Would you pay more for a DRM free book?

DoctorOhh · 10-06-2009, 05:37 AM

I am curious if any enterprising author has approached his publisher with the concept of selling an ebook version of their work with two price points. Suggesting to the publisher that a DRM free version be made available for $?.?? more then the encrypted version and splitting the extra cash with the publisher.

If the cost was 2-4 dollars more but you got a DRM free book would you cough up the extra cash? What would you be willing to pay extra for this convenience?

I think there must be a price point that makes this a win-win-win proposition for the publisher, author and consumer. Implementing it would be a one time cost. The books can be encrypted just prior to download or left DRM free. Heck publishers could let authors opt in or out of such a deal. It wouldn't take too long before enough data came in to optimize this model.

Maybe I'm missing something.

What are your thoughts?

Update: Expanding my thought just a little. It seems to me that some publishers fear losing sales by going DRM free. Doing something like this might allow them to tip their toes in the water, run the number comparisons and possibly find out they had nothing to fear but increased sales.

jeremy_ahn · 10-06-2009, 05:47 AM

if it had no errors and was pleasingly formatted, then absolutely. i would pay the little more for the added freedom to convert and customize for my reader as need be for the consumer.

tompe · 10-06-2009, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwanthny

I am curious if any enterprising author has approached his publisher with the concept of selling an ebook version of their work with two price points. Suggesting to the publisher that a DRM free version be made available for $?.?? more then the encrypted version and splitting the extra cash with the publisher.

If the cost was 2-4 dollars more but you got a DRM free book would you cough up the extra cash? What would you be willing to pay extra for this convenience?

Well I would be willing to buy a DRM free book (I do not buy DRM infested books). But I would not be willing to pay much more than for a paper book. A bit more you can pay since you get search possibilities.

Solicitous · 10-06-2009, 06:04 AM

I have no problem buying DRM laced content. What I have a problem with is if the DRM stops me from using the content in a way it should be used.

It is funny you posted this question. It really does seem that people would pay more for the freedom of DRM-free content. Kind of silly when you think about having to pay more for freedom.

Sweetpea · 10-06-2009, 06:11 AM

No, I wouldn't. I do buy DRM'ed books, and the first thing I do is strip the DRM so it becomes useable to me.

HansTWN · 10-06-2009, 06:24 AM

The old Apple trick. Well, I definitely wouldn't pay more at current price levels. For very cheap books, perhaps 50cts or so. If a book was available in AZW format only (which cannot be DeDRMed) with and without DRM, then I definitely I would be willing to pay more for the book without.

Mike L · 10-06-2009, 07:27 AM

It would depend on the book.

For a title that I knew I wanted to keep indefinitely, and read many times, I probably would pay more. But not for something I just download quickly to read on a train journey or because I've got nothing else to read.

What I would really value is the choice.

ficbot · 10-06-2009, 07:27 AM

Depends on many things. First of all, like HansTWN said, not at current prices. And it depends on the file format. DRM-free eReader would be just as useless to me as DRM-laced eReader because my Sony doesn't read it. I do buy DRMd books right now and I remove the DRM so I can read it on my Sony.

Now, if we got to a world where all ebooks were $5 and had a common format which all popular devices supported, then maybe. But if all devices supported it, I would not need to remove it in order to read the book, so the DRM might now be an issue for me...

Crowl · 10-06-2009, 08:15 AM

Assuming they still kept the price of drm-free files below the paper book price then it would definitely be something I would be prepared to pay a slight premium to get rather than files with drm.

Now in an ideal world we would only be getting the drm-free files and hopefully thats what will eventually happen, but in the meantime at least having an option to show the publishers what is wanted rather than simply stripping the drm because the latter option just encourages them to carry on how they have been so far.

ahi · 10-06-2009, 09:18 AM

No. I would not pay more for the privilege of the publisher investing less money and effort into screwing me over.

- Ahi

lilac_jive · 10-06-2009, 09:20 AM

I wouldn't. I already buy DRM books. I like cheap the most.

DawnFalcon · 10-06-2009, 09:44 AM

No. DRM reduces the value of a book. This is not the same thing at all as paying more for a DRM-free one.

Also, purchasing order again: DRM-free ebook > Second Hand paper book > New paper book > DRM-infected ebook.

rcuadro · 10-06-2009, 10:07 AM

I will not pay more for a DRM free book. I will just purchase the book and remove the DRM should I feel the need to do so.

SpiderMatt · 10-06-2009, 10:30 AM

As people above have pointed out, why pay more if you can just strip the DRM yourself?

rixte · 10-06-2009, 10:50 AM

I won't pay more. But I also won't buy a book I can't strip the DRM from.

