Kindle Books, Who sets the Price?

[WaltD4Me]

One of my favorite authors is Harlan Coben. His new book Live Wire came out Tuesday, I was just at Amazon to see what the reviews were looking like and it only had 2 stars, I really surprised, but in reading the reviews, I see people are giving it one star and just ranting over the $14.99 Kindle price. I can understand that because the price to order the hardcover on Amazon right now is $14.71. Which is less than the Kindle download. So now I'm curious...who sets the Kindle price? I'm assuming the publisher? Does Amazon have any influence in the price?

 

[topolino]

My wife had my ear about this just earlier today. She recently had noticed that books were going up in price on the Kindle, so she did some investigating.

She found out that the publisher sets the price, and that her suspicion about the increase was correct. She said that many feel that because of the fact that more and more people are now using the Kindle, or the Kindle app, the publishers are realizing that they can charge more for their product.

It kind of stinks, because part of her reasoning for buying a Kindle (actually her mom gave it to her as a gift) was because of the low prices on even new books.

 

[WaltD4Me]

My wife had my ear about this just earlier today. She recently had noticed that books were going up in price on the Kindle, so she did some investigating.

She found out that the publisher sets the price, and that her suspicion about the increase was correct. She said that many feel that because of the fact that more and more people are now using the Kindle, or the Kindle app, the publishers are realizing that they can charge more for their product.

It kind of stinks, because part of her reasoning for buying a Kindle (actually her mom gave it to her as a gift) was because of the low prices on even new books.

Okay, I figured it was the publisher, but they also set the price of the hardcovers and Amazon (and other booksellers) discount that price. The new Harlan Coben is $27.95 but the discounted price on Amazon is $14.71 right now. Are they not also able to discount the Kindle price?

 

[OKW Lover]

This is one of the things that I don't like about e-readers in general - the price of the books is more akin to the hard-cover version than the paperback ones we usually read.

I hardly ever read a hard-cover book. Occasionally I'll get one from the library but I can't tell you the last time I actually bought one. So, my yardstick for measuring the value of a book is what I pay for a paperback. Even there, I'm bargain shopping at Walmart, Target or using a Borders coupon. Typical price for a paperback these days is $7.50 at those venues, so I'm hard pressed to see the value in getting the electronic version instead.

And no, this isn't about the environmental benefit of not killing trees or intangible benefits like that. Its just about how much comes out of my pocket.

 

[Kimberle]

I find that sometimes the prices go down after the book has been out for a few weeks. It also goes down when the book is released in paperback.

 

[auroralark]

This is one of the things that I don't like about e-readers in general - the price of the books is more akin to the hard-cover version than the paperback ones we usually read.

Totally agree with this. I'm not willing to pay as much for something I can't even really hold in my hands/lend to people etc. One of the several reasons I don't own one yet.

 

[safetymom]

I love the Kindle app on my iPad. I have found I have been doing more reading since getting the iPad. I read a lot! No need to worry about storing the paperback or giving it away. If I feel the need to read a book I don't have to drive to the store and get it. If I see an interview on TV I can immediately download the book.

I like having some paperbacks for when I go to beach or pool and then I look for discounted books. Many libraries now are offering ebooks also for free.

I also will use the app on my iPhone when waiting at the Doctors office, in line at Disney, etc. It's a great way to pass the time reading a book.

So it may be slightly more expensive than buying the paperback but I didn't have any expenses going to get the book and I did it immediately. Just my two cents.

 

[DisneyKevin]

Amazon has a Kindle discussion board located here:

http://www.amazon.com/tag/kindle/forum/ref=sv_kinh_6

You will find many discussions regarding this situation.

If you search using the words "agency model" you will find more than you ever needed to know about this subject.

Publishing has been around a loooong time and publishers, authors, lawyers, agents etc have figured out how to make this tick along.

Digital publishing (or e-publishing) is fairly new and they havent figured this all out yet.

Books published before 1923 (I think....dont judge me if that date is wrong) fall in public domain. This is why you can find most classics for free or almost free. No one owns those publishing rights any longer.

Books published even a few short years ago did not even have e-publishing rights discussed as part of the negotiations, which is why many books are not yet available in an e-reader format. An author may find his 10 year old best seller is unavailable because no one knows who gets what piece of the sale price for a digital copy. They negotiated the print rights and maybe even the movie rights...but not the digital rights. It didnt exist at the time.

And books published mid-century (where the authors are deceased and the publishing rights are part of an estate) are even trickier to negotiate.

