Pricing

[gb18]

...."they are selling the books at the price that people are willing to pay".....

The above is the key and always is in a free market.  Someday soon, real books and book stores will go the way of record stores, video stores, etc.  Then, what will we be willing to pay?  More important, what will have been the cost?  Worth it or not, it will happen.

[gb18]

For a hint of the possible future, see this link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44930426/ns/business-us_business/#.Tpxsdxecput

[gb18]

From another thread......

great news!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2016944334_apeuebooksantitrustprobe.html

[doncr]

BN has said publicly that they prefer the Agency pricing model for eBooks.  This should come as no surprise as the demise of the Agency pricing model could eventually put BN out of business.  Diversified competitors such as Amazon will be able to offer eBook discounts and deals (subsidized by their other more profitable portions of their online business) that BN would likely not be able to match.

[VAharleygirl]

While I have no problem w/ the "agencies" prohibiting constant discounting of "PB" priced items, it would be very nice to be able to use my B&N-membership to get at least the 10% discount I get on other products, as well as the occasional coupon.

Again - i don't get why the publishing houses are willing to allow for various discounts on current & new-release paper-books, but are so against discounts on e-sellers. Having a one-use "This Weekend only! All (even 1-publisher) books are 20% off" or "20% off your total purchase" would be nice. And I'd buy a lot more "mainstream" books, as well as go into the back-list & update my current paper-library into e-Format, as I need to cut down how many books I have due to lack of room.

[orb9220]

Simple answer. As business never does something just for the customer. Without something in it for themselves. Cloaked in the "Doing something for the Customer" Camouflage.

It Has Been and will always Be about Greed.

Books or any other product going on sale means generating more income and profit for them. Either to generate more sales on a title that is lagging or discounting one title in a series to hook you into buying the rest of the series.

As long as current prices are generating satsifactory profit margins and demand is high. Then they have no reason to Do something for the customer.

.

[bklvr896]

---

orb9220 wrote:

Simple answer. As business never does something just for the customer. Without something in it for themselves. Cloaked in the "Doing something for the Customer" Camouflage.

It Has Been and will always Be about Greed.

Books or any other product going on sale means generating more income and profit for them. Either to generate more sales on a title that is lagging or discounting one title in a series to hook you into buying the rest of the series.

As long as current prices are generating satsifactory profit margins and demand is high. Then they have no reason to Do something for the customer.

.

---

Why is making a profit considered greed?  If you owned stock in B&N or a publishing house, wouldn't you want them to make a profit?  If businesses don't make a profit, they go out of business.

[orb9220]

---

bklvr896 wrote:

---

orb9220 wrote:

Simple answer. As business never does something just for the customer. Without something in it for themselves. Cloaked in the "Doing something for the Customer" Camouflage.

It Has Been and will always Be about Greed.

Books or any other product going on sale means generating more income and profit for them. Either to generate more sales on a title that is lagging or discounting one title in a series to hook you into buying the rest of the series.

As long as current prices are generating satsifactory profit margins and demand is high. Then they have no reason to Do something for the customer.

.

---

Why is making a profit considered greed?  If you owned stock in B&N or a publishing house, wouldn't you want them to make a profit?  If businesses don't make a profit, they go out of business.

---

Maybe the problem isn't profit per se, but the amount of profit. And at some point is obscene on what the top get compared to the bottom that makes the profit possible. Workers In debt,2 jobs to make the rent. Medical benefits or company retirement plans that the company tries to wiggle out of obligation to the workers.

One could argue that ridiculously high profits could not have been acquired without some exploitation, some wrong-doing: if there's that much profit, that much difference between expense and revenue, then either your prices are too high or your wages and lack of benifits to the employees are too low.

And for me No it is not alright to make profit for your Board & Stockholders Happy at the expense of the workers.

Greed to me is Profit to the top and  share holders. While the employess can't maintain health coverage or their 401k have drowned by the very profitable companies investing the monies on their behalf and their shareholders benefit and dribbles to the employee investors that have no control or say where the monies get invested.

I don't have a problem with profit. Just those that mislabel Greed in the guise of Profit. As far as businessess I have seen and worked with there is no distinction! And seem always never satsified to the amount of profit per quarter. And all that energy and talk about profits I wonder how much energy is discussing possible employee raises and increased benefits? Or steady increase and growth in Profits never seems to translate all the way down the corparate ladder.

.

[patgolfneb]

I don't think there are many absolutes here. There has to be a balance between various interests. Part of this is ethical behavior. Business leaders who act as if their only obligation is to maximize profits are morally bankrupt, especially when they hide behind or manipulate laws and regulations to gamble with investors money and the fruits of employees labor. Investors who demand unrealistic returns, with never a down quarter are part of the problem also. Some unions are rigid or refuse to acknowledge that one good year doesn't justify  huge pay increases. Of course the modern attitude of treating employees as if they are the equivalent of electrical expense, or serfs always demanding they do more with less in tiny cubicles while higher ups receive rewards completely out of proportion to their contributions doesn't engender loyalty. I don't see much reason to believe BN is a lot better or worse than other companies. I do know as a consumer that we need to do a better job of defining value by more than just the absolute lowest price. The ability to receive nook assistance in store is an expense, especially if it exceeds the most basic stuff.  Will you be able to get competent assistance for minimum wage?  A significant part of Amazons price advantage has been helping customers avoid sales taxes.  The internet is no longer a fledging sales channel. We as consumers must be willing to accept our obligations also. I do believe execs in many businesses and their boards are the worst offenders, but they are hardly the only ones rationalizing selfish behavior.

