posted on February 5, 2002 05:39:40 AM new
I found a book I was interested in on Amazon, just released this month.
The discounted price is $13.96. However, Amazon offers an eBook version.
I think, why not. I read on the PC alot, and there is always the laptop to make it portable.
So I go to the eBook download page, and guess what ? The eBook price is $15.95.
What the H*LL are they thinking ?? Considering the costs that are totaslly by-passed with the eBook, the price should have been and I would have paid around $5 or $6 for it. It is a 144 page book.
How in the world could an eBook cost more than a hard copy ? No printing, no binding. no cover, no paper, no distibution, no shipping, no warehouse,no salepeople, no remainders, these costs are totally and utterly non-existent for the eBook - yet it costs MORE ??????
Publishers have got a lot to learn. I'll now wait until I can buy it paperback and used. What a bunch of A**HOLES !!!!
posted on February 5, 2002 09:40:08 AM new
Here are several factors you've missed:
1. We are talking price, not cost. Pricing is done based on what they think the market will bear, which at any point in time may be over or under costs. Maybe ebooks are all purchased by rich yuppies who will cheerfully shell out $16, whereas books are bought by cheap oldfashioned consumers?
2. Similarly, maybe the pricing for paper books is done by person A, and ebooks by person B, and each has a different view of proper pricing structure. one is clearing out inventory to look good for month-end bonuses, perhaps, and the other isn't. Or any number of other behaviorial differences.
3. What are the fixed costs to convert a book into an ebook format? Is it as simple as a file conversion, or is it more work? This fixed development work would have to be recovered over the number of copies sold, and given the low sales of ebooks in general, could be quite high on a per-copy basis.
4. Ditto for technical support costs for ebooks. Tech support can be incredibly expensive, esp. for low-volume products.
5. Royalty agreements may differ between the two versions. Perhaps it was published to paper without knowing if it would be popular, and hence had a low royalty payment, but the ebook may be from a different publisher with different (maybe higher) royalty costs.
Nonetheless, you have an interesting observation, sort of along the chicken and egg situation that afflicts most new technologies. Price too high, few people adopt it, and costs remain high. Price too low and you "leave money on the table".
By the way, in an interesting coincidence, I recently paid much more for the Roots DVD version, even though I can get a used paperback for a tenth of the cost, or watch it on TV for free. Why? Even though the content is the same, my demand for high-quality, on-demand viewing of this product convinces me to pay more. These are essentially different products, each wiht their own supply/demand/cost/price structure.
posted on February 5, 2002 04:46:38 PM new
So, Reamond, you are a victim of "what the traffic will bear". The question is, will you bear it again? LoL!
