B&N eBook Prices Creeping Up?

[keriflur]

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frantastk wrote:

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keriflur wrote:

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deesy58 wrote:

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deesy58 wrote:

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frantastk wrote:

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I've had that happen at Kobo frequently. Look in your Kobo library on the website. Every time I've gotten that error message, the order actually did go through and the book was sitting in my library on the website. If you tried to buy the book more than once, you might want to make sure they didn't charge you for each try. If the book is in your Kobo library on their website you can just download it from there.

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I just checked.

No joy!  Nothing in my library.  Wait 'til Monday and try to contact their Technical Support staff, I guess.  Their Web site seems to be a little "unfinished," IMO.  

Thanks for your assistance. 

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OKAY, then.  I just now tried it again, and it worked.  Why?  I have no idea. 

The book is in my library, and in my ADE on my PC.  I assume that I will now be able to transfer (copy) it to my NOOK. 

AND -- I saved $2.30. 

This has turned out to be a good day. 

Thanks to everybody for their assistance. 

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Their website is a bit squirrely at times.  Their customer service is terrible (as bad as B&N's phone and email CS) also.  BUT, they used to have really amazing sales, and hopefully they will again, fingers crossed.

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I hate Kobo's website. The search function is terrible. I only shop there because they send out awesome coupons on the non-Agency books. Their prices seem to be a bit higher than B&N on the books I've looked at but the coupons bring the prices down way below B&N. As bad as Kobo's shop is, I think Sony's is worse. I won't use Sony at all. 

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How did you get on the coupon distribution list?  I don't get anything from them - I thought they weren't doing coupons anymore (since the agency model went into effect).  When they're more expensive I buy from B&N or Google, but if the coupons made up the difference I would definitely shop there more.

[frantastk]

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keriflur wrote:

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How did you get on the coupon distribution list?  I don't get anything from them - I thought they weren't doing coupons anymore (since the agency model went into effect).  When they're more expensive I buy from B&N or Google, but if the coupons made up the difference I would definitely shop there more.

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You know, I have no idea. I get coupons from them all the time. There's small print telling you the coupons don't work for all books, or something like that. I used to try to search the website trying to find a non-Agency book to use the coupon on, but it wasn't the easiest. Now I only use the coupons if I know there's a non-Agency book I really want. I used the last couple on the last 2 Hunger Games books. I know for sure I've been getting emails from Kobo since Borders closed and my ebook library from Borders (hah, I think I had 2 books and they were both freebies) migrated over to Kobo. I never bought from Kobo before then.

[keriflur]

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frantastk wrote:

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keriflur wrote:

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How did you get on the coupon distribution list?  I don't get anything from them - I thought they weren't doing coupons anymore (since the agency model went into effect).  When they're more expensive I buy from B&N or Google, but if the coupons made up the difference I would definitely shop there more.

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You know, I have no idea. I get coupons from them all the time. There's small print telling you the coupons don't work for all books, or something like that. I used to try to search the website trying to find a non-Agency book to use the coupon on, but it wasn't the easiest. Now I only use the coupons if I know there's a non-Agency book I really want. I used the last couple on the last 2 Hunger Games books. I know for sure I've been getting emails from Kobo since Borders closed and my ebook library from Borders (hah, I think I had 2 books and they were both freebies) migrated over to Kobo. I never bought from Kobo before then.

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Thanks.  I'll check my Kobo settings and my email spam inbox .  Maybe I turned them off or spammed them.

Kobo had the best sales before the agency model, I used to shop with them all the time.  In the weeks leading up to the agency model going into effect, they gave $2 off ALL books.  It was pretty crazy.  It'll be interesting to see what they do when/if the settlement goes through and the agency model goes away for three of the big 6.

[Doug_Pardee Distinguished Bibliophile]

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keriflur wrote:

How did you get on the coupon distribution list?  I don't get anything from them - I thought they weren't doing coupons anymore (since the agency model went into effect).  When they're more expensive I buy from B&N or Google, but if the coupons made up the difference I would definitely shop there more.

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Karen at Books on the Knob regularly posts coupon codes for Kobo, Fictionwise, and anyone else she hears about. Check the right-hand column of her site. Right now she's listing 20 Kobo coupon codes.

Also watch for her posts titled "Free and Bargain Book Roundup" and "Today's Deals".

