Why are some kindle books more expensive than their paperback counterparts?

[gometros]

There are some authors I read that have recently come out with new books that I have on my Amazon wishlist. I noticed that the kindle editions are three to five dollars more expensive than their paperback counterparts. What the heck do I need with my kindle, if I can get the paperback for less? yes, I know about the advantages of a kindle as far as storage issues go, but at least with the paperback, I get the cover artwork and any illustrations inside. I hope I don't start regretting getting the kindle.

 

[LuLuO]

Prices are set by the publisher, not by amazon. I agree that it doesn't make sense. DH and I have decided that we will not buy new books where the kindle version is just as expensive as the hardback or paperback. We have also been writing to the publishers but have not heard anything back.

 

[golfgal]

Because the publishers set those prices that way. Honestly though, for the vast number of free books available, a couple bucks here and there for a few books still makes getting an ereader a GREAT deal. Between my Nook and Kindle app on my phone I have over 500 free books.

 

[SaraJayne]

I won't buy books on my nook if the ebook is more expensive than the paperback.

 

[Christine]

If a publisher is more interested in pushing the printed copy, that's what you're going to experience. I won't by it electronically if it's more expensive. Heck, I won't buy the book at all and will wait for the library. In most cases, though, I'm getting my books cheaper through e-reader use.

 

[NotUrsula]

Because the party is over. Publishers never intended to permanently set ebook prices lower than paperbacks; only lower than hardbacks. The really low prices that you saw were introductory specials meant to entice readers to buy a device and try out e-formats.

Now that they know that electronic books are a viable market, standard pricing is rolling out throughout the industry.

 

[miralys]

I don't know, but I don't actually purchase books on the Kindle. I have been reading the heck out of the free ones. I keep hearing that I will be able to get library e-books on the Kindle soon, so I look forward to that. I rarely purchase books unless it happens to be one of the few series I collect and will read multiple times.

 

[bicker]

I believe it is mostly due to some authors and publishers being Luddites - essentially expressing their fear of emerging technology by punishing those who choose to embraced that technology. The good news is that quite often the authors and publishers eventually come to their senses and adjust the pricing appropriately. For example, when the paperback for Indulgence in Death by J. D. Robb came out, it was priced significantly higher than the paperback. Now, it is the same price as the paperback. So things are improving. Give it time.

 

[NotUrsula]

I believe it is mostly due to some authors and publishers being Luddites - essentially expressing their fear of emerging technology by punishing those who choose to embraced that technology. The good news is that quite often the authors and publishers eventually come to their senses and adjust the pricing appropriately. For example, when the paperback for Indulgence in Death by J. D. Robb came out, it was priced significantly higher than the paperback. Now, it is the same price as the paperback. So things are improving. Give it time.

That happened because the title was no longer on the frontlist in hardcover.

Here's what I mean. JD Robb is with Penguin. Her next book is going to be New York to Dallas. The hardcover is scheduled to be released on September 13, 2011, with a list price of $27.95. Amazon is taking pre-orders for it at the discounted price of $16.09. Amazon is also taking pre-orders for the Kindle edition, which is priced at $14.99. The mass-market paperback edition is scheduled for release on March 6th, 2012, priced at $7.99. It is very likely that as of March 6th the price on the Kindle edition will drop to $7.99 as well, but I wouldn't count on it happening before then unless the paperback release is also moved up.

 

[bicker]

That happened because the title was no longer on the frontlist in hardcover.

That sounds like a very reasonable policy. Heck, I'd go so far as to say that any publisher that discounts the Kindle edition before the hardcover is gone from the frontlist is being foolish. That's the way it should work, generally: When the hardcover comes off the frontlist, the Kindle edition should "too" - i.e., its price should automatically change to the price of the paperback. Then they can discount the Kindle edition further, from there, if they wish.

Video distributors are pushing the idea of select-able output controls, which would usher in a much more common incidence of first-run movies being available via pay-per-view before they're done in the theaters. The price for a movie made available at that time would be roughly three or four times the pay-per-view price of the movie after it makes it to cable (due to the assumption that people won't watch movies alone). That's how to best foster profit.

