Canadian e-book Pricing 2014

Barcey · 07-30-2014, 12:23 PM

I stumbled across this presentation looking for an old Kobo presentation that Michael Tamblyn did. (it had been removed

)

http://www.slideshare.net/eBOUNDCana...k-pricing-2014

It has some very interesting data on price points, pricing paid by format and library pricing. I found slide 14 odd because it looks like the average price paid includes $0 ebooks and they included a table to show what it actually is when you exclude them.

It also has some general statistics I didn't know. 28% of publishers are using agency and 49% are using direct pricing models.

Has anyone heard about the "Quebec Model" for library ebooks where they buy from book stores at market price but then lend it 55 times? This is the first I've seen it referenced.

McJal'm · 07-30-2014, 04:01 PM

The Quebec Model is the only one that makes sense for public libraries. It's ridiculous what libraries are being charged by publishers currently. And because the prices are so high and number of checkouts allowed so low, libraries like mine manage to obtain/maintain an e-collection of no more than 6,000 titles. All titles are at least six months old and well over half are of the forgotten-as-soon-as-read, self-help, dress-for-success varieties.

HUGELY disappointing for this avid fan of books that leave a lasting impression. You know, those that have received high critical praise, won awards, persisted through time….

HarryT · 07-30-2014, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barcey

Has anyone heard about the "Quebec Model" for library ebooks where they buy from book stores at market price but then lend it 55 times? This is the first I've seen it referenced.

I'm extremely surprised that this is permitted. It's a flagrant violation of the contractual terms of every ebook store I know of.

AnemicOak · 07-30-2014, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm extremely surprised that this is permitted. It's a flagrant violation of the contractual terms of every ebook store I know of.

What to retail store terms have to do with library licensing?

HarryT · 07-30-2014, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

What to retail store terms have to do with library licensing?

The previous poster said that they were "bought from bookstores". I know of no bookstore whose T&Cs would actually permit this.

tubemonkey · 07-30-2014, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barcey

Has anyone heard about the "Quebec Model" for library ebooks where they buy from book stores at market price but then lend it 55 times? This is the first I've seen it referenced.

I like that model

Barcey · 07-30-2014, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm extremely surprised that this is permitted. It's a flagrant violation of the contractual terms of every ebook store I know of.

In theory the Quebec government could pass legislation on how public libraries in the Province of Quebec can legally purchase and lend ebooks. The ebook store contractual terms would then be in conflict with the Quebec law. I haven't heard that Quebec was considering such a law and my high school French isn't good enough to investigate it. I'm just speculating on why it's referred to as the Quebec model.

If it is being considered I applaud them.

bfisher · 07-30-2014, 08:05 PM

Thanks, Barcey, that was very interesting.

I'm not surprised that there would be a Quebec pricing model. Quebec is distinct. Anything to do with culture is a very hot-button issue there and Quebecois are very protective of their culture and very big on promoting it.

Quebec has a big homegrown film sector, films for Quebecois written, directed, acted, filmed, and screened by Quebecois. The biggest grossing Canadian-made films are Quebec films, although the population of Quebec is about 22% of the population of Canada. Hollywood has a much lower market share in Quebec than in TROC (The Rest Of Canada).

A similiar situation exists for books in Quebec. More detail here: (http://www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1290026005970/1290026005972) or Google "The Book Market in Quebec"

I wouldn't be surprised if the big publishing houses made special agreements in Quebec to try to maintain a toehold in the Quebec market.

Barcey · 07-31-2014, 12:56 AM

I did some more digging and found a PDF that explains it. Archambault developed a ebook purchasing and lending platform that's available to the Quebec public libraries. It's an alternative to Overdrive and 3M. It works on the consumer based ebook price with 55 loans. Kudos to them.

