Comments on: E-book payback, costs and more http://www.teleread.org/2009/02/06/e-book-payback-costs-and-more/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:25:26 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jack Tingle http://www.teleread.org/2009/02/06/e-book-payback-costs-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-1011081 Jack Tingle Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:02:01 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=16598#comment-1011081 Baen is an example of a non-clueless publisher. I buy a significant number of books from them because of thier track record of reliability, and their lack of DRM. Since I tend to buy ala carte, I wind up paying $3-7 for thier paperback-equivalent ebooks. I have no problem with this. An ebook and a mass-market-paperback are probably similar in overall value and cost. [1] It is amusing that "great literature" is free from Project Gutenberg, and publishers like Harper-Collins wants $$$ for "garbage". Quotes reflect the views of the literati, not the author. :) Yes, I read mostly garbage. My English-major son and sister assure me of that. ;) Regards, Jack Tingle [1] The cost of printing, physical distribution, and returns are probably similar to the cost of conversions, servers, and tech support. Both are cheap compared to editorial, marketing, and royalty costs. Baen is an example of a non-clueless publisher. I buy a significant number of books from them because of thier track record of reliability, and their lack of DRM. Since I tend to buy ala carte, I wind up paying $3-7 for thier paperback-equivalent ebooks.

I have no problem with this. An ebook and a mass-market-paperback are probably similar in overall value and cost. [1]

It is amusing that “great literature” is free from Project Gutenberg, and publishers like Harper-Collins wants $$$ for “garbage”. Quotes reflect the views of the literati, not the author. :) Yes, I read mostly garbage. My English-major son and sister assure me of that. ;)

Regards,
Jack Tingle

[1] The cost of printing, physical distribution, and returns are probably similar to the cost of conversions, servers, and tech support. Both are cheap compared to editorial, marketing, and royalty costs.

]]> By: Rich Adin http://www.teleread.org/2009/02/06/e-book-payback-costs-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-1010554 Rich Adin Sat, 07 Feb 2009 16:10:52 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=16598#comment-1010554 I recently wrote HarperCollins about the disparate pricing of the recently released fantasy novel by Fiona McIntosh. I faced the same problem Turner did with HC. On its website HC said the book was available in both pbook and ebook for $7.99. I tried to buy the ebook but couldn't. Eventually, HC gave me a link to the ebook but the price was $14.99 (discounted to $11.99). I wrote and asked about the pricing and was told that they appreciated my concern and would pass on the information. I asked HC to let me know when the ebook would be available for the $7.99 + the 20% discount. I also said it made no sense for me to pay more for an ebook I didn't own because of DRM than for a pbook that I did own and that if the pricing was not at least comparable, I would not buy the book in any version. To this I received absolutely no response. Unfortunately, the real loser is the author Fiona McIntosh. I have found that once I am thwarted in buying an author's book, I tend to move on and forget about the author altogether, which means I stop buying the author's books. I suspect other readers are the same, especially with the increasing number of authors one can choose among. I recently wrote HarperCollins about the disparate pricing of the recently released fantasy novel by Fiona McIntosh. I faced the same problem Turner did with HC. On its website HC said the book was available in both pbook and ebook for $7.99. I tried to buy the ebook but couldn’t. Eventually, HC gave me a link to the ebook but the price was $14.99 (discounted to $11.99). I wrote and asked about the pricing and was told that they appreciated my concern and would pass on the information.

I asked HC to let me know when the ebook would be available for the $7.99 + the 20% discount. I also said it made no sense for me to pay more for an ebook I didn’t own because of DRM than for a pbook that I did own and that if the pricing was not at least comparable, I would not buy the book in any version. To this I received absolutely no response.

Unfortunately, the real loser is the author Fiona McIntosh. I have found that once I am thwarted in buying an author’s book, I tend to move on and forget about the author altogether, which means I stop buying the author’s books. I suspect other readers are the same, especially with the increasing number of authors one can choose among.

]]> By: Liviu http://www.teleread.org/2009/02/06/e-book-payback-costs-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-1010426 Liviu Sat, 07 Feb 2009 04:25:38 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=16598#comment-1010426 Actually what I liked the most was the post "Harper Collins are STILL Clueless Morons" linked there. Not that anyone interested in e-books does not know it, but it's good to see the reasons why HC are clueless on ebooks explained relatively patiently and point to point. Actually what I liked the most was the post

“Harper Collins are STILL Clueless Morons” linked there.

Not that anyone interested in e-books does not know it, but it’s good to see the reasons why HC are clueless on ebooks explained relatively patiently and point to point.

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