Nook Daily Find... This is just wrong!

[AlanNJ Inspired Bibliophile]

I check the Nook Daily Find on a daily basis (now I'm getting email alerts).  Today's Daily Find is "Double Exposure" by Michael Lister.  I'm still not sure if I want this book but I did go to Amazon to check the reviews which were good.  The big surprise was that the Kindle version of this book was $2.99!  B&N's discounted price as a Daily Find was $3.99!  What's wrong with this picture?

Double Exposure  

[MacMcK1957]

Which makes one wonder...

Is B&N jacking up the price?

Is Amazon taking a loss?

Are publishers making sweetheart deals with Amazon to allow them to sell cheaper?

If it's the latter, I wonder if the publishers realize what position they would be in if they end up with only one possible sales outlet.

[whiteginger]

Below is the posting from Books on the Knob.  I check BotK almost everyday for deals (Thank you, Karen, for all your hard work!) and Kindle ALWAYS matches the B&N price on the NOOK Daily Find. This "lower" price from Amazon, however, is a first in the many months I've been checking the NOOK Daily Find from BotK. 

I would fault B&N for its higher price ONLY if the price for this book were already lower at Amazon before B&N set its own price for the NOOK Daily Find. I doubt that was the case.  Amazon usually "price matches" B&N's Daily offer.

Numerous posts and articles have been written and cited about Amazon's ability to sell at a loss in its attempt to control the ebook market.  I applaud B&N for competing with Amazon.  I think the time-line on these offers went something like this:  Amazon was offering the "Kindle Daily Deal"; B&N began offering the Nook Daily Find; then Amazon began to price match the Nook Daily Find. 

Both the K and N Daily offers are books published by other than the Big 6--which means sellers can name their own discounted prices.  But in pricing wars, Amazon, due to its size and diversity, has the distinct advantage.   I was very sorry to read that Amazon had undercut B&N's price for the NOOK Daily Deal today, but again, I did not fault B&N. 

from BotK:  

Double Exposure ($2.99 Kindle, $3.99 B&N), by Michael Lister, is the Nook Daily Find, which is better than price matched on Kindle. In addition, this book was free last November, so it's likely you already have it in your library.

Book Description
A 2010 Florida Book Award finalist!

One fateful fall evening, . . . . 

[AlanNJ Inspired Bibliophile]

I don't fault B&N but if Amazon can theoretically continue taking a loss then I honestly believe B&N is in deep trouble.  Amazon's pockets seem to be much deeper than B&N's.

[sirwillard]

Chances are, both are taking a loss on this one. Amazon is just taking a bigger loss in a price war with B&N. There's nothing "wrong" with this. Nothing to be shocked about, upset over, or even confused by. This is how businesses are run. It's how retailers try and lure you in to buy their other merchandise where they actually make a profit. Where they try and out price the competition in order to lure customers away. This is a good thing for customers, for the most part.

What might not be so good is one company becoming dominant enough that they can win these price wars often enough to squeeze the competition completely out, allowing them to control prices.

[Tim40744]

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AlanNJ wrote:

I don't fault B&N but if Amazon can theoretically continue taking a loss then I honestly believe B&N is in deep trouble.  Amazon's pockets seem to be much deeper than B&N's.

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I think the price for the book was originally $2.99 at Amazon. Arcadata lists the "deal" books from Amazon and B&N on Mobileread early each morning along with the competitor's price. Also, I noticed the book was in Amazon's Prime "Lending Library." That might be significant...I don't know.

[BrandieC]

@AlanNJ:

While I understand your original point, it is worth keeping in mind that this book was actually free on B&N back in November, so at least at that time, B&N beat Amazon's price.

[AlanNJ Inspired Bibliophile]

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Tim40744 wrote:

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AlanNJ wrote:

I don't fault B&N but if Amazon can theoretically continue taking a loss then I honestly believe B&N is in deep trouble.  Amazon's pockets seem to be much deeper than B&N's.

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I think the price for the book was originally $2.99 at Amazon. Arcadata lists the "deal" books from Amazon and B&N on Mobileread early each morning along with the competitor's price. Also, I noticed the book was in Amazon's Prime "Lending Library." That might be significant...I don't know.

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If Amazon's original price was $2.99 that makes things even worse since B&N's original price was $6.99.

[AlanNJ Inspired Bibliophile]

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BrandieC wrote:

@AlanNJ:

While I understand your original point, it is worth keeping in mind that this book was actually free on B&N back in November, so at least at that time, B&N beat Amazon's price.

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That's great but I dont' recall the book being free (somehow I may have missed it) but the fact that it was free 3 months ago really doesn't have much to do with it being a Daily Find now does it?

[BooksOnTheKnob]

First, thanks for reading! Second, there have been two or three books that Amazon hasn't matched, but not many. They even matched on that was posted on the nook page (and B&N actually linked to a different book that day). They've also beat B&N a few times (three that I can recall), but usually only by 20-50 cents). I think this particular one may have already been 2.99 on Kindle (as part of their $3.99 or less sale for the month), although I could be mistaken -- but it's still 2.99 today, so....)

[BooksOnTheKnob]

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BrandieC wrote:

@AlanNJ:

While I understand your original point, it is worth keeping in mind that this book was actually free on B&N back in November, so at least at that time, B&N beat Amazon's price.

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It was free in both stores last November (I have it in both accts).

[AlanNJ Inspired Bibliophile]

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BooksOnTheKnob wrote:

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BrandieC wrote:

@AlanNJ:

While I understand your original point, it is worth keeping in mind that this book was actually free on B&N back in November, so at least at that time, B&N beat Amazon's price.

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It was free in both stores last November (I have it in both accts).

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As I said, I missed it so wouldn't have been aware of it being free anywhere...

[keriflur]

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AlanNJ wrote:

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Tim40744 wrote:

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AlanNJ wrote:

I don't fault B&N but if Amazon can theoretically continue taking a loss then I honestly believe B&N is in deep trouble.  Amazon's pockets seem to be much deeper than B&N's.

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I think the price for the book was originally $2.99 at Amazon. Arcadata lists the "deal" books from Amazon and B&N on Mobileread early each morning along with the competitor's price. Also, I noticed the book was in Amazon's Prime "Lending Library." That might be significant...I don't know.

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If Amazon's original price was $2.99 that makes things even worse since B&N's original price was $6.99.

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How is this different from any other price discrepancy between Amazon and B&N?  Amazon is usually cheaper.  Amy I missing something about why this is significant?