Quote:

Ma Biblio Numérique is an eBook purchasing and lending platform developed by Archambault and used by Quebec public libraries. Launched at Ottawa Public Library in 2014, the platform extends the availability of French language content in Canada under the terms available to Quebec libraries, which are 55 loans with consumer-based eBook pricing. The platform is available in French and English, however, eBook content is currently in French only.

HarryT · 07-31-2014, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barcey

I did some more digging and found a PDF that explains it. Archambault developed a ebook purchasing and lending platform that's available to the Quebec public libraries. It's an alternative to Overdrive and 3M. It works on the consumer based ebook price with 55 loans. Kudos to them.

Thanks - that makes sense. So they aren't buying from bookstores, and I would imagine that publishers need to give their permission for books to be a part of the programme, just as they do with the other library platforms. It's not a case of libraries just being able to go to any bookstore they fancy and buying an eBook

.

jersysman · 07-31-2014, 12:25 PM

The key here is the price and the number of loans.

Nate the great · 08-04-2014, 05:25 PM

If anyone is looking for info on the Quebec model:
http://www.ifla.org/node/8851

Barcey · 08-04-2014, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

If anyone is looking for info on the Quebec model:
http://www.ifla.org/node/8851

Thanks Nate. So it looks like there is legislation that requires Quebec libraries to purchase print books from local bookstores and they wanted to retain that 'spirit' for ebooks, but it's not a requirement.

bfisher · 08-05-2014, 12:58 PM

Yes, in Quebec there is a law, la loi 51 (la Loi sur le développement des entreprises québécoises dans le domaine du livre / the law on the development of Quebec businesses in the book industry). One of the mandates of loi 51 is that public institutions (libraries and schools) are required to purchase books from an "accredited bookseller". Accredited bookstores account for more than 75% of Quebec book sales.

To be accredited, booksellers, publishers, and distributors must be Canadian and based primarily in Quebec. In addition to these basic requirements, the accredited bookseller must:
- be open year-round;
- be situated in an easy-access location for the public;
- be well-identified and use proper book display methods;
- have at all times at least 6,000 different titles, 2,000 of which are different titles published in Quebec
- demonstrate that in the year previous to the application for accreditation, they have met minimum sales requirements of the Ministry
- prove that they receive material from at least 25 accredited publishers[/and that they keep these materials on display for at least four months (unless otherwise agreed to with the publisher in question).

Archambault (now owned by the media company Quebecor) is the second-largest bricks-and-mortar bookstore chain in Quebec after the francophone bookstore chain Renaud-Bray; Chapters/Indigo is a distant thrird-place in the Quebec market. Archambault is also the biggest francophone ecommerce retailer in North America (a Quebec analogue of Amazon?), and operates a French language music download source, so it would be a natural fit for Archambault to operate a service similar to Overdrive. Mabiblionumerique uses Adobe Ids.

Ninjalawyer · 08-05-2014, 01:58 PM

It would have been interesting if the slides had noted the much lower disparity between paperback and ebook pricing in Canada. Generally, the price of ebooks in Canada seems to stay fixed for much longer than the physical book.

I'm now getting most of my ebooks from the library or book bundles, and buying physical paperbacks again.

07-30-2014, 12:23 PM	#1
Barcey Wizard Posts: 1,531 Karma: 8059866 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canada Device: Kobo H2O / Aura HD / Glo / iPad3	Canadian e-book Pricing 2014 I stumbled across this presentation looking for an old Kobo presentation that Michael Tamblyn did. (it had been removed ) http://www.slideshare.net/eBOUNDCana...k-pricing-2014 It has some very interesting data on price points, pricing paid by format and library pricing. I found slide 14 odd because it looks like the average price paid includes $0 ebooks and they included a table to show what it actually is when you exclude them. It also has some general statistics I didn't know. 28% of publishers are using agency and 49% are using direct pricing models. Has anyone heard about the "Quebec Model" for library ebooks where they buy from book stores at market price but then lend it 55 times? This is the first I've seen it referenced.

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07-30-2014, 04:01 PM	#2
McJal'm Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2014 Device: iPad2	The Quebec Model is the only one that makes sense for public libraries. It's ridiculous what libraries are being charged by publishers currently. And because the prices are so high and number of checkouts allowed so low, libraries like mine manage to obtain/maintain an e-collection of no more than 6,000 titles. All titles are at least six months old and well over half are of the forgotten-as-soon-as-read, self-help, dress-for-success varieties. HUGELY disappointing for this avid fan of books that leave a lasting impression. You know, those that have received high critical praise, won awards, persisted through time….

07-30-2014, 08:05 PM	#8
bfisher Wizard Posts: 1,638 Karma: 28483498 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ottawa Canada Device: Sony PRS-T3, Galaxy (Aldiko, Kobo app)	Thanks, Barcey, that was very interesting. I'm not surprised that there would be a Quebec pricing model. Quebec is distinct. Anything to do with culture is a very hot-button issue there and Quebecois are very protective of their culture and very big on promoting it. Quebec has a big homegrown film sector, films for Quebecois written, directed, acted, filmed, and screened by Quebecois. The biggest grossing Canadian-made films are Quebec films, although the population of Quebec is about 22% of the population of Canada. Hollywood has a much lower market share in Quebec than in TROC (The Rest Of Canada). A similiar situation exists for books in Quebec. More detail here: (http://www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1290026005970/1290026005972) or Google "The Book Market in Quebec" I wouldn't be surprised if the big publishing houses made special agreements in Quebec to try to maintain a toehold in the Quebec market.

07-31-2014, 12:25 PM	#11
jersysman Wizard Posts: 1,747 Karma: 3761220 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Pennsylvania Device: T1 Red, Kindle Fire, Kindle PW, PW2, Nook HD+, Kobo Mini, Aura HD	The key here is the price and the number of loans.

08-04-2014, 05:25 PM	#12
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	If anyone is looking for info on the Quebec model: http://www.ifla.org/node/8851

08-05-2014, 12:58 PM	#14
bfisher Wizard Posts: 1,638 Karma: 28483498 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ottawa Canada Device: Sony PRS-T3, Galaxy (Aldiko, Kobo app)	Yes, in Quebec there is a law, la loi 51 (la Loi sur le développement des entreprises québécoises dans le domaine du livre / the law on the development of Quebec businesses in the book industry). One of the mandates of loi 51 is that public institutions (libraries and schools) are required to purchase books from an "accredited bookseller". Accredited bookstores account for more than 75% of Quebec book sales. To be accredited, booksellers, publishers, and distributors must be Canadian and based primarily in Quebec. In addition to these basic requirements, the accredited bookseller must: - be open year-round; - be situated in an easy-access location for the public; - be well-identified and use proper book display methods; - have at all times at least 6,000 different titles, 2,000 of which are different titles published in Quebec - demonstrate that in the year previous to the application for accreditation, they have met minimum sales requirements of the Ministry - prove that they receive material from at least 25 accredited publishers[/and that they keep these materials on display for at least four months (unless otherwise agreed to with the publisher in question). Archambault (now owned by the media company Quebecor) is the second-largest bricks-and-mortar bookstore chain in Quebec after the francophone bookstore chain Renaud-Bray; Chapters/Indigo is a distant thrird-place in the Quebec market. Archambault is also the biggest francophone ecommerce retailer in North America (a Quebec analogue of Amazon?), and operates a French language music download source, so it would be a natural fit for Archambault to operate a service similar to Overdrive. Mabiblionumerique uses Adobe Ids.

08-05-2014, 01:58 PM	#15
Ninjalawyer Guru Posts: 826 Karma: 18573626 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Touch, Nexus 7 (2013)	It would have been interesting if the slides had noted the much lower disparity between paperback and ebook pricing in Canada. Generally, the price of ebooks in Canada seems to stay fixed for much longer than the physical book. I'm now getting most of my ebooks from the library or book bundles, and buying physical paperbacks again.

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