[orb9220]

"I do know as a consumer that we need to do a better job of defining value by more than just the absolute lowest price. The ability to receive nook assistance in store is an expense, especially if it exceeds the most basic stuff."

Yep I was willing to pay more for that option of  a walk in help. And tho minimum wage where helpful and a couple where even geek like whizes with knowledge and helpful. And do get miffed with spoiled consumers that have entitlement issues.

And yep agree that the degree of which companies & government have gotten away with is our fault of lazy apathetic inaction and the irresponsible behaviour of the masses to become active in our society.And to step up to there responsiblities to each other as a society and be heard and hold companies or government accountable for their actions.

I guess it easier for me to take pot-shots at the top of the thrones. Identifing the Bad Guy is a lot easier.

As blaming the majority Us for the problems makes me feel so inadequate and impotent.

.

[gb18]

The great ebook price swindle.....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/dec/23/ebook-price-swindle-publishing

[AndyQ_WI]

Let me start out by saying I love my Nook Color and I love e-books.  But I have been waiting a year for the price of Jim Butchers "Ghost story" to come down in price.  It started out as $14.99 for the Nook version, and now 4 Days before the release of the $9.99 paper back it jumped to $19.99?   I realize B&N has not controll over this, but Penguin Books is gouging us all!  I am half tempeted to go to the libary.  I will probably by the paperback, but my enjoyment of my nook is tranished!

[orb9220]

---

AndyQ_WI wrote:

Let me start out by saying I love my Nook Color and I love e-books.  But I have been waiting a year for the price of Jim Butchers "Ghost story" to come down in price.  It started out as $14.99 for the Nook version, and now 4 Days before the release of the $9.99 paper back it jumped to $19.99?   I realize B&N has not controll over this, but Penguin Books is gouging us all!  I am half tempeted to go to the libary.  I will probably by the paperback, but my enjoyment of my nook is tranished!

---

I Hear you and agree. Why I rolled my own CM7 card and have the Kindle app installed. As I want as many as possible competive pricing choices for my ebooks.

But the agency model has really put a damper on fair & competive pricing. And forced me to do more researching independent authors out there and more reading free older classics out there.

I will never pay more than $9.99 for an ebook.  That's my limit. Meet it or you lost a sale. Simple as that. Wish more people that are feeling gouged would just say No instead of grumbling as they click on the Buy button. If you feel it's a good buy and worth the price than by all means give the button a click and enjoy the read. But many books for me aren't worth the asking price.

.

.

[NookGardener]

---

AndyQ_WI wrote:

Let me start out by saying I love my Nook Color and I love e-books.  But I have been waiting a year for the price of Jim Butchers "Ghost story" to come down in price.  It started out as $14.99 for the Nook version, and now 4 Days before the release of the $9.99 paper back it jumped to $19.99?   I realize B&N has not controll over this, but Penguin Books is gouging us all!  I am half tempeted to go to the libary.  I will probably by the paperback, but my enjoyment of my nook is tranished!

---

Have been watching this title since you pointed this out.  Yesterday morning (when paperback went on sale), was still listed as $19.99 in ebook format by the big four sellers (Amazon, B&N, Kobo and Sony).  But this morning, 8/8/12, has been reduced to $9.99 on both Amazon and B&N.  Hopefully it was just a typo on the part of the publisher!  (And hurray!  B&N wasn't the last one to update the price!)

 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ghost-story-jim-butcher/1100249744?ean=9781101476178

[shadowcat80]

I use giftcards to budget my purchases so pricing doesn't bother me.  Plus thinking about on the publisher's side you spent in my case 160 for a device they figure you will spend whatever to get it loaded with the content they have

[BruceMcF]

---

gb18 wrote:

...."they are selling the books at the price that people are willing to pay".....

The above is the key and always is in a free market.  Someday soon, real books and book stores will go the way of record stores, video stores, etc.  Then, what will we be willing to pay?  More important, what will have been the cost?  Worth it or not, it will happen.

---

For one alternative to brick and mortar bookstores closing, see Rocket Bomber.

[5ivedom]

There's a lot of truth to this - ...."they are selling the books at the price that people are willing to pay".....

Also they are pricing ebooks very high to try and slow down the move to ebooks.

Right now the Big 6 have a large share (perhaps 50% or more) of the books people want to buy (50% or more share of new good books that come out).

As this share starts becoming less (as more good indie authors get recognition) they will be forced to meet the moving market.

However, they are going to continue to have ridiculous prices as long as they have a large share of the books people WANT and are WILLING TO PAY FOR.

I think the only way to change things is to have a boycott of books over $9.99. If everyone sticks to it then it'll have enough impact that Publishers will be forced to reduce prices. Right now people are waffling and that allows Publishers to continue to charge ridiculous prices.

[BruceMcF]

---

5ivedom wrote:

I think the only way to change things is to have a boycott of books over $9.99. If everyone sticks to it then it'll have enough impact that Publishers will be forced to reduce prices. Right now people are waffling and that allows Publishers to continue to charge ridiculous prices.

---

I'd thought I was 14st being cheap. Now I find out I was just boycotting books over $10. Woot ¡Viva La Revolución! ♪♫♪♫♪

[gb18]

"The company has lowered average selling prices to compete with retailers such as Amazon...."

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/672fc166-eb86-11e1-9356-00144feab49a.html

[keriflur]

---

gb18 wrote:

"The company has lowered average selling prices to compete with retailers such as Amazon...."

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/672fc166-eb86-11e1-9356-00144feab49a.html

---

FT won't let me read without subscribing.  Any chance you could post the main points?  I'm rather curious.