[deesy58]

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NookGardener wrote:

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deesy58 wrote:

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bklvr896 wrote:

Perhaps it's simply due to the fact that the prices of everything are going up?  eBooks are not going to be immune to inflation any more than any other product. It certainly costs me more at the grocery store, at the department stores, etc.  Not to mention the cost of fuel, which tends to impact the cost of almost every other product.  

I've also noticed the price of MMPB's increasing. If you look at the top 10 selling MMPBs, 5 are at $7.99 and 5 are $8.99-9.99.   They used to be $5.99, when to $6.99 and then stayed at $7.99 for several years.  Now they appear to be creeping up.

Not saying that is all that is going on, but you can't ignore that the cost of most consumer products have been steadily increasing.

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We need to keep in mind, though, that digital products bear prices that have countered inflation for more than 30 years (40?).  Look at the prices of TVs, computers, cell phones, digital cameras, etc.  Due to the effects of Moore's Law, products made from solid-state electronics have actually been decreasing in price for many years, and this includes most software (how much do you pay for an app for your Apple or Android?). 

e-Books should be no different.  If a free market prevails in e-books, prices should be decreasing, not increasing.

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IMO, you are comparing apples and oranges here.  Moore's Law applies to electronic devices/products, but not an ebook isn't an electronic product.  It is just another format for a book (vs DTB, MMPP or audio.) 

When you buy an ebook you are buying the CONTENT (what's in it.)  While you get some costs savings buying new "best sellers" in this ebook format vs hardback, the same doesn't seem to hold true once a book has been released in paperback (or older books being re-released in ebook format.)  Consumers still (understandably) feel since they aren't getting physical product, they should be paying less for these ebooks.  So while I agree with you that the ebook price should decrease a certain amount, tend to agree with bklvr896, the price of paperbooks are going to go up more, and then maybe, just maybe, we will see some price differential between paperbacks and ebook pricing. 

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It might seem like apples and oranges, but we must keep in mind that, as hardware technology has advanced, so has software technology.  Because of the development of new software tools that are used for the development of other software, the process has become much more efficient, and, therefore, less expensive. 

After a writer produces a book using any word processor, that book must still be converted to a usable e-book format (or printed as a DTB).  That conversion process is now so simple that you can acquire software (sometimes for free) that will accomplish the conversion for you.  Viola!  Any writer can now publish his/her e-book, selling to you and me for whatever price he/she wishes.  Advances in software have, pretty much, kept up with advances in hardware.

My comparison to apps for cell phones and tablets is valid.  How much would such apps have cost ten or twenty years ago?  Why can they be sold profitably at such an extremely lower cost now?  Perhaps because they cost so much less to produce? 

Food for thought.

[steffiebaby140]

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deesy58 wrote:

It might seem like apples and oranges, but we must keep in mind that, as hardware technology has advanced, so has software technology.  Because of the development of new software tools that are used for the development of other software, the process has become much more efficient, and, therefore, less expensive. 

After a writer produces a book using any word processor, that book must still be converted to a usable e-book format (or printed as a DTB).  That conversion process is now so simple that you can acquire software (sometimes for free) that will accomplish the conversion for you.  Viola!  Any writer can now publish his/her e-book, selling to you and me for whatever price he/she wishes.  Advances in software have, pretty much, kept up with advances in hardware.

My comparison to apps for cell phones and tablets is valid.  How much would such apps have cost ten or twenty years ago?  Why can they be sold profitably at such an extremely lower cost now?  Perhaps because they cost so much less to produce? 

Food for thought.

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Tell that one to the publishers who want to whine about its just as much work to produce an ebook as a HC and so they should cost the same lol.  I agree with you, the price should reflect the formatting.  For example...if I go to buy a box of matches, the box of matches costs $1.99, the smaller matchbook costs $0.99....but you expect me to pay $1.99 for a single match because the content is the same, they all contain matches.  Not the same. 

ETA: Also, you have to remember that when you buy an ebook, you are not purchasing the book.  You are merely purchasing permission to read the content of the book in this format.  So really you're not even getting the match...you're buying a picture of the match.  So, why is everyone so gung ho that it should be priced so closely to the actual book?  You're not even purchasing the book, you don't own it...you bought permission to read it that's it.  But for only $1 you're buying actual physical content, not just permission to read it according to set rules.

[deesy58]

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steffiebaby140 wrote:

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deesy58 wrote:

It might seem like apples and oranges, but we must keep in mind that, as hardware technology has advanced, so has software technology.  Because of the development of new software tools that are used for the development of other software, the process has become much more efficient, and, therefore, less expensive. 

