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 Penguin Random House jacked up ebook prices

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T O P I C    R E V I E W
Ialdaas Posted - 03 Mar 2016 : 16:18:25
so i get ready to Pre-purchase the upcoming R.A Salvatore book...but wait whats this...the price for the ebook has shot up ~10$ past the hardback price...so i go back and look at the last book i bought (Ashes of the Tyrant by Erin M. Evans) bought 12/29/15 for 14.90$...now that book is 27$ too...

unfortunately amazon lost the control of setting prices for ebooks and publishers such as penguin random house thinks its ok to pull this kinda crap.

im goin to be nice here and just say...what are you thinking?...I mean really what are you all thinking!?!

i dont mind paying 1-2$ more then paperback for the Convenience but if you think im paying 10-20$ more over paperback...no..just no.

so post below tell me what u think...thank u
30   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
DragonReader Posted - 08 Apr 2016 : 14:34:59
quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker

Good progress, but not far enough.

I will not pay $15 for an Ebook, I'll just go back to buying secondhand.....which benefits the publisher zero dollars. Their greed has forced me out of the realms fiction for this long, I can now stay where I am a few years behind and save my former realms budget for a tesla 3



The problem with the $15 pricing is I think it might hurt newer authors. I probably wouldn't pay that if I am not sure I will like the author or the book (I'd wait for the paperback to bring the ebook price down). However, for an author I know and like I am perfectly willing to pay this (although the old amazon pricing of $9.99 was better for my budget).
DragonReader Posted - 08 Apr 2016 : 14:29:20
quote:
Originally posted by Caolin

quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

This makes me wonder if there was some sort of behind-the-scenes conflict going on, which caused the price increase.

This is pure speculation; I have no facts for or against that idea.



Frankly I think it's Amazon's pricing given that they have the List Pricing crossed out. Maybe there is some deal where Amazon can't drop the price until a certain time? Seems dumb though.



Amazon does not set the price of ebooks anymore. The publishers do.
DragonReader Posted - 08 Apr 2016 : 14:28:19
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

This makes me wonder if there was some sort of behind-the-scenes conflict going on, which caused the price increase.

This is pure speculation; I have no facts for or against that idea.



R.A. Salvatore said on twitter that the price increase was "just an internal snafu."
Caolin Posted - 07 Apr 2016 : 18:26:45
quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal

quote:
Originally posted by Caolin

Yeah, I prefer eBooks and I think that the $15 price point for the traditional hardcover release is the best we will get at this point. Although I perfectly understand anyone wanting to boycott because of the price.



But if you have power outage, you can not read ebook. Paper or hard cover you can read by candle light if needed.

In the over all view none last forever, books though can hold up for thirty years (even longer), how long the kindle, pdf, etc. file be maintained? How large an electronic file can be maintained, hard drives fail and so on.

Not counting the production costs, at least right ebooks now are lower cost. As long as internet does not cost much, the only major cost is production of the ebook. No paper, no shipping, no distributor costs (oh except webmaster). Of course royalties apply, however they apply to both print or electronic, so no difference there.



I'm generally not in the habit of planning for such disasters. I've never lost power for more than a few hours and my iPad could go a day or two without recharge if I was just using the Kindle app.
Artemas Entreri Posted - 07 Apr 2016 : 00:40:33
quote:
Originally posted by Fellfire

And unless you've candles you couldn't read anyway



They produce their own light as well...
Wooly Rupert Posted - 07 Apr 2016 : 00:28:42
There are advantages to books in dead tree format, and there are advantages to ebooks. Either way, it's still going to be a personal preference, and it's not something we really need to argue about.
Fellfire Posted - 06 Apr 2016 : 23:07:00
And unless you've candles you couldn't read anyway
Artemas Entreri Posted - 06 Apr 2016 : 22:11:09
quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal

quote:
Originally posted by Caolin

Yeah, I prefer eBooks and I think that the $15 price point for the traditional hardcover release is the best we will get at this point. Although I perfectly understand anyone wanting to boycott because of the price.



But if you have power outage, you can not read ebook.



