TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home
News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics
How print on demand and e-books with social DRM could revolutionize the publishing industry
Monday, September 10th, 2007By Deena Fisher
Everyone knows that POD means vanity press, right? Say that to any reputable indie publisher and you just might end up with a black eye.
I’m holding a trade paperback POD in my right hand—well, I put it down to type, but I had it in my hand; and it looks to me indistinguishable from the offset printed book I had in my left hand except for the price, which is about a dollar higher. I’m sure that’s a red flag for some right there, but bear with me.
The same book, published electronically, sells for half the retail price online, a significant difference. That’s not always the case. Purchase an e-book copy of a hardback bestseller still on the NY Times list and you’re going to pay the same price.
The P/E price mystery
Why? Just why is an e-book the same price as a hardback? I was first annoyed and then amused when I read a comment posted to Engadget’s recent report about Amazon’s Kindle. The gist of it was: (more…)
