Ebook Prices

[naylorchic]

I also recommend kobobooks.com. You should also check them out on Twitter & Facebook b/c they post promo codes pretty often. As far as the publisher's getting message I'm not convinced this is the publishers. If it was I think kobo would have gone up as well. They haven't because I checked. I'm hoping BN will get the message if we go elsewhere. Now if kobo & amazon both start going up then I would blame the publishers. Until then I'm going to assume this was a BN decision.

[ReadingBum]

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jaydeyez wrote:

I found the same problem.  It really is unfortunate considering one of the major beenfits of having an ereader is not having to wait for the paperback to come out.  Now the ebook is more than the paperback will be, so it makes no sense to NOT wait for the paperback to come out once again.

THe high cost of hardcovers is due to the materials and cost of making the product.  What cost is oncluded in making an ebook?  Using the Copier?  I know it is more detailed than that, but really???  I think after paying $260 dollars for the device to read the books, the books should at least be $9.99 and below.

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And think about it.  We don't even own these books.  We're only liscensing them.  But yet we're still being charged more than a paper back and in some cases a hardcover.  That's ridiculous and far from fair. I'd rather them withold the ebook until the paperback comes out, then charge us a fair price!  I'll wait

[ReadingBum]

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naylorchic wrote:

I also recommend kobobooks.com. You should also check them out on Twitter & Facebook b/c they post promo codes pretty often. As far as the publisher's getting message I'm not convinced this is the publishers. If it was I think kobo would have gone up as well. They haven't because I checked. I'm hoping BN will get the message if we go elsewhere. Now if kobo & amazon both start going up then I would blame the publishers. Until then I'm going to assume this was a BN decision.

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I think B&N is kissing the publishers ass in this case.  But this is what the publishers want.  Just go to the Macmillian website, on their front page they talk about how they want prices higher on ebooks.

[Delenn1]

Whatever business model the publishing industry comes up with as long as they continue to treat eBooks the same as physical books in regards to pricing, I think there will be a lot less high priced eBooks sold and possible a boycott on that publisher books in general.

Why buy an eBook at $14.00, when you can buy a deep discounted hardcover for the same price. It's just idiotic that they just don't get it.

A consumer will only pay what he/she considers a fair price and in this economy, we want as much bang for our bucks as we can get.  Just because eBooks are the hottest trend doesn't mean a consumer is just going to jump and willing overpay for an eBook. Hey we will do without, go to the library or borrow it from a friend.

I gage my buying based on whose go the best price (fictionwise.com, bookonboard.com, ereader.com)

Hardcover $24.99/Ebook $9.99 (Usually don't purchase to many)

Mass Market $7.99/Ebook $6.39 (Purchase many)

Older Paperback $7.99/eBook $5.59 (Purchase many)

[brananna]

I, too, am shocked and hugely disappointed in the large, sudden jump in prices.  I went to purchase a book on my wishlist today, to find it had increased by $7!!  Sorry, not buying it now, B&N.  I have already used Overdrive through my library quite successfully, and will continue to do so, as well as get books from other, more reasonably priced sites, like kobobooks.  I've gotten two different coupon offers from them this week, both of which I've used.  No way will I pay the exorbitant prices B&N has just surprised us with. 

[naylorchic]

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brananna wrote:

I, too, am shocked and hugely disappointed in the large, sudden jump in prices.  I went to purchase a book on my wishlist today, to find it had increased by $7!!  Sorry, not buying it now, B&N.  I have already used Overdrive through my library quite successfully, and will continue to do so, as well as get books from other, more reasonably priced sites, like kobobooks.  I've gotten two different coupon offers from them this week, both of which I've used.  No way will I pay the exorbitant prices B&N has just surprised us with. 

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I haven't gotten any codes from them this week, and haven't seen any on Twitter or FB. Do you mind if I ask what they are? Did u get them in email? I could have sworn I signed up for their email list.

[brananna]

naylorchic, the first kobobooks code is "GET250" which gives you $2.50 off any book at kobo.  I actually think I saw this one as an ad on my e-mail account.  The other one was e-mailed to me, and it is "3daysale" which gives you $1 off each of your next 3 ebooks until Thurs, Feb 18.

If B&N ran coupons like this, I'd totally use them.  I've had my nook for two weeks, and so far I haven't purchased anything through B&N (unless you count the free books).  I was going to make my first B&N purchase today, but not after seeing the price go from $9.99 to $16.21.  Are they counting on new users who don't know what the old prices were?!  Many, if not most, people will still shop around to compare prices.  I only went with nook after I saw their ebook prices start to fall more in line with Amazon at the end of last year.  It sounds like we probably have Apple and the ibook store to thank for all of this.

[naylorchic]

Thanks a bunch brananna (no pun intended). I love kobobooks. I'm kinda bummed I didn't get the coupons though. I tried to sign up, & it said I already had. Not sure what happened, but thanks again!

[saukko]

I'd like to blame this all on dinosuar publisher's but the reality is, of 5 books I've checked in the last 1/2 hour , all of them are $5.00 cheaper at the Kindle store- B & N isn't even trying to match prices anymore

[Delenn1]

While I have purchased some eBooks from B &N, any books in a running series I have continued to use the site I have always purchased from. (fictionwise.com, ereader.com and BooksonBoard.com)

Here's something to think about..

The option to purchase from B & N is a plus, but eBooks can be purchased from a number of sites and be side-loaded or borrowed from the library. Shop around for the best price. When the numbers for eBook purchases starts to fall or the higher end prices don't sell as much, we can only hope that they get the message.  It's just made me more selective in the books that I buy from B & N  and how I pay for them.