10-06-2009, 05:37 AM	#1
DoctorOhh US Navy, Retired Posts: 9,864 Karma: 13806776 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: North Carolina Device: Icarus Illumina XL HD, Nexus 7	Would you pay more for a DRM free book? I am curious if any enterprising author has approached his publisher with the concept of selling an ebook version of their work with two price points. Suggesting to the publisher that a DRM free version be made available for $?.?? more then the encrypted version and splitting the extra cash with the publisher. If the cost was 2-4 dollars more but you got a DRM free book would you cough up the extra cash? What would you be willing to pay extra for this convenience? I think there must be a price point that makes this a win-win-win proposition for the publisher, author and consumer. Implementing it would be a one time cost. The books can be encrypted just prior to download or left DRM free. Heck publishers could let authors opt in or out of such a deal. It wouldn't take too long before enough data came in to optimize this model. Maybe I'm missing something. What are your thoughts? Update: Expanding my thought just a little. It seems to me that some publishers fear losing sales by going DRM free. Doing something like this might allow them to tip their toes in the water, run the number comparisons and possibly find out they had nothing to fear but increased sales. Last edited by DoctorOhh; 10-06-2009 at 07:36 AM.

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10-06-2009, 05:47 AM	#2
jeremy_ahn Banned Posts: 64 Karma: 22 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: any	if it had no errors and was pleasingly formatted, then absolutely. i would pay the little more for the added freedom to convert and customize for my reader as need be for the consumer.

10-06-2009, 06:04 AM	#4
Solicitous Wizard Posts: 1,434 Karma: 1525776 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: TAS, Australia Device: Astak Pocket Pro (Black), 2 x Kindle WiFi (Graphite), iPod Touch 4G	I have no problem buying DRM laced content. What I have a problem with is if the DRM stops me from using the content in a way it should be used. It is funny you posted this question. It really does seem that people would pay more for the freedom of DRM-free content. Kind of silly when you think about having to pay more for freedom.

10-06-2009, 06:11 AM	#5
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	No, I wouldn't. I do buy DRM'ed books, and the first thing I do is strip the DRM so it becomes useable to me.

10-06-2009, 06:24 AM	#6
HansTWN Wizard Posts: 4,538 Karma: 264065402 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Taiwan Device: HP Touchpad, Sony Duo 13, Lumia 920, Kobo Aura HD	The old Apple trick. Well, I definitely wouldn't pay more at current price levels. For very cheap books, perhaps 50cts or so. If a book was available in AZW format only (which cannot be DeDRMed) with and without DRM, then I definitely I would be willing to pay more for the book without.

10-06-2009, 07:27 AM	#7
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	It would depend on the book. For a title that I knew I wanted to keep indefinitely, and read many times, I probably would pay more. But not for something I just download quickly to read on a train journey or because I've got nothing else to read. What I would really value is the choice.

10-06-2009, 07:27 AM	#8
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Depends on many things. First of all, like HansTWN said, not at current prices. And it depends on the file format. DRM-free eReader would be just as useless to me as DRM-laced eReader because my Sony doesn't read it. I do buy DRMd books right now and I remove the DRM so I can read it on my Sony. Now, if we got to a world where all ebooks were $5 and had a common format which all popular devices supported, then maybe. But if all devices supported it, I would not need to remove it in order to read the book, so the DRM might now be an issue for me...

10-06-2009, 08:15 AM	#9
Crowl Wizard Posts: 1,340 Karma: 1160346 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Southport, GB Device: Kindle Voyage, PW Signature edition	Assuming they still kept the price of drm-free files below the paper book price then it would definitely be something I would be prepared to pay a slight premium to get rather than files with drm. Now in an ideal world we would only be getting the drm-free files and hopefully thats what will eventually happen, but in the meantime at least having an option to show the publishers what is wanted rather than simply stripping the drm because the latter option just encourages them to carry on how they have been so far.

10-06-2009, 09:18 AM	#10
ahi Wizard Posts: 1,790 Karma: 507333 Join Date: May 2009 Device: none	No. I would not pay more for the privilege of the publisher investing less money and effort into screwing me over. - Ahi

10-06-2009, 09:20 AM	#11
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	I wouldn't. I already buy DRM books. I like cheap the most.

10-06-2009, 09:44 AM	#12
DawnFalcon Banned Posts: 2,094 Karma: 2682 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: N/A	No. DRM reduces the value of a book. This is not the same thing at all as paying more for a DRM-free one. Also, purchasing order again: DRM-free ebook > Second Hand paper book > New paper book > DRM-infected ebook.

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10-06-2009, 10:07 AM	#13
rcuadro Wizard Posts: 1,686 Karma: 874275 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Device: Kindle DX	I will not pay more for a DRM free book. I will just purchase the book and remove the DRM should I feel the need to do so.

10-06-2009, 10:30 AM	#14
SpiderMatt Grand Arbiter Posts: 447 Karma: 1574837 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Arizona Device: iPod Touch, Amazon Kindle, Motorola Droid	As people above have pointed out, why pay more if you can just strip the DRM yourself?

10-06-2009, 10:50 AM	#15
rixte Addict Posts: 300 Karma: 396757 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: new oasis, paperwhite, ipad, kobo	I won't pay more. But I also won't buy a book I can't strip the DRM from.