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Lady of the Land

Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 6984
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Interesting discussion on pricing ebooks


Yes, I know you are not that far along - most of you, at any rate. But it's still interesting to look at ebook prices and what they actually do for a book.

So here is the self-publishing expert David Gaughran with a neat blog article summing everything up:

The Great E-book Pricing Question

So, if you are buying ebooks, what are your preferred prices?

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Squire
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Registered: 11-2005
Location: Whoosher House
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Re: Interesting discussion on pricing ebooks


eBooks should be cheaper than paperbacks. Under $4.









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Lady of the Land

Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 6984
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Re: Interesting discussion on pricing ebooks


Well, I can see 4.99 or even more if it's a really long book or a non-fiction one.

But you are right. Definitely less than print books!

For example, I love the Libriomancer series. But the mass paperback is € 5.80, and the Kindle edition is € 5.51. In that case, I'll still opt for the paperback because I can lend it to people and is really mine, not just a license to read.

In fact, the second book in the series, Codex Born, is still at € 5.53 for the paperback and € 9.78 for the Kindle edition.

Last edited by Firlefanz, 4/12/2014, 9:53 am


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Squire
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Registered: 11-2005
Location: Whoosher House
Posts: 710
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Re: Interesting discussion on pricing ebooks


Yeah. I wouldn't be apposed to a little over $5, but I wouldn't pay more for the eBook than the paperback. I think if the eBook is priced higher, it's because the publisher/author is out to get the print version as their number one seller.

I know of one reader who buys paperbacks, then tears out the pages and scans then into files on their computer, then reads them on their eReader. Too much work IMO. Plus, I just couldn't make myself rip a book to pieces like that. emoticon





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Lady of the Land

Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 6984
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Re: Interesting discussion on pricing ebooks


Oh, my goodness! That's horrible! I couldn't bring myself to violate books like that. emoticon

My brother in law is a professional lay-outer, and sometimes, he has to scan old books (out of print old books) to turn them into new editions for publishers. And yes, he cuts them apart for that, so that he can scan the pages easily. emoticon

Usually, they are mass market paperbacks, so it doesn't seem as bad as taking apart a hardcover.

It generally seems that many traditional publishers do not understand ebook pricing, though. I've seen ebooks priced at 11.95 or 12.50 on Amazon, which is utterly stupid - because of the royalty structure on Amazon. They actually make less (35% of 11.95) than they would if they price them at 9.99 (70% of 9.99).

It's a huge field. And I think indie-authors can really make the best of it.

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Initiate

Registered: 05-2012
Posts: 21
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Re: Interesting discussion on pricing ebooks


I know this is an older thread, but I have to agree that the e-book should be priced lower than the paperback. I've seen so many that are priced the same as or more than the paperback edition and it drives me crazy.


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Author of the Dragon's Call series, and the Bound novels.
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Lady of the Land

Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 6984
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Re: Interesting discussion on pricing ebooks


Oh, yes.

I just talked about that with my colleague who buys epubs for the German e-reader. And very often, the ebooks are more expensive than the mass paperbacks. She thinks that's not fair, either.

Now, Germany is a few years behind the situation in the US market, so this should change eventually.

On the other hand, we have that dratted fixed price law in Germany, which is also being enforced for ebooks (even though they are taxed as "digital services", with full VAT). That law says, prices for all books are set on publication and MUST NOT be changed until 18 months after release day.

That's one reason Amazon doesn't offer countdown deals in Germany (which infuriates me, since I don't get all those juicy 99ct deals anymore). And it's one reason those publishers don't lower ebook prices even when they release a paperback version.

*sigh* I do hope some things change here soon, as well.

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Initiate

Registered: 05-2012
Posts: 21
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Re: Interesting discussion on pricing ebooks


Governments have to meddle in things. They don't know what to do with themselves if they aren't messing something up.

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Author of the Dragon's Call series, and the Bound novels.
Website http://www.adtrosper.com/
Blog: https://adtrosper.wordpress.com/
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Lady of the Land

Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 6984
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Re: Interesting discussion on pricing ebooks


Well, this is a very traditional law, old-standing and revered by the trad publishers. (And bookstores.) It was initiated in 1888, at that time by a club of publishers and bookstores, but it soon found acceptance. After WWII, it was integrated into the laws of the new state...

So they are actually not meddling - when times are changing and the laws should be adapted.

One passage that I found might actually save me: This price fixing only applies to books sold "mainly in Germany". Well, my English-language books are definitely not sold mainly in Germany, in fact, the largest market is in the US.

I really should create an American LLC, and publish my books through that. Then I'd be exempt from price fixing. (Hehehehe.)

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