Why do many e-books cost more than paperback?

[JSWolf]

The best thing about ebooks is that they can still be available for sale long after the paper version has gone out of print.

[emuty]

I hope Amazon enters the market early.
http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/11/a...e-book-reader/

[rlauzon]

Originally Posted by NatCh

I see your point rlauzon, but you're assuming that the pubs are taking the time and attention to consider the matter and notice that point themselves. I submit that the folks making the decisions are so high up in the rarified atmosphere found in the upper levels of management that they can't see down far enough to get even the most fundamental details necessary to make that distinction.

They we are back to an argument that I made a long time ago in another post: Publishers are irrelevant. They are dinosaurs and, like all good dinosaurs, will die.

[rlauzon]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The best thing about ebooks is that they can still be available for sale long after the paper version has gone out of print.

There's a whole topic on this. It's called 'The Long Tail."

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The best thing about ebooks is that they can still be available for sale long after the paper version has gone out of print.

Theoretically yes. Out of print is relative to decisions. They can make a reprint for as little as 500 copies if they wish. If ebooks are DRM'd and the company goes out of business it's 'Tataa'!

Basically they're both in the same boat depending on who's minding the wallet.

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by rlauzon

They are dinosaurs and, like all good dinosaurs, will die.

I don't know if I said it before, but yup, evolve or die.

I think there might be a good opportunity here for a small, hungry publishing house to become the 800 pound gorilla on the e-book block, if they're in there right position.

[yvanleterrible]

I have a book in my possession that has been printed in 1755, that is 252 years old and in good condition.
I'd love to see an ebook standard that will last that long, or even a computer for that matter.

[NatCh]

.TXT? ASCII? Binary?

[orcinus]

Originally Posted by rlauzon

eBooks cost almost nothing to produce. They can sell them at a far lower cost and still make the same profit. I would argue that they would make a higher profit because they don't have to handle returns and they will never over "print" an eBook.

All true and well, but there's a break even point below which this isn't true, i.e. below which the overhead necessary for distribution and marketing of ebooks actually outweighs the extra profit that could be made.

Right now, sales of ebooks are nowhere near reaching that break even point, and like it's been said in the thread, publishers are a conservative bunch and they aren't ready to invest into something that may or may not work out, no matter how much they could earn if it does.

The prices are high, because publishers that *have* dared to enter the ebook market are trying to make sure they get enough profit out of ebook sales to cover their venture, no matter how small the audience is or remains.

[rlauzon]

Originally Posted by orcinus

Right now, sales of ebooks are nowhere near reaching that break even point

<Click><Click><Click> There. I just created an eBook. Cost: $0. If DRM is adds to the cost of the eBook, then only a few sales are needed to break even.

Sales are poor because readers perceive publishers are screwing us over on eBook prices.

But eBook sales are hitting, and passing, the break even points. If eBook costs are higher than what I've said, then the publisher has some major issues with keeping costs down.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by NatCh

I don't know if I said it before, but yup, evolve or die.

I think there might be a good opportunity here for a small, hungry publishing house to become the 800 pound gorilla on the e-book block, if they're in there right position.

Yeh... I made both points on page 1, too. (Okay, fine, it was a long comment. No big... I get ignored around my house, too...)

Publishers are not morons. However, they are obviously trying to make a living. And they've been listening to too many horror stories in the music industry, and maybe thinking (erroneously) that their selling market is the same as the music market, and will suffer the same problems. (Don't they wish.) And as I said, the best-laid plans to capitalize on a market don't do you any good when you turn out to be selling the Betamax.

But at least the music industry didn't start having problems until MP3 became the dominant format, pushing all others under the floorboards. Most of the plans the publishers probably do have will come to nought if they pick the wrong horse, and they know it. So most of them will wait until the "format wars" are over, then race each other to Try To Take Over The World.

(Brain... Brain... Brain... Narf!)

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by orcinus

The prices are high, because publishers that *have* dared to enter the ebook market are trying to make sure they get enough profit out of ebook sales to cover their venture, no matter how small the audience is or remains.

Except for Baen, who sells their's for ~$6 each.

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Yeh... I made both points on page 1, too. (Okay, fine, it was a long comment. No big... I get ignored around my house, too...)

Heh, I only steal from the best, Steve Jordan!

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Could there also be a scare of publishers to loose their hard earned investments in printing presses?

If I were a publisher, and having invested in an industry that is coming under increasing fire as being wasteful, global-warming-contributing, environmentally taxing, chemical-heavy and space-hungry, I might be looking for a good reason to divest myself and cut my losses, before the paper business gets heavily taxed by the EPA, goes broke paying for gas for transportation and de-toxification systems for its chemical runoff, and loses its shirt paying for storage space.

But that's me.

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

If I were a publisher, and having invested in an industry that is coming under increasing fire as being wasteful, global-warming-contributing, environmentally taxing, chemical-heavy and space-hungry, I might be looking for a good reason to divest myself and cut my losses, before the paper business gets heavily taxed by the EPA, goes broke paying for gas for transportation and de-toxification systems for its chemical runoff, and loses its shirt paying for storage space.

But that's me.

...or go on with inertial resistance to anything new and different... and better

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

I have a book in my possession that has been printed in 1755, that is 252 years old and in good condition.
I'd love to see an ebook standard that will last that long, or even a computer for that matter.

Doesn't matter if an e-book standard lasts that long... as long as it can be translated to the next common format that does come along. (Removing DRM will make that task much easier.)