Hopefully B & N will extend the functionality that they have for their eBook store purchases to side-loaded content and make the whole experiences seem transparent regardless of where the book was originally purchased from.

While Amazon may have a great price for an eBook, the unit does not lend itself to other sites content easily.

[bklvr896]

I just checked one book and it has gone up on several sites.  It now ranges from $9.99 (at Amazon), to $12.99 at the Sony Site, a couple of sites want $25.00 for it and B&N is now asking $18.57 (more than the hardback).

Since I've been visiting those other sites, with the exception of Fictionwise, which always appears expensive to me, it looks the other sites prices are also going up.

Here's an interesting article on the Amazon/MacMillan battle and Apple's decision to use the Agency Model for its books.  If this is even remotely true, we may see Amazon's prices increasing also.

http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20100131/amazon-gives-in-to-macmillan-and-apple-and-e-book-prices-wi...

What I think will ultimately happen is that new releases will go up to between $12-$14 dollars.  Many of us will resist and not buy them, but eventually, we'll get used to it and accept it.  As long as prices are consistent between retailers, I can live with $12-14 for a new release except that with B&N coupons I can generally preorder a hardback for cheaper.  But part of my problem and the reason I went to the Nook is space.  And I try not to buy hardbacks, but either wait for the library, look at used book stores or wait for the paperback.  What I don't think I can accept is the ebook priced higher than the paperback.

[saukko]

Exactly - I can see the logic of pricing ebooks at a bit less than the current cheapest release - some people will pay that amount, some wont. But to price ebooks ABOVE the price of a paper copy assumes that consumers will view the ebook format as a value add. And you know what- it might be if it were a DRM free copy that I could use in exactly the same way I can use a paper book. But at least when buying from B&N, Amazon, etc its not - its actually just purchasing a limited license.

      No matter  how they spin it, I doubt many consumers are ever going to get behind paying more for a license file than an actual book; and in many cases probably making that purchase from another vendor

[FrogAlum]

No doubt it's the publishers, I ran a search on The Shining through AddAll...  Check out the list price, it's $35!  At least through FictionWise you get a 100% micro rebate for NYT best sellers and other rebates at different times...  I've built up quite a balance so I'm good for a while and other books from authors I enjoy but didn't purchase, I've picked up through Overdrive.

[bayboatin]

I agree - I will not purchase ebooks for more than $9.99. I haven't been reading the last few years due to being in school again so I have a lot of catching up to do with my favorite authors. I will still get them from B & N as long as the prices is less. So far, I have gotten quite a few FREE ebooks from them and will continue - if I want something new that is too expensive, I will go somewhere else.

[saukko]

iYes, t looks like some publishers are actively trying to discourage ebook use by pricing. If B&N reads thes forums one lesson they should take from Amazon is posting the publishers "suggested" list prices

( for The Shining $35.00 ) Posting the incredible prices publishers want to charge would go a long way towards deflecting consumer ire where it should be pointed

[illmunkeys]

Publishers have, in one fell swoop, destroyed the eBook industry.

I would accept dynamic pricing, with a pricing scheme like so:

• start out at the $14 range (despite those ridiculous 25-30 suggested price, most HardCover books sell < 20)
• minor price drop in a few months (probably that important $9.99 price point)
• major price drop when the paperback hits the shelves (lower than the paperback price or you're just being stupid).

Prior to this pricing fiasco, I purchased 21 new books in < 3 months.  21 eBooks that the publisher sees a cut of.  Used book stores and the library are going to be seeing me once again.  Publishers will go back to getting my 2-4 new purchases a year (depends on if one of my current favorite authors releases a new book).

[DenisePW]

This sneak price increase is INSANE!  Have they lost their minds?  I seem to smell some false advertising here....where have the $9.99's gone?  I think the publishers are beyond greedy.   Now they want us to pay as much for a LICENSE to read an ebook as you would for a hardcover book.  Wait a minute.  I can lend that hardcover book over & over & over & over.  Can I do that with my ebook?  No I cannot. Seem they are jumping on a popularity wagon here. 

AND, wait...since all the retailers are capitulating to the publishers, can we spell ANTITRUST???

I love the convenience of the wireless bn purchases, but it's certainly not worth paying even CLOSE to hardcover prices.

So, what's the concensus:  where are the best ebook prices? Ereader?  Kob

The second question:  Other than one's local library system, are there public ebook libraries?  That is, with "retail" content, such as NYT bestsellers, etc? 

It really infuriates me that we are being ripped off like this.....it's awful.  Denise

[saukko]

What makes it even crazier is that the prices are often MORE than the physical copy- this is especially true if

there is a paperback edition, with the price licensing an ebook costing several dollars more-  I'm hoping that some of this is just temporary, because if not B&N is about to lose a lot of sales to outside vendors

[sandisadie]

Add me to the list of those who will not pay these insane prices for an ebook!!!  I've lost all faith in B&N!  I've been a customer for years, but that appears to be over!  I think I'll just pretend I lost that $270.00 at the casino! 

[ReadingBum]

I'll be buying my books from Kobo from now on.  Unless the book is at a fair and reasonable price, I won't be buying any ebooks from B&N.  I'll also refuse to buy any books from B&N stores or even order any on B&N.com.  If I need a hardcover or paperback, I'll use amazon. Also I'll try my best to steer people away from Nook.  I really loved the thing and I was ragging on my kindle using friends, now they're laughing at me for good reason.