Why are prices higher in Canada than the US?

Cdesja5 · 12-19-2012, 09:19 PM

E-book Retailers Bet You're Willing to Pay...
Huff Post article today concerning the prices difference for ebooks between Canada and the US. The price differences at the Canadian Kindle Store did not go unnoticed!

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/12...n_2324155.html

Apache · 12-20-2012, 06:33 AM

Look at the difference between the US and Australia.
Apache

HarryT · 12-20-2012, 06:35 AM

In some cases it may be due to the book having a different publisher (in which case it's just as likely to be lower as higher). Often, Canadians get the UK publisher, not the US one.

Cheshirecatt · 12-20-2012, 06:57 AM

The prices in Australia are crazy high compared to the US for books,Kindles and music.

HomeInMyShoes · 12-20-2012, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

In some cases it may be due to the book having a different publisher (in which case it's just as likely to be lower as higher). Often, Canadians get the UK publisher, not the US one.

I've never seen a book I'm interested in cheaper in Canada than in the United States. I'm sure these books exist somewhere, but in my reading lists they are as mythical as Bigfoot.

I am glad we get the UK publisher in many circumstances and I am willing to pay an extra buck or two for original language.

I'm sure I haven't made much of a dent in the Canadian market, but my e-book purchasing and book purchasing for that matter has dropped considerably over the last year. My library is my friend. If the library ceased to exist, I'd probably just end up reading less.

You can tax illiteracy.

HarryT · 12-20-2012, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

I've never seen a book I'm interested in cheaper in Canada than in the United States. I'm sure these books exist somewhere, but in my reading lists they are as mythical as Bigfoot.

There's a recent thread in the Kindle forum about the opening of Amazon's Canadian Kindle eBook store. There are several posts in that thread reporting somewhat lower prices in the Canadian store.

JD Gumby · 12-20-2012, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cdesja5

E-book Retailers Bet You're Willing to Pay...
Huff Post article today concerning the prices difference for ebooks between Canada and the US. The price differences at the Canadian Kindle Store did not go unnoticed!

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/12...n_2324155.html

Man, I was so excited to see in the article that there was a tie-in novel for Rush's "Clockwork Angels" (their current album, which is very good). Then I saw it was by Kevin J. Anderson.

EDIT: Huh. The Kindle edition's only $8.50 at Amazon.ca. Thought the $15.99/$16.18 quoted in the article was for the ebook (thus making the $11.99 for it at Kobo a great deal, though at least you can most likely use promo codes on it), but it's actually for the hardcover.

HomeInMyShoes · 12-20-2012, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

There's a recent thread in the Kindle forum about the opening of Amazon's Canadian Kindle eBook store. There are several posts in that thread reporting somewhat lower prices in the Canadian store.

Yep, somewhat lower. They are more in line with Chapters which is nice and I'll probably move account to Canada in the new year. Canada is stuck with the higher cost legacy of a crappy dollar and crappy distribution. The fact that digital has removed most of those issues has left us with publishers making even more money off of us every time we buy an ebook.

I'm voting by spending less money on books in general.

kennyc · 12-20-2012, 12:58 PM

It's because electrons travel slower in the Great White North!

Lemurion · 12-20-2012, 01:53 PM

Canadian vs. US book pricing has always been odd, and it's never been eBook specific.

When I managed a bookstore in Canada during the early 90's the price differential between the two countries was usually $1.00CAD. With the prevailing exchange rate, that put the Canadian price lower in absolute terms. By around 2000 that had changed, with the differential increasing even as the exchange rates approached parity.

Canadians kept buying books as prices went up, so prices kept going up.

rkomar · 12-20-2012, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

It's because electrons travel slower in the Great White North!

That's what you get for not plugging them in overnight and putting winter tires on them.

Lemurion · 12-20-2012, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkomar

That's what you get for not plugging them in overnight and putting winter tires on them.

I just get studded electrons for winter use.

kennyc · 12-20-2012, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemurion

I just get studded electrons for winter use.

Don't those wear out your ereader faster?

Lemurion · 12-20-2012, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

Don't those wear out your ereader faster?

That just gives me an excuse to get a new one.

pl001 · 12-21-2012, 11:43 AM

They will charge whatever the market will bear. They aren't a charity.

12-19-2012, 09:19 PM	#1
Cdesja5 Wizard Posts: 1,110 Karma: 2094306 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Montreal, Canada Device: Kobo Touch & Mini,Sony T1, Galaxy Tab 10.1,Samsung S2 phone,iPod Touch	Why are prices higher in Canada than the US? E-book Retailers Bet You're Willing to Pay... Huff Post article today concerning the prices difference for ebooks between Canada and the US. The price differences at the Canadian Kindle Store did not go unnoticed! http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/12...n_2324155.html

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12-20-2012, 06:33 AM	#2
Apache Readaholic Posts: 3,337 Karma: 55898060 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Nook Color / Nook HD+ / Surface Pro 4	Look at the difference between the US and Australia. Apache

12-20-2012, 06:35 AM	#3
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 80,520 Karma: 73099505 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Voyage, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	In some cases it may be due to the book having a different publisher (in which case it's just as likely to be lower as higher). Often, Canadians get the UK publisher, not the US one.

12-20-2012, 06:57 AM	#4
Cheshirecatt Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2012 Device: none	The prices in Australia are crazy high compared to the US for books,Kindles and music.

12-20-2012, 12:58 PM	#9
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,731 Karma: 115937247 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	It's because electrons travel slower in the Great White North!

12-20-2012, 01:53 PM	#10
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,713 Karma: 4847242 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	Canadian vs. US book pricing has always been odd, and it's never been eBook specific. When I managed a bookstore in Canada during the early 90's the price differential between the two countries was usually $1.00CAD. With the prevailing exchange rate, that put the Canadian price lower in absolute terms. By around 2000 that had changed, with the differential increasing even as the exchange rates approached parity. Canadians kept buying books as prices went up, so prices kept going up.

12-21-2012, 11:43 AM	#15
pl001 Evangelist Posts: 459 Karma: 4818038 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Nook, Nook Color, EVO3D, Surface RT, Galaxy S5, Surface 3	They will charge whatever the market will bear. They aren't a charity.

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