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E-book pricing

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Mythica
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Post by Mythica » Mon November 7th, 2011, 9:42 am

Fair enough but it does sound like that's due to whatever country you live in, which is unfortunate and something that needs to be resolved but it's not a problem for everyone.

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Ludmilla
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Post by Ludmilla » Mon November 7th, 2011, 2:34 pm

I think it also depends on what kind of books and authors you like. If you are mostly reading the big marquee authors for major publishing houses you might find more of that kind of pricing, and certain categories of NF might be higher priced as well.

I've been reading more mid-list and self-published authors since I bought my ereader, so I've found enough deals and bargains to more than make up for those exceptions that are higher-priced (and I'm usually willing to wait for lower priced pb or ebooks for those).

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Carine
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Post by Carine » Tue November 8th, 2011, 2:22 pm

I think it's normal that a book is priced just as high for the e-book as the paper version, BUT what I do not understand is why some e-books are double the price of the paper version.

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N. Gemini Sasson
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Post by N. Gemini Sasson » Thu November 17th, 2011, 5:46 pm

[quote=""Mythica""]For US customers, the Kindle addition is $16.99 (the enhanced addition with audio/video is $18.99) and in my experience, Kindle prices usually get reduced with the release of the paperback later on. Pricing does vary depending on what country you're in but you might find the Kindle price more affordable when the paperback gets released.

Regardless, there are a few ebook novels which are around $19+ but in my experience, they are the exception to the rule. It's frustrating when one of those few is a book you really want but you can't really use it as an example of all or even most of ebook pricing. Pricing from "the big six" publishers are naturally going to be higher than those from independent publishing but for novels, they are usually around $9.99 to $12.99. New releases from big name authors are sometimes higher but like I say, they often come down with the paperback release later on.[/quote]

My guess is that publishers are still trying to figure out where e-book releases and prices fit into the scheme of things. Ken Follett's Fall of Giants is $18.99 and it's been in the Top 20 for HF on Amazon Kindle for months. If no one was willing to buy it at that price, I'm sure the price would drop. It's a practice that's used in all sectors of business - charge what the market will bear.

Occasionally, there's a movie I can't wait to see. So I haul the better half along when it first comes out to the posh cinema and plunk down about $18 a piece for tickets and popcorn. Most others I wait until the DVD comes out and then the whole family watches it for less than $3.

Why would anyone pay as much for an e-book as a paper book? Convenience. No waiting for the book to arrive or trips to the bookstore, no added weight to carry around besides the lightweight e-reader you already have, no extra book to wedge onto your shelf afterward.

I've actually bought e-books that I could've borrowed for free at the library. I LOVE my Kindle. :D

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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Tue December 27th, 2011, 2:40 pm

Just spotted an interesting post over at Dear Author today.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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fljustice
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Post by fljustice » Tue December 27th, 2011, 5:59 pm

Interesting post. I sympathized with both parties. The blogger objected to being called an "entitled reader" because she took price into account. Price is a legitimate reason for buying or not, but there are other alternatives such as the library (also mentioned in the article) and buying second hand. There are hundreds of thousands of alternative books, as a reader, if the price is too high, I choose something else.

On the other hand, it is frustrating when readers rate a book low on reading sites based on price or make comments like "Your book is too expensive" on an author's website/blog. When authors have no control over the price, it is a bit dickish to beat them up about it on their own sites. Personally, I'd never call a reader a dick on my blog/website (even if I thought the person was one.) Controversy can drive sales, but it's not my style.
Faith L. Justice, Author Website
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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Tue December 27th, 2011, 6:41 pm

I agree, price is a legitimate concern. Why would I pop $10 for a kindle (or HB) for an unknown and/or self-published author? That is a legitimate concern. I'm sure we've mentioned this before, but opinion on price is one thing, going and downgrading a book on Amazon just because of price is bad form. And arguing with the Kindle Kops just doesn't work. I've seen some that flat out haven't read the book, nor do they intend to but still post those damn reviews. Grrrrr :mad:
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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Ludmilla
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Post by Ludmilla » Tue December 27th, 2011, 7:11 pm

I can see both sides. I do think the state of technology coupled with rabid consumerism does make society in general a pretty whiny bunch. Compared to other entertainers, I think authors are woefully underpaid for how long it takes to create and then market a work. I also think it's human nature for people to want something for nothing and then complain when they can't get it for free or for prices that wouldn't cover the cost of making the product. I also think people often get what they pay for (or don't pay for as the case may be).

I don't review on Amazon, but when I'm looking for opinions, I want opinions on the writing, not customer service complaints. The exception relevant to ebooks is when the book has been poorly edited after digital conversion. I bought James Michener's Caravans last year from the Sony eBookstore (ePub edition). It was published by Random House, I believe, and I felt the publisher should have been embarrassed by the number of OCR/typographical errors that were in that ebook. If people are paying for ebooks at agency pricing, they should at least get a professionally edited book.

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LoveHistory
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Post by LoveHistory » Mon July 16th, 2012, 5:26 pm

I have a question about eBook pricing, but I'm not certain it would be appropriate to post it here. Do we have any active members in Australia with who might be willing to discuss this topic with me through private messages? I would also appreciate thoughts from our Canadian members.

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Amanda
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Post by Amanda » Tue July 17th, 2012, 8:32 am

Yes, i am Australian and i'd be happy to play along!

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