Amazon was recently chastised for selling e-book versions of brand new NYT best sellers for $9.99. (Yay for Kindle readers). Even the big box stores cant meet that price for a hard cover new release. You can find a $29.00 hard cover best seller for $14.00 at BJ's but not $9.99.

The publishers, feeling cheated because anyone buying the $9.99 ebook wasnt buying the $14 or $29 hard cover decided the best idea was to withhold the release of the ebook version for weeks or months.

They tried this with Stephen King's Dume Point. The book was published in September and we were told the ebook version would be available in December. Great. The book was pirated all over the internet. Ebook versions were available everywhere for free. Bad idea.

The newest things is called "the agency" model and if folks want ebooks than the publishers have decided they will set the prices hoping that ebooks wont steal from the print version.

What people are finding is that if you wait just a short while, the ebook price usually drops. This is leading to some WEIRD pricing issues. You might find the hard cover for $9.99, the paperback for $6.99 and the ebook for $14.99.

If you really want too crazy at work....look at Ayn Rand's books. The publishers dont know what to do with them. One day Atlas Shrugged is $6.99 and the next day it's $29.00....FOR AN EBOOK.

Well, the buying public isnt stupid and the publishers are beginning to realize that all they are doing is killing the sale of the book.

Give it some time and it will work itself out.

This happened with with digital music too and that has leveled itself out. This will too.

 

[SusanWasHere]

Wow the books are that much? I really had no idea they cost that much for Kindles, Nooks, etc. This thread just further makes me realize why I love my public library and will never get an e-reader! LOL Books are free and they don't clutter up my house! Esp for how much I read. It would cost me a fortune!

 

[DisneyKevin]

Wow the books are that much? I really had no idea they cost that much for Kindles, Nooks, etc. This thread just further makes me realize why I love my public library and will never get an e-reader! LOL Books are free and they don't clutter up my house! Esp for how much I read. It would cost me a fortune!

The vast majority of books (approximately 300 titles) on my Kindle were free or under $2 and I dont have to return them....or wait for them to be available.

I can also get them 24 hours a day and on holidays from the comfort of my own home....rain or shine.

With the amount of books you read....a Kindle sounds like it would be perfect for you.

 

[SusanWasHere]

The vast majority of books (approximately 300 titles) on my Kindle were free or under $2 and I dont have to return them....or wait for them to be available.

I can also get them 24 hours a day and on holidays from the comfort of my own home....rain or shine.

With the amount of books you read....a Kindle sounds like it would be perfect for you.

LOL to be honest - I wouldn't even want to spend the $2! I used to go to a book trader and get tons of books at a very discounted price. Sometimes I would spend $30 and finish all 10-12 books in 2 weeks. To me, it's just an expense that isn't needed. There is never a book that I need at an exact moment (except Harry Potter and they are done lol) so the library is fine. For example, I was on the waiting list for quite a while for Portia de Rossi's book. It was no problem - I read other library books in the meantime. I got it during the week and read the entire book yesterday while sick on the couch. Thankfully I didn't buy it bc the price is $26!! I loved the book - couldn't put it down - but am not going to read it again. There are few books I have that I feel the need to read more than once, so I just don't feel the need to purchase them. So for me - the library works I'm glad the option is out there for other people, I know a few people with them that love them - but I'm more into free books. I think it was Julie that said she likes to hold and "smell" the books, I'm the same way! Oh and it's more money for Disney trips

 

[robertgp124]

I started frequently the Kindle forum on Amazon that Kevin mentioned. I've found a decent number of books offered free or at a low price. There's also a thread for "price dropped" that I pay attention to. It's a nice way to discover books by serendipity.

One of the things I've liked most about the kindle is when authors are able to offer their old back titles. Margaret Maron, a favorite mystery author of mine, is reissuing her long out of print Sigrid Harald mystery novels on all the ebook platforms. They run $7.99 each, but I can't buy them any place else. I love having them again and have gotten an awfully lot of pleasure out of reading them.

I will concede that it is irritating when you are looking for a book (say some of Arthur C. Clarke's stuff) and it isn't available because of problems with the rights.

I stay away from the newer, more expensive books. There was a book by Ron Chernow on George Washington that I would have loved to read, but the publisher was charging $20 for it. That's an absurd price and I won't touch it.

 

[clc053103]

I am also a Harlan Coben fan and refused to buy the ebook because it is more than the hardcover. I am going to wait a month and see if it drops to a respectable 9.99!

 

[WaltD4Me]

I am also a Harlan Coben fan and refused to buy the ebook because it is more than the hardcover. I am going to wait a month and see if it drops to a respectable 9.99!

