What are you afraid of? (Amazon, Apple, MacMillan)

[kjk]

I've found the whole eBook battle quite fascinating.

It is obvious from the comments in various threads that a lot of people are quite up in arms about it, and taking sides, vowing celibacy, waving pirate flags, etc.

But, really, what are you afraid of?

1) This will kill the eBook market? (Through piracy, lack of sales)

2) That this will unacceptably slow the adoption of eBooks to the general public?

3) That your least favorite company/publisher/conglomerate in the world might "win" or "lose"? Even though no one really knows what a "win" or "loss" is in this context?

4) That the general public will yawn, and continue to buy Kindles, Nooks, iPads, or whatever, and pay whatever prices end up being set?


Personally? I just feel crappy for the authors...because this whole controversy really shows how low on the totem pole they are in the current scheme of things. But I'm betting on #4.

[guyanonymous]

Clowns and Carnies. They scare me.

I agree - I think the creatives themselves are the ones who are currently losing out and will continue to do so (with the rare exception of those who hit it BIG) under the current system. I think we all need a shift in perspective toward making a living vs. hitting the mother load. Right now, it's the publishers that hit it big continually, while only a few big name creatives share in that success at all.

[emonti8384]

Originally Posted by guyanonymous

Clowns and Carnies. They scare me.

I agree - I think the creatives themselves are the ones who are currently losing out and will continue to do so (with the rare exception of those who hit it BIG) under the current system. I think we all need a shift in perspective toward making a living vs. hitting the mother load. Right now, it's the publishers that hit it big continually, while only a few big name creatives share in that success at all.

Spoken well, sensai
(I don't think they have a bowing smiley-if they do I was too lazy to look)

[lilac_jive]

I agree with your point about the authors. The whole thing sucks for them.

Other than that, I'm not really afraid of anything. Just irritated.

[Ervserver]

not afraid of any of them, the market will work itself out.

[desertgrandma]

I'm not afraid of any of those things.

I've learned if you want a book, new or old, chances are its out there somewhere.

Legally, illegally, whatever.

I am, however, afraid of worms.

[asjogren]

When an independent author can make *some* money off each book sold at $0.99 on SmashWords.com, it appears to me that the Big Publishing Company Model is broken for the next wave if they think they need $13 -$15. Note that this does NOT imply that I think eBooks should sell for less than a dollar.

When I read that the highly successful Twilight series got started - basically as an accident AND when I read that the highly successful Harry Potter series was turned down by 12 publishers, the Big Publishing Company Model is broken now.

What happened? The usual? Mergers and acquisitions, arrogance and greed, corner the market and control, short term quarter-by-quarter thinking, bureaucracy and high-flying CEOs?

The value is in the CONTENT, not the Big 6 Publishing houses.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by asjogren

The value is in the CONTENT, not the Big 6 Publishing houses.

That seems to be Stephen Covey's approach.

[Boston]

I am afraid that I will eventually to go back to buying bargain priced and used paper books because of pricing. I have really come to love the convenience and ease-of-reading on my ebook readers.

However, I can't see paying ebook prices that are the same/higher then the paper version is on sale. I've already seen the pricing of some books going this way and now my fear is that it will be more the norm.

[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by Boston

I am afraid that I will eventually to go back to buying bargain priced and used paper books because of pricing. I have really come to love the convenience and ease-of-reading on my ebook readers.

However, I can't see paying ebook prices that are the same/higher then the paper version is on sale. I've already seen the pricing of some books going this way and now my fear is that it will be more the norm.

I'm with you. The more and more this thing plays out, the less and less I want to be anywhere near any of it. I actually priced up some new shelves earlier on and looked into the best second-hand paperback prices online. Didn't realise how cheap second-hand paperbacks have become (having been reading mainly on my reader) but some of them are pennies and there's a much wider range available. I mean, I could abandon e-reading right now, come back in 5 years and we'd still be in the same mess. Overpriced and DRM'd, authors still getting the shitty end of the stick and not complaining about the smell. As a creative industry publishing is even more busted than music, at least there you get some decent independent labels who care about the artists, and artists who don't behave like silent children and will actually stand up and be counted.

The whole mess was bankrupt from the get go.

[Rob G.]

Originally Posted by Boston

I am afraid that I will eventually to go back to buying bargain priced and used paper books because of pricing. I have really come to love the convenience and ease-of-reading on my ebook readers.