After a writer produces a book using any word processor, that book must still be converted to a usable e-book format (or printed as a DTB).  That conversion process is now so simple that you can acquire software (sometimes for free) that will accomplish the conversion for you.  Viola!  Any writer can now publish his/her e-book, selling to you and me for whatever price he/she wishes.  Advances in software have, pretty much, kept up with advances in hardware.

My comparison to apps for cell phones and tablets is valid.  How much would such apps have cost ten or twenty years ago?  Why can they be sold profitably at such an extremely lower cost now?  Perhaps because they cost so much less to produce? 

Food for thought.

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Tell that one to the publishers who want to whine about its just as much work to produce an ebook as a HC and so they should cost the same lol.  I agree with you, the price should reflect the formatting.  For example...if I go to buy a box of matches, the box of matches costs $1.99, the smaller matchbook costs $0.99....but you expect me to pay $1.99 for a single match because the content is the same, they all contain matches.  Not the same. 

ETA: Also, you have to remember that when you buy an ebook, you are not purchasing the book.  You are merely purchasing permission to read the content of the book in this format.  So really you're not even getting the match...you're buying a picture of the match.  So, why is everyone so gung ho that it should be priced so closely to the actual book?  You're not even purchasing the book, you don't own it...you bought permission to read it that's it.  But for only $1 you're buying actual physical content, not just permission to read it according to set rules.

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What you really bought was for somebody to light your cigarette. 

[Omnigeek]

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steffiebaby140 wrote:

Tell that one to the publishers who want to whine about its just as much work to produce an ebook as a HC and so they should cost the same lol.  I agree with you, the price should reflect the formatting.  For example...if I go to buy a box of matches, the box of matches costs $1.99, the smaller matchbook costs $0.99....but you expect me to pay $1.99 for a single match because the content is the same, they all contain matches.  Not the same. 

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Horrible analogy since matches have static portions of production while no amount of having typeset Dickens' "Oliver Twist" will save you time or money in typesetting the latest Stephen King novel but you WILL pay for the entire development and production costs if you want a new run of matches using a special "green" formulation.  Your unit costs will be considerably higher for 1 book versus 50 million boxes.  Try designing a custom tee shirt and telling the shop you only want 1 shirt but you still want the $7-8 price.

[BrandieC]

Doug, in addition to laureling you, I had to say thank you (although my wallet might disagree) for pointing out the Kobo coupon codes in the Books on the Knob blog.  I had subscribed to Karen's blog using my personal e-mail address, but I almost never check it; now, I've bookmarked her site so that I can check it regularly.  I got some great deals using some of her codes:

The Anatomy of Ghosts:  $16.74 at B&N, $8.52 with Kobo discount code

The Boy in the Suitcase:  $13.99 at B&N, $8.93 with Kobo discount code

Eutopia:  $8.45 at B&N, $6.47 with Kobo discount code

After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall:  $$8.49 at B&N, $5.00 with Kobo discount code

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that, unlike the old Borders coupons, the Kobo discount is off their already discounted price, not the list price, so the savings really added up!

[Tim40744]

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BrandieC wrote:

Doug, in addition to laureling you, I had to say thank you (although my wallet might disagree) for pointing out the Kobo coupon codes in the Books on the Knob blog.  I had subscribed to Karen's blog using my personal e-mail address, but I almost never check it; now, I've bookmarked her site so that I can check it regularly.  I got some great deals using some of her codes:

The Anatomy of Ghosts:  $16.74 at B&N, $8.52 with Kobo discount code

The Boy in the Suitcase:  $13.99 at B&N, $8.93 with Kobo discount code

Eutopia:  $8.45 at B&N, $6.47 with Kobo discount code

After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall:  $$8.49 at B&N, $5.00 with Kobo discount code

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that, unlike the old Borders coupons, the Kobo discount is off their already discounted price, not the list price, so the savings really added up!

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Thanks for the deals, Brandie. I noticed that all those books were cheaper than Amazon when using the code. What's really interesting is that two of them, Eutopia and After the Fall have no DRM. Kobo is directly competing against Amazon with those two.

ETA: Something Kobo should consider adding? On the books in DRM-free ePub, add a button "click here for Mobi format." They could do that...it would certainly get some attention. 

[Sun_Cat]

Another big thank-you to Doug for pointing out those Kobo discount codes at Books on the Knob. I just grabbed the current bestseller Imagine: How Creativity Works by Jonah Lehrer for $8.49 using the 45% off code -- regular B&N and Kobo price $14.99, but $9.59 for Kindle and on Google.