 

[HM]

I've been using my Library a lot more than I thought I would. I love my Kindle, but I'm not happy paying over $10 for a book and so anything that is "new" that I want to read now, I will put on hold at my library.

 

[Christine]

I've been using my Library a lot more than I thought I would. I love my Kindle, but I'm not happy paying over $10 for a book and so anything that is "new" that I want to read now, I will put on hold at my library.

I do the same thing. I have had my Kindle since December and I have yet to pay full price for a book. I will do it when I really have to have something and my library doesn't carry it. Otherwise, I've been buying books that are very reduced price.

 

[BlondeViki]

I wondered this when I went to buy the Game of Thrones books recently and found the Kindle versions to be £1.50 more expensive than the paperback.

It's been interesting to read the comments with the possible reasoning behind it, but I agree with others that I won't pay more for an electronic version. I would have thought the cost of producing an e-book would be less than producing a paperback?

I've only bought 2 full price e-books because I just *had* to have them, but very little falls into that category!

 

[bicker]

I would have thought the cost of producing an e-book would be less than producing a paperback?

Cost is only one of several factors that go into a pricing model.

 

[NotUrsula]

I would have thought the cost of producing an e-book would be less than producing a paperback?

Honestly, it comes out about even, except that publishers cannot off-load their unsuccessful e-book stock to remainder houses to recoup their up front investment. (Which of course cuts both ways, as I can't re-sell the license to a DRM'd ebook, either.)

There are expenses that remain constant regardless of format, including staffing costs for editing, design, layout and promotion, legal costs in negotiation for author's rights, author's royalties, and the biggy of media buys and travel costs for promotion of the frontlist.

With paper books you incur printing, transportation and warehousing costs, but of those only the first is actually paid by the publisher. Wholesalers carry the other two. With electronic books, publishers bear the entire cost of formatting for the various reader formats sold by the ebook retailers, hosting the content in those formats, and paying IP attorneys and IT professionals to make sure that security is preserved and electronic rights are protected. (rights agreements and anti-piracy actions)

At first publishers were content to let wholesalers such as Amazon, B&N, and Sony foot the bill (and the risk) for developing platforms and promoting the idea of e-books, and thus charged them a bit less for the content, but now that the market is is becoming profitable they realize that they will be able to make more money if they manage to cut out the wholesalers. This has been happening for a while now with academic publishers, and I predict it will quickly move to the trade houses. As far as the publishers are concerned, as long as they have to pay for all that infrastructure anyway, why not sell directly to the consumer and keep a tighter rein on costs?

The advantage in ebooks from a publisher POV is that they believe that buyers will pay a premium for the convenience of getting the books instantly, anytime, anywhere, and taking advantage of value-added features like being able to enlarge the font, search the text, and annotate, etc., and also the storage advantage.

 

[portocall]

While publishers set the price, consumers drive the price. If no one buys the books when they cost more than their paperback counterparts the price will go down eventually.

 

[DVCLiz]

While publishers set the price, consumers drive the price. If no one buys the books when they cost more than their paperback counterparts the price will go down eventually.

But, there will also always be consumers like me, who don't mind paying higher prices for ebooks in order to receive the benefits of immediate access, lower price than comparable hardback pricing, and elimination of the need to store or dispose of a hardback book after reading it once.

Honestly, I don't think of any ebook I've bought - and I have about 350 on my Kindle after about three years - as "too expensive" - even though I probably could have saved a few bucks here and there if I'd bought the paperback version.

I'm simply not going to buy or borrow ANY paper version of a book ever again if it comes in a Kindle version.

And I don't think I'm the only one. I tend to see the expenditure of money on books as a relatively cheap form of entertainment - I would pay the price of any current hardback to see a first-run movie in a theatre with snacks. If my budget can manage it, I see books in the same category.

 

[skuttle]

But, there will also always be consumers like me, who don't mind paying higher prices for ebooks