However, I can't see paying ebook prices that are the same/higher then the paper version is on sale. I've already seen the pricing of some books going this way and now my fear is that it will be more the norm.

This (and I thought this would be the year I'd finally kick my Half Price Books addiction.)

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

I am, however, afraid of worms.

Can I fluff your pillows?

Yes, that was the first thing I though when I read the subject line, too.




And I vote "none of the above, but part of some of them" for the list.

[Acreo Aeneas]

Originally Posted by kjk

1) This will kill the eBook market? (Through piracy, lack of sales)

I think the industry's use (not just book industry but any industry) of "piracy is super evil" is completely overblown. To some extent companies exert this phrase to forcibly bully consumers into paying more for their products since their last fiscal year's millions in earnings weren't enough.

2) That this will unacceptably slow the adoption of eBooks to the general public?

I don't think this will really impact the adoption of eBooks since so far Tor/Macmillan has been the only publisher trying to strong arm a retailer into a much higher price without any good justification other than sheer profits.

3) That your least favorite company/publisher/conglomerate in the world might "win" or "lose"? Even though no one really knows what a "win" or "loss" is in this context?

You know what? There are a number of large webstores out there that carry ebooks. Amazon isn't the only one, however they may claim to be the "top dog". The informed, conscious, and smart consumer will know to search out other webstores to shop at. If one of the bigger guys fall, the little ones below quickly adapt and learn from their mistakes. One advantage of a competitive market.

4) That the general public will yawn, and continue to buy Kindles, Nooks, iPads, or whatever, and pay whatever prices end up being set?

This is probably my only fear: that most consumers won't bother to fight for their own rights. You can take a look at the battles between "pirates" and the "music industry". Have you heard the everyday consumer taking up the banner and pitching in to fight for their own rights to ownership of music they buy? Nope, it's mainly been the two extreme ends fighting. Look at politics, we as citizens are losing our rights and most people just throw it away or are completely ignorant of how new laws can affect them now and in the future.

Personally? I just feel crappy for the authors...because this whole controversy really shows how low on the totem pole they are in the current scheme of things. But I'm betting on #4.

I agree. Authors and consumers seem to be non-existent entities to these companies. The day where we literally wake up and realize what is really happening, I fear, is the day where we can no longer fight. To a degree: 1984.

[Sydney's Mom]

I am afraid that ebook readers will become/remain second class citizens. I am very upset about this hold back of ebooks. I was not able to find Game Change available as an ebook anywhere, so I resorted to an oldie but a goodie-the library. I did that for Too Big to Fail, and I was surprised I got it within a week. It looks like it might be a little longer for Game Change, but I think if there are a certain number of people on the waiting list, they buy more. I hate the idea of rewarding the publisher with any sort of sale, but my requesting a book is not going to decide the issue. So I am afraid that I will have 2 types of reading material - library books, which stay at home cause they are too big to lug around, and my kindle books. (I just added my 1000th to Calibre!) Purchases will be ebooks only.

Debra

[Daithi]

But, really, what are you afraid of?

1) This will kill the eBook market? (Through piracy, lack of sales)
A) Yes. I am afraid that a $15 price point will hurt ebook adoption. Amazon currently sells hardcovers for $15 and the $9.99 ebook price point was helping to drive adoption.

2) That this will unacceptably slow the adoption of eBooks to the general public?
A) Yes. See above.

3) That your least favorite company/publisher/conglomerate in the world might "win" or "lose"? Even though no one really knows what a "win" or "loss" is in this context?
A) Not exactly. I support whichever company/publisher/conglomerate that is advancing the ebook market.

4) That the general public will yawn, and continue to buy Kindles, Nooks, iPads, or whatever, and pay whatever prices end up being set?
A) No. I think the eReaeder community will be pretty upset with a 50% increase in ebook prices.

5) There is an inherent savings in costs with ebooks. There are no paper, printing, binding, distribution, warehousing, and overstocked returns costs. The books also never go out of print and don't have a used market. Publishers don't have to guess on how many books to print (underprinting costs them money also). This reduction in costs was going to the consumers. The authors were also benefiting, as the lower ebook costs were resulting in more sales. This new pricing structure means that the publishers are now taking the savings derived from ebooks, and they are doing so at the expensive of both the consumers and authors.

6) Worms scare me too.