in it, maybe I could...

JSWolf · 04-01-2010, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DawnFalcon

Amazon has only signed HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Hachette.

And you expect me to explain what publishers are thinking? If I could see the logic in it, maybe I could...

I was talking Sony & Kobo, not Amazon. So are there any issues at Sony & Kobo?

ATimson · 04-01-2010, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

So are there any issues at Sony & Kobo?

Well, agency pricing isn't applied to S&S yet at either one, it looks like - checked both for Margaret Wander Bonanno's new book (

), and found that their prices on her backlist vary.

FireFeather · 04-01-2010, 02:09 PM

This is rather curious. In doing some comparisons between various sites, I found that Voices of Dragons, by Carrie Vaughn, is one of the book covered by the agency pricing. However, on the Kobo site:
http://kobobooks.com/ebook/Voices-Of...ZvA/page1.html

Does this mean that Kobo (and maybe Sony by implication) are "cheating" the publisher rules by having them still on their sites AND having it discounted?

MV64 · 04-01-2010, 02:10 PM

This could really hurt ebook sales across the board. We all know the arguments for cheaper ebooks, but I just want to re-emphasize how stupid it is to charge 15 or 25 bucks for an ebook when it a couple months the regular book will be 5-10 bucks. And the ebook price doesn't change (at least it hasn't so far, they stay that full price long after a title enters paperback status).

04-01-2010, 01:43 PM	#71
DawnFalcon Banned Posts: 2,094 Karma: 2682 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: N/A	Amazon has only signed HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Hachette. Penguin and Macmillian are not available "yet", since there's no agreement. Ditto other places. And you expect me to explain what publishers are thinking? If I could see the logic in it, maybe I could... Last edited by DawnFalcon; 04-01-2010 at 01:46 PM.

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04-01-2010, 12:34 PM	#65
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,479 Karma: 145863170 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Well, if it's the publishers scrambling, then why is it that Kobo and Sony seem to be ok?

04-01-2010, 12:37 PM	#67
DawnFalcon Banned Posts: 2,094 Karma: 2682 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: N/A	The publishers are to blame, plain and simple. They're the ones who have initiated the change, it's their responsibility to get the parts in place. This kind of screw-up is a direct reflection on their competence to be setting the retail prices in the first place.

04-01-2010, 12:55 PM	#69
DawnFalcon Banned Posts: 2,094 Karma: 2682 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: N/A	No, two of the five publishers have pulled and will be unavailable at least until the 3rd. Cluster... Also, I am aware (since I've been CC'ed into one's conversation for business reasons) of the extremely low degree of cooperation the publishers have been giving smaller ebook retailers.

04-01-2010, 02:09 PM	#74
FireFeather Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Texas Device: Dell Axim / Apple iPhone	This is rather curious. In doing some comparisons between various sites, I found that Voices of Dragons, by Carrie Vaughn, is one of the book covered by the agency pricing. However, on the Kobo site: http://kobobooks.com/ebook/Voices-Of...ZvA/page1.html Does this mean that Kobo (and maybe Sony by implication) are "cheating" the publisher rules by having them still on their sites AND having it discounted?

04-01-2010, 02:10 PM	#75
MV64 Addict Posts: 271 Karma: 2000000 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	This could really hurt ebook sales across the board. We all know the arguments for cheaper ebooks, but I just want to re-emphasize how stupid it is to charge 15 or 25 bucks for an ebook when it a couple months the regular book will be 5-10 bucks. And the ebook price doesn't change (at least it hasn't so far, they stay that full price long after a title enters paperback status).

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