10-18-2009, 08:27 AM | #1 |
neilmarr
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Same books, different formats, different prices. Why?
Wonder if anyone can explain this to me:
On recommendation here, I decided to read Margaret Atwood's *Oryx and Crake* before the recent follow-up *Year of the Flood*. So I downloaded it for just under ten dollars from eBookMall. Being a bit dim, I downloaded the MobiPocket version that won't work on my PRS-505. EBookMall was polite, attentive and understanding. Three days after I asked them what I should do, they refunded my payment via PayPal and suggested I go for the Adobe version. Now, can anyone tell me why the PDF of this book should cost five bucks more than the MobiPocket version? Nonsense or wot!? Neil |
10-18-2009, 08:32 AM | #2 | |
Wizard
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Quote:
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10-18-2009, 09:30 AM | #3 |
Hibernian eBook Warrior
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We have found with our suppliers that quite often, you may have small price differentiations on formats as the retailer pays for the cost of the drm on top of the cost of the book. The difference is small though.
Thats the only reason I can think of for them to be priced differently. |
10-18-2009, 09:38 AM | #4 |
Wizard
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That explains the 50 cents difference you have at Fictionwise (ereader being cheaper than the rest), but not 5 USD.
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10-18-2009, 09:39 AM | #5 |
neilmarr
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Plus 50% of a difference, DirectEbooks? I think not. But thanks for the comment. This is about selling machinery and formats, not about selling books honestly. But, I must say, EBookMall does seem to play from a square bat if you point out a hitch. Although I was disappointed that I couldn't read the book I bought, I was delighted by the person-to-person contact. Rare, eh? Neil
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10-18-2009, 12:27 PM | #6 |
Now what?
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A similar price discrepancy occurs with Kindle books. Topaz editions typically sell for less than the .azw versions - of the same title.
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10-18-2009, 03:26 PM | #7 |
eReader
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Welcome to the wonderful world of ebooks - where different formats may be sourced from different vendors - and so priced differently.
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10-18-2009, 05:44 PM | #8 |
Wizard
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The format thing is a bit bizarre imo. I can understand the publishers having different fees attached to ebooks because they are out of whack, but when they attached additional fees to different formats it just seems silly.
But yes, this is why we remove DRM and use different formats. Sigh* Hopefully they will get their acts together and offer different useful formats for the same price in the future. |
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