You are going to wait a month? I could wait a month for one of his stand alone books, but this is a new Myron book! I'm on my way out the door right now to go buy it at Borders. I don't have the patience to wait when it's a new Myron book.

 

[luvthemouse71]

I love the Kindle app on my iPad. I have found I have been doing more reading since getting the iPad. I read a lot! No need to worry about storing the paperback or giving it away. If I feel the need to read a book I don't have to drive to the store and get it. If I see an interview on TV I can immediately download the book.

I like having some paperbacks for when I go to beach or pool and then I look for discounted books. Many libraries now are offering ebooks also for free.

I also will use the app on my iPhone when waiting at the Doctors office, in line at Disney, etc. It's a great way to pass the time reading a book.

So it may be slightly more expensive than buying the paperback but I didn't have any expenses going to get the book and I did it immediately. Just my two cents.

I agree. The most I've paid for an ebook is about $14. Most of the time I pay $9.99 or less and these are still cheaper than buying the hardback or paperback. The paper backs end up being the same price and slightly more expensive at Borders.

Plus, it's nice to be able to carry so many books with me and to not have
DTBs cluttering up my house. I love my ereaders. I have a Kindle 3 and a Color Nook.

Never was one for "smelling" books either, lol. Especially ones from the library- you do that, and you're apt to get a strong whiff of cigarette smoke and one time, BO. I'm still trying o figure that one out- was the person rubbing the book under his/her armpits?

 

[SusanWasHere]

Never was one for "smelling" books either, lol. Especially ones from the library- you do that, and you're apt to get a strong whiff of cigarette smoke and one time, BO. I'm still trying o figure that one out- was the person rubbing the book under his/her armpits?

I'm glad I don't go to your library!

 

[dizzkneeland9]

Well, if you guys are looking for free eBooks, here are some sites you can check out!

 

[becauseisaid]

To me, it's just an expense that isn't needed. There is never a book that I need at an exact moment (except Harry Potter and they are done lol) so the library is fine. For example,

Ah, but were you aware the most libraries now offer digital files for e-readers? So you still get a free read but with no wait time. One catch though - most library files are not compatible with the current Kindle. They are, however, compatible with the Nook and, if rumor holds, the next generation of Kindle will be epub friendly.

I adore my Kindle and recently upgraded to the K3. (Mainly because I didn't feel like converting-for-transfer 900 files for the Nook.) I actually prefer to purchase my books from vendors other than Amazon in PDF format. I then convert them myself. I've found the files to be cheaper, my selection choice has now grown immensly because most every digital book vendor offers PDF, and I now control what my book titles look like on the index. (For example: I prefer my series books to look like this: [Black Dagger Brotherhood 02] - Lover Eternal; so that I can track the order of books in a series.)

Converting the books myself takes (literally) 2 minutes. I also like the fact that I'm not stuck with Amazon and their publishing pricing. If I can find the file cheaper elsewhere, I'm buying it.

 

[sayhello]

Ah, but were you aware the most libraries now offer digital files for e-readers? So you still get a free read but with no wait time. One catch though - most library files are not compatible with the current Kindle. They are, however, compatible with the Nook and, if rumor holds, the next generation of Kindle will be epub friendly.

I adore my Kindle and recently upgraded to the K3. (Mainly because I didn't feel like converting-for-transfer 900 files for the Nook.) I actually prefer to purchase my books from vendors other than Amazon in PDF format. I then convert them myself. I've found the files to be cheaper, my selection choice has now grown immensly because most every digital book vendor offers PDF, and I now control what my book titles look like on the index. (For example: I prefer my series books to look like this: [Black Dagger Brotherhood 02] - Lover Eternal; so that I can track the order of books in a series.)

Converting the books myself takes (literally) 2 minutes. I also like the fact that I'm not stuck with Amazon and their publishing pricing. If I can find the file cheaper elsewhere, I'm buying it.

What software do you use to convert .pdf to epub? I have a Sony eReader, and it reads epub.

I *ADORE* my Sony eReader. It reads several formats of books, also reads Word documents (Yay! fanfic!) and allows me to have a ton of different items for reading always with me in my purse. I have a gorgeous tooled leather cover for my eReader, and it looks, feels and *SMELLS* like a book. Fabulous!

I tend to read older, more obscure books (lots of them free) or fanfic. So I'm not so bugged at the moment about the prices.

Sayhello

 

[becauseisaid]

What software do you use to convert .pdf to epub?

I don't. My Kindle can't read epub files. I use Mobipocket and create .mobi files.

However, I understand that Calibre can convert pdf to epub with really good results. It seems to be a Go-To program for conversion and I've heard a lot of really good things about it.

http://calibre-ebook.com/