Does anyone know of a website that lets you easily compare ebook prices from all the major retailers?

[keriflur]

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Sun_Cat wrote:

Another big thank-you to Doug for pointing out those Kobo discount codes at Books on the Knob. I just grabbed the current bestseller Imagine: How Creativity Works by Jonah Lehrer for $8.49 using the 45% off code -- regular B&N and Kobo price $14.99, but $9.59 for Kindle and on Google.

Does anyone know of a website that lets you easily compare ebook prices from all the major retailers?

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Inkmesh.  It includes Kobobooks (the other one I know of does not), but obviously the coupon codes aren't applied to the price you'll see.  And a lot of time the info is stale.

I don't know if it includes Google, but as there's no link to "Free Google Books" in the free books section on the main page, I suspect Google isn't included in the search.

http://inkmesh.com/

[Sun_Cat]

Thanks for the Inkmesh link. It does look a bit outdated (no Google, does include Borders with links going to B&N). Hard to tell how current the prices are. Does anyone know of any others?

[Sun_Cat]

I found another one: Luzme. It lists Amazon, B&N, Google, Apple, Sony, and Kobo -- possibly more when available. It very nicely tells you when each listing was last checked for price. Here's a sample link for the book I mentioned buying above. You can see that most of the prices were checked recently.

[foxyTF]

Hi SunCat

In answer to your question about an website that compares e-book prices.  Booksonboard website guarantee to beat or match e-book prices.  I have bought e-books from them quite often and they are cheaper than B&N.  Give them a try, all their e-books can be loaded on the Nook.

www.booksonboard.com

[Sun_Cat]

@foxyTF: Thanks for the BooksOnBoard recommendation. I wasn't aware of that site.

However, I don't see any price comparison tool or listings there, and I also don't see any price-matching guarantee. Where did you get the idea that they would beat or match anyone's price?

I looked up the book I mentioned earlier in this thread (Imagine by Jonah Lehrer). BooksOnBoard has it for the same high price as Kobo and B&N ($14.99) where Google and Amazon have it for $9.59.

[A_Wilson]

SunCat,

I want to thank you for posting the info for the Luzme site.  I have been searching everywhere for something exactly like this!  Until you posted it I had no luck, most of the sites I found were specific to Amazon.  Now I can easily search for the best pricing for whatever eBook I am looking for.  Awesome!

Thanks Again! (If I could give you more than 1 laurel, I would)

[Sun_Cat]

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A_Wilson wrote:

SunCat,

I want to thank you for posting the info for the Luzme site.  I have been searching everywhere for something exactly like this!  Until you posted it I had no luck, most of the sites I found were specific to Amazon.  Now I can easily search for the best pricing for whatever eBook I am looking for.  Awesome!

Thanks Again! (If I could give you more than 1 laurel, I would)

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Thanks for the kind words and the laurel. I don't know why I haven't searched for something like this before, but I got lucky and found Luzme quickly. It looks as if it deserves more attention than it's received.

Did you notice that it has a watchlist feature? For each book on your list you can set a price, and Luzme will notify you when an actual retail price drops below your price. Very useful. No more checking your wish list every day!

[A_Wilson]

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Sun_Cat wrote:

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A_Wilson wrote:

SunCat,

I want to thank you for posting the info for the Luzme site.  I have been searching everywhere for something exactly like this!  Until you posted it I had no luck, most of the sites I found were specific to Amazon.  Now I can easily search for the best pricing for whatever eBook I am looking for.  Awesome!

Thanks Again! (If I could give you more than 1 laurel, I would)

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Thanks for the kind words and the laurel. I don't know why I haven't searched for something like this before, but I got lucky and found Luzme quickly. It looks as if it deserves more attention than it's received.

Did you notice that it has a watchlist feature? For each book on your list you can set a price, and Luzme will notify you when an actual retail price drops below your price. Very useful. No more checking your wish list every day!

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I didn't notice that yet.  Excitement!  I may have to transfer my entire wishlist over there, I'm tired of not only checking the one here everyday, but having to check several here every day (somehow while the whole wishlist for eBook debacle was going on, my list got split into 3 different lists. Oh, joy.)  Thanks for sharing.

[foxyTF]

SunCat

I retrieved the e-mail that was sent to me by BooksonBoard regarding the price matching, it was only for a limited time.  I do apologize.