Ebook Box Sets

Steven Lake · 11-15-2010, 12:25 PM

Hey, here's a silly question for everyone. For years box sets of book series have been a very popular seller among readers. Especially for those wanting collectible sets as well as being able to catch up on a book series for a much lower cost. But has this concept been tried with ebooks yet? And if so, how would it be done and what has been the results?

HarryT · 11-15-2010, 12:32 PM

eBook "bundles" have certainly been offered. Fictionwise in particular seem to like them.

Steven Lake · 11-15-2010, 03:54 PM

So in the ebook world they're called "bundles" instead of "box sets" then? Interesting.

pholy · 11-15-2010, 04:38 PM

Baen has put together a number of bundles, as well. Fritz Lieber's Grey Mouser series was one, I think, a while back.

mr ploppy · 11-15-2010, 05:16 PM

There's an e-boxset of 6 of J A Konrath's Jack Daniels books, but at $35 a go I can't see it selling many. It would probably be cheaper to buy them separate.

Steven Lake · 11-15-2010, 09:12 PM

Well, yeah, I agree with you Mr Ploppy. That's too high for 6 regular mass market books in print, let alone in ebook. The idea behind box sets is to take advantage of the natural discounts that come with volume. And the economics of volume apply to both ebooks *and* print books. So for a set of 6 ebooks, he should probably be charging half or less of what he is.

Worldwalker · 11-15-2010, 11:32 PM

A box set is a set of boxes. A boxed set is things in a box. The inability of advertisers to understand the difference has annoyed the heck out of me, and now my grocery store is offering "can fruit". Aaaaaaargh!

When fruit is put in a can, it is canned. When a set is put in a box, it is boxed.

No, we probably can't do anything about all those advertisers, any more than we can do anything about the real estate industry's deliberate confusion between "house" and "home" (hint: only one is something a real estate broker can sell). It just bugs me.

GraceKrispy · 11-15-2010, 11:48 PM

Yep, bundles. I have bought several bundles, but only when they actually offer me a discount from buying them separately. When looking at the new bundles available at one point, I noticed that the Twilight series actually cost more than each book separately. Ugh. It's like when you buy in bulk and find out it wasn't actually cheaper. (I didn't want to buy Twilight, I just happened to notice its high price)

jaxx6166 · 11-18-2010, 09:29 PM

Bargain is in the eye of the beholder. If you offer the same boxed set in eBook and HXC, and your ebooks are much cheaper, where's the bargain?

jaxx6166 · 11-19-2010, 11:20 PM

Hey steven did i miss something? are you not on sw? :/

Steven Lake · 11-20-2010, 08:51 AM

Well, I *was*. Still trying to get that sorted out. But so far no luck.

11-15-2010, 12:25 PM	#1
Steven Lake Sci-Fi Author Posts: 1,157 Karma: 14743509 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Michigan Device: PC (Calibre)	Ebook Box Sets Hey, here's a silly question for everyone. For years box sets of book series have been a very popular seller among readers. Especially for those wanting collectible sets as well as being able to catch up on a book series for a much lower cost. But has this concept been tried with ebooks yet? And if so, how would it be done and what has been the results?

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11-15-2010, 12:32 PM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	eBook "bundles" have certainly been offered. Fictionwise in particular seem to like them.

11-15-2010, 03:54 PM	#3
Steven Lake Sci-Fi Author Posts: 1,157 Karma: 14743509 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Michigan Device: PC (Calibre)	So in the ebook world they're called "bundles" instead of "box sets" then? Interesting.

11-15-2010, 04:38 PM	#4
pholy Booklegger Posts: 1,801 Karma: 7999816 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: BeBook(1 & 2010), PEZ, PRS-505, Kobo BT, PRS-T1, Playbook, Kobo Touch	Baen has put together a number of bundles, as well. Fritz Lieber's Grey Mouser series was one, I think, a while back.

11-15-2010, 05:16 PM	#5
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	There's an e-boxset of 6 of J A Konrath's Jack Daniels books, but at $35 a go I can't see it selling many. It would probably be cheaper to buy them separate.

11-15-2010, 09:12 PM	#6
Steven Lake Sci-Fi Author Posts: 1,157 Karma: 14743509 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Michigan Device: PC (Calibre)	Well, yeah, I agree with you Mr Ploppy. That's too high for 6 regular mass market books in print, let alone in ebook. The idea behind box sets is to take advantage of the natural discounts that come with volume. And the economics of volume apply to both ebooks and print books. So for a set of 6 ebooks, he should probably be charging half or less of what he is.

11-15-2010, 11:32 PM	#7
Worldwalker Curmudgeon Posts: 3,085 Karma: 722357 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: PRS-505	A box set is a set of boxes. A boxed set is things in a box. The inability of advertisers to understand the difference has annoyed the heck out of me, and now my grocery store is offering "can fruit". Aaaaaaargh! When fruit is put in a can, it is canned. When a set is put in a box, it is boxed. No, we probably can't do anything about all those advertisers, any more than we can do anything about the real estate industry's deliberate confusion between "house" and "home" (hint: only one is something a real estate broker can sell). It just bugs me.

11-15-2010, 11:48 PM	#8
GraceKrispy It's Dr. Penguin now! Posts: 3,909 Karma: 4705733 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: (USA) Device: iPad mini, Samsung Note 3, Sony PRS-650 (rarely used now)	Yep, bundles. I have bought several bundles, but only when they actually offer me a discount from buying them separately. When looking at the new bundles available at one point, I noticed that the Twilight series actually cost more than each book separately. Ugh. It's like when you buy in bulk and find out it wasn't actually cheaper. (I didn't want to buy Twilight, I just happened to notice its high price)

11-18-2010, 09:29 PM	#9
jaxx6166 Wizard Posts: 1,222 Karma: 769316 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Eternal summer Device: 350, iPad, PW	Bargain is in the eye of the beholder. If you offer the same boxed set in eBook and HXC, and your ebooks are much cheaper, where's the bargain?

11-19-2010, 11:20 PM	#10
jaxx6166 Wizard Posts: 1,222 Karma: 769316 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Eternal summer Device: 350, iPad, PW	Hey steven did i miss something? are you not on sw? :/

11-20-2010, 08:51 AM	#11
Steven Lake Sci-Fi Author Posts: 1,157 Karma: 14743509 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Michigan Device: PC (Calibre)	Well, I was. Still trying to get that sorted out. But so far no luck.

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