E-readers like Kindles are charged, they don't have to be directly plugged-in to work.
Kentinal Posted - 06 Apr 2016 : 21:59:21
quote:
Originally posted by Caolin

Yeah, I prefer eBooks and I think that the $15 price point for the traditional hardcover release is the best we will get at this point. Although I perfectly understand anyone wanting to boycott because of the price.



But if you have power outage, you can not read ebook. Paper or hard cover you can read by candle light if needed.

In the over all view none last forever, books though can hold up for thirty years (even longer), how long the kindle, pdf, etc. file be maintained? How large an electronic file can be maintained, hard drives fail and so on.

Not counting the production costs, at least right ebooks now are lower cost. As long as internet does not cost much, the only major cost is production of the ebook. No paper, no shipping, no distributor costs (oh except webmaster). Of course royalties apply, however they apply to both print or electronic, so no difference there.
Caolin Posted - 06 Apr 2016 : 21:11:13
Yeah, I prefer eBooks and I think that the $15 price point for the traditional hardcover release is the best we will get at this point. Although I perfectly understand anyone wanting to boycott because of the price.
Wooly Rupert Posted - 06 Apr 2016 : 15:58:09
If I was into ebooks, and it was either ebook or hardcover, I'd prolly pay $15 for an ebook. It's cheaper than a hardcover, though pricier than a paperback -- but that's not really relevant when there isn't a paperback version.

So my opinion is that $15 is reasonable in this scenario... Assuming you do ebooks. I remain resistant to ebooks; I've read plenty of them, but I greatly prefer dead tree format.
The Red Walker Posted - 06 Apr 2016 : 14:53:05
Good progress, but not far enough.

I will not pay $15 for an Ebook, I'll just go back to buying secondhand.....which benefits the publisher zero dollars. Their greed has forced me out of the realms fiction for this long, I can now stay where I am a few years behind and save my former realms budget for a tesla 3
Caolin Posted - 06 Apr 2016 : 03:41:37
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

This makes me wonder if there was some sort of behind-the-scenes conflict going on, which caused the price increase.

This is pure speculation; I have no facts for or against that idea.



Frankly I think it's Amazon's pricing given that they have the List Pricing crossed out. Maybe there is some deal where Amazon can't drop the price until a certain time? Seems dumb though.
Wooly Rupert Posted - 05 Apr 2016 : 18:50:32
This makes me wonder if there was some sort of behind-the-scenes conflict going on, which caused the price increase.

This is pure speculation; I have no facts for or against that idea.
DragonReader Posted - 05 Apr 2016 : 17:19:27
they have thankfully dropped the prices of all the books back down. I can now get Ashes of the Tyrant.
Lamora Posted - 05 Apr 2016 : 02:10:23
Yeah, I just looked it up and saw a nice $15. Why did they piss people off by having it $27 for so many weeks? Seems to be bad business no matter how you look at it. At least I can buy the E-book now. I wasn't paying $27 on principle for an E-book.
Caolin Posted - 04 Apr 2016 : 07:34:56
I was wondering if the price would drop before release. Seems like it did. Still not sure why they play that game.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BRFKMGI/ref=s9_newr_gw_d99_g351_i1_r?ie=UTF8&fpl=fresh&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-3&pf_rd_r=0WABCTSMS1H2TVKVRK62&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2437869462&pf_rd_i=desktop
Caolin Posted - 24 Mar 2016 : 04:42:19
I found this response from a Quora question that someone posed about the price hike on eBooks.

quote:

It's because of the switch to the "agency model" of selling e-books, which started at the end of March. Under the agency model, publishers set the price, and retailers like Amazon take a commission on sales to readers. This contrasts with the previous "retail model" of selling e-books, in which publishers sell to retailers and retailers sell to customers at the price they choose. Under the earlier retail model, Amazon had been buying e-books from publishers for about $13 and selling them for $9.99 to gain market share and encourage Kindle sales.



Bottom line, it's greed by the publishers and an attempt to rest back market control from Amazon. But in the end it's just going to kill the publishing industry.
Sothron Posted - 20 Mar 2016 : 03:41:59
Is there any stated reason why this insanity is allowed to exist? I simply cannot understand how any business would charge 10 dollars or so more for an ELECTRONIC FILE aka E-book than an actual hardcover book. Did Penguin House make some kind of deal with their printing service that is so bad that they have to justify forcing customers to buy hardcovers over e-book?

It astounds me. I am already upset that Black Library for the Warhammer/Warhammer 40k IPs has over the last three years rocketed up the cost on their e-books for absolutely zero justification.
Artemas Entreri Posted - 19 Mar 2016 : 12:29:20
quote:
Originally posted by arctic79

The only price i have seen on Amazon is for hardcover. I see no kindle/ebook price. Am i missing something?



If an ebook option is available it will be right next to the other print versions on Amazon.
arctic79 Posted - 19 Mar 2016 : 04:48:37
The only price i have seen on Amazon is for hardcover. I see no kindle/ebook price. Am i missing something?
DragonReader Posted - 10 Mar 2016 : 14:08:27
Actually does anyone have an email address or somethng for WOTC's customer service?

I find their website maddening. At one point I created an account, but I forgot my password and the recover password link won't recognize my email. I tried siging up again but it says my email is already in use (even though recover password link says no account with that password exists).

DragonReader Posted - 10 Mar 2016 : 13:57:48
quote:
Originally posted by Tanthalas

Hard to understand their reasoning.

I can understand having e-books at the same price of hardcovers when books release


Especially since their pricing is way higher than other publishers (including Penguin Random House). Typically new releases run 11.99 to 14.99 in ebook. That is what baffles me. I was really hoping it was a glitch or mistake but given how long the prices have been that high, I guess not.

Lamora Posted - 09 Mar 2016 : 19:59:46
The thing I just don't get is that I can get a hardcover for $18, but an Ebook for $27. Where the hell is the logic in that? I will just order the hardback for almost ten dollars cheaper. I don't understand why they would make such a stupid decision. From an economical standpoint, upping the prices like that doesn't make any sense. It will only tank their e-book sells. Whatever. No more FR e-books I guess.
The Red Walker Posted - 09 Mar 2016 : 18:38:52
Well all i know is, that for the first time since I read Darkwalker on Moonshae, there are newly published realms fictions that I have not purchased. Multiple books.

That can't be a great sign, unless I'm the only loyal reader who has had to give up realms fiction? And I bet I'm not.
Mirtek Posted - 08 Mar 2016 : 13:49:38
quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal The only way to know if a boycott works is if price drops or they stop selling ebooks.
and if neither happens, the price is working for them.

Actual production/distribution cost is only part of a price.

If people are willing to pay premium für an extra convenient version, it will be charged accordingly even when the cost if the convenient Version is actually less than that of the classical Version.

At other times, if things go badly or to secure a market in the first place, products have to be sold below their cost
Kentinal Posted - 08 Mar 2016 : 13:39:19
quote:
Originally posted by Mirtek

quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal

Boycotts however rarely work because enough will pay the high price because they want it sooner then what a successful boycott would provide after a wait in time for the lower cost.
Then this proves the price was actually set at the right level, since enough customers agree that it's worth it and are willing to pay this amount of money



We are not receiving sales numbers, so hard to know how well the price is set. The only way to know if a boycott works is if price drops or they stop selling ebooks. Not that I expect that any company would stop selling ebooks. They after all cost less to reprint then a paper book.
Mirtek Posted - 08 Mar 2016 : 12:56:56
quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal

Boycotts however rarely work because enough will pay the high price because they want it sooner then what a successful boycott would provide after a wait in time for the lower cost.
Then this proves the price was actually set at the right level, since enough customers agree that it's worth it and are willing to pay this amount of money
Tanthalas Posted - 07 Mar 2016 : 20:41:40
Hard to understand their reasoning.

I can understand having e-books at the same price of hardcovers when books release, that's probably a demand of the brick and mortar stores to carry the physical versions (same happens with videogames). But pricing them at higher prices? They must believe that people will either not notice or buy them anyway because they're hooked on e-books.

If they're really using the argument that digital books last longer than physical books... they must believe their readers are idiots.
Kentinal Posted - 07 Mar 2016 : 03:55:45
Every drop fills a bucket, no drops no filled bucket. If price is too high they should get few drops and either will lower prices for ebooks or stop doing them because the bucket does not fill.

Boycotts however rarely work because enough will pay the high price because they want it sooner then what a successful boycott would provide after a wait in time for the lower cost.

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