Are you prepared to pay the same price for an ebook as for the print book?

[ekbell]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

In the US the author gets paid for a library book as a sale just like any other book (ie, they get paid once [based on list price for print and Net sale price on digital AFAIK], when the library buys the book). In the UK there is a system where the author gets paid a bit when their books are borrowed [it's a bit more complicated than that, look up Public Lending Right for more info) in addition to when the book is initially purchased. Ireland has something similar to the UK. Don't know about elsewhere.

Canada also has Public Lending Right Program which pays out money to Canadian Authors who have registered their works and have said works bought by Canadian libraries. It's a federally sponsored Canadian Council for the Arts program not something legislated.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I might give a bit of an argument on your last sentence. I think on libraries the authors do get a small percentage but not positive.
On used book stores, the author might gain a new fan that wouldn't have found them otherwise who is now willing to buy new books or ebooks. Yes, I have done that too.
But then on used book stores and especially thrift shops, many times the author has already quit writing. In the case of cookbooks, many had a very limited print run to begin with and if it was a charity book to begin with the buyer if they so wished could still donate to the original cause. (I have hundreds of those.)

Cookbooks and books put together for a specific charity, are of course, a special case. Yes, there are authors who no longer write, Harper Lee being the most famous case of an author who wrote one book and never another (leading to all sorts of conspiracy theories, btw). There are a lot of gray areas in life, which is why I tend to go with rules of thumb rather than hard fast rules. Still the general principle (buying books encourages authors to write more) holds. It's not a value judgement, but rather an observation of cause and effect.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Cookbooks and books put together for a specific charity, are of course, a special case. Yes, there are authors who no longer write, Harper Lee being the most famous case of an author who wrote one book and never another (leading to all sorts of conspiracy theories, btw). There are a lot of gray areas in life, which is why I tend to go with rules of thumb rather than hard fast rules. Still the general principle (buying books encourages authors to write more) holds. It's not a value judgement, but rather an observation of cause and effect.

I was making more a comment about most of the books our thrift store has. In many cases not only is the author no longer writing, but he is no longer eating, drinking or breathing.
Some books aren't that bad but how many people do you know that still run DOS 3.0 and will they really need the dummies book.
Right now one thrift shop is having a 1-5 books for a dollar sale. Not 20 cents a book, but whether you buy 1, 2,3, 4 or 5 books that is a dollar. If you buy 6,7,8, 9 or 10, it is $2.
Then they will say it is 5 for a dollar. Couldn't you find 5 books if you grab less than a multiple of 5.
Do they think one book is the same as another?

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I was making more a comment about most of the books our thrift store has. In many cases not only is the author no longer writing, but he is no longer eating, drinking or breathing.
Some books aren't that bad but how many people do you know that still run DOS 3.0 and will they really need the dummies book.
Right now one thrift shop is having a 1-5 books for a dollar sale. Not 20 cents a book, but whether you buy 1, 2,3, 4 or 5 books that is a dollar. If you buy 6,7,8, 9 or 10, it is $2.
Then they will say it is 5 for a dollar. Couldn't you find 5 books if you grab less than a multiple of 5.
Do they think one book is the same as another?

yes, well, that's one reason I don't support copyright extending after death. It's also why I think copyright is too long. The vast majority of programming books have a very short useful shelf life.

[DiapDealer]

I need a little perspective, I think. For those who think $12-$18 is too much to pay for a new release ebook (that you're interested in reading, of course), I'd like to know just what non-essential items you ARE willing to spend $12-$18 dollars on. In other words, what $12-$18 frivolous purchases do you value MORE than the experience of reading a good ebook (novel-length, 350-600 pages)? Forget owning, resale, and lending rights for the time being. Just compare experience to experience.

For instance: if you're a wine drinker, is a $15 dollar bottle of wine more valuable to you than the experience of reading a good book?

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I need a little perspective, I think. For those who think $12-$18 is too much to pay for a new release ebook (that you're interested in reading, of course), I'd like to know just what non-essential items you ARE willing to spend $12-$18 dollars on. In other words, what $12-$18 frivolous purchases do you value MORE than the experience of reading a good ebook (novel-length, 350-600 pages)? Forget owning, resale, and lending rights for the time being. Just compare experience to experience.

For instance: if you're a wine drinker, is a $15 dollar bottle of wine more valuable to you than the experience of reading a good book?

Since I'm willing to wait until it hits my libraries, $18 worth of reloads and a trip to the gun range have more value to me. In the meantime, I'm listening to previous new releases that just hit the library.

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

In the US the author gets paid for a library book as a sale just like any other book (ie, they get paid once [based on list price for print and Net sale price on digital AFAIK], when the library buys the book). In the UK there is a system where the author gets paid a bit when their books are borrowed [it's a bit more complicated than that, look up Public Lending Right for more info) in addition to when the book is initially purchased. Ireland has something similar to the UK. Don't know about elsewhere.

New Zealand has a Public Lending Right, but it only covers books by New Zealand resident authors.

https://natlib.govt.nz/publishers-an...ealand-authors

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I need a little perspective, I think. For those who think $12-$18 is too much to pay for a new release ebook (that you're interested in reading, of course), I'd like to know just what non-essential items you ARE willing to spend $12-$18 dollars on. In other words, what $12-$18 frivolous purchases do you value MORE than the experience of reading a good ebook (novel-length, 350-600 pages)? Forget owning, resale, and lending rights for the time being. Just compare experience to experience.

For instance: if you're a wine drinker, is a $15 dollar bottle of wine more valuable to you than the experience of reading a good book?

I am trying to think of my last frivolous purchase. I guess it would be a kitchen gadget or small appliance. But those are useful items.

[Atunah]

I probably wouldn't pay more for an ebook than the new paper version costs. But not because I always compare the too. Its more like I have a limit on what I spend on ebooks period. So if it was higher than say a 7.99 paperback release, then I wouldn't buy it anyway as 7.99 is pretty much my upper limit. And that also varies. Say an older book re-released, I'd balk at paying 7.99 for just out of principle.

I can't read paperbacks anymore really, so side by side comparison is not useful to me. But in my pre-ebook days, I bought or traded lots of used paperbacks.

I read a lot so a budget is very very important. I would never ever pay $12-18 for a fiction book. No way. Even if its super favorite author. Thankfully the genres I like a varied so there are lots of authors I like and I have a new favorites. It will not kill me to wait and put it in a wishlist to get price reduction notices.
Most cases though if a book is say 12.99, which a lot of the popular UF and others like In Death are, I get it from the library. Even if I have to wait. I might not have waited and paid 7.99 for it, but alas. I will not pay more for an ebook period.

As far as frivolous purchases, not sure what that means. Its like the authors that whine about folks buying a coffee but not wanting to pay 9.99 for an indie book. I don't compare books to coffee, or any other thing for that matter. But then I make my coffee at home.
I can't think of much frivolous I buy period as I don't have money growing on trees.
Heck, I cut my own hair for crying out loud. I carry the same purse for years and years and I never had my nails done.

But really, that isn't the point. One can't compare such things. Each person has their own limits for different sections of the budget. And for ebooks, some just have high limits they won't go over. Some would never pay more for an ebook than a paper version. And that is all ok. Its their money after all.

Most of my books I buy on sale and those that are not on sale are mostly in the 2.99-5.99 range. So new paperbacks are usually higher than that anyway.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Atunah

But really, that isn't the point. One can't compare such things.

Sure one can. My wine example was a good example (for those who spend money on wine).

And I'm not asking about budgets. It's fairly simple. For those unwilling to spend $12-18 for an ebook (ANY ebook), I'm asking what non-essential, pastime/leisure-related things (physical, digital or virtual) they ARE willing to spend $12-$18 on. Surely that's a doable question?

I'm not looking to judge. I'm simply looking for perspective into others' value systems.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Atunah

I probably wouldn't pay more for an ebook than the new paper version costs. But not because I always compare the too. Its more like I have a limit on what I spend on ebooks period. So if it was higher than say a 7.99 paperback release, then I wouldn't buy it anyway as 7.99 is pretty much my upper limit. And that also varies. Say an older book re-released, I'd balk at paying 7.99 for just out of principle.

I can't read paperbacks anymore really, so side by side comparison is not useful to me. But in my pre-ebook days, I bought or traded lots of used paperbacks.

I read a lot so a budget is very very important. I would never ever pay $12-18 for a fiction book. No way. Even if its super favorite author. Thankfully the genres I like a varied so there are lots of authors I like and I have a new favorites. It will not kill me to wait and put it in a wishlist to get price reduction notices.
Most cases though if a book is say 12.99, which a lot of the popular UF and others like In Death are, I get it from the library. Even if I have to wait. I might not have waited and paid 7.99 for it, but alas. I will not pay more for an ebook period.

As far as frivolous purchases, not sure what that means. Its like the authors that whine about folks buying a coffee but not wanting to pay 9.99 for an indie book. I don't compare books to coffee, or any other thing for that matter. But then I make my coffee at home.
I can't think of much frivolous I buy period as I don't have money growing on trees.
Heck, I cut my own hair for crying out loud. I carry the same purse for years and years and I never had my nails done.

But really, that isn't the point. One can't compare such things. Each person has their own limits for different sections of the budget. And for ebooks, some just have high limits they won't go over. Some would never pay more for an ebook than a paper version. And that is all ok. Its their money after all.

Most of my books I buy on sale and those that are not on sale are mostly in the 2.99-5.99 range. So new paperbacks are usually higher than that anyway.

On your coffee example: I tended to tell the authors like you said it is ONLY a cup of coffee, so you don't get a cup of coffee. No great loss to your wallet.

Are they still using that line?

[Deskisamess]

I'm asking what non-essential, pastime/leisure-related things (physical, digital or virtual) they ARE willing to spend $12-$18 on

My husband and I will spend $20-$25 on a pound of wild caught sockeye salmon when a local store offers it. It's cheaper than going to a restaurant, and I can make better pan seared salmon than any restaurant we've tried.

We also both go every 4 weeks for haircuts, and I get mine colored then too, and highlighted ever 3-4 months. We take our hair everywhere we go, and don't scrimp on keeping it done.

But, we drive our cars for 10-15 years, and live in a paid off house, and carry very little debt, and pay off our credit card every month.

[Apache]

I buy a lot of books and always have. My wife always says at least my addiction is healthier than spending the money on booze or cigarettes.
Apache

[GeoffR]

I think the only recreational 'products' that can compete with books for value are ones that enable access to an existing natural resource. e.g. a bus trip to the beach, hut fees in a national park, etc.

One I have used is a 12 month backcountry hut pass for $100, which makes tramping an amazingly cheap pastime if you avoid the main tourist areas.

(Still need to take books though, for the days when the weather doesn't co-operate.)

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

I think the only recreational 'products' that can compete with books for value are ones that enable access to an existing natural resource. e.g. a bus trip to the beach, hut fees in a national park, etc.

One I have used is a 12 month backcountry hut pass for $100, which makes tramping an amazingly cheap pastime if you avoid the main tourist areas.

(Still need to take books though, for the days when the weather doesn't co-operate.)

We spend $70 a year on a state park pass. It usually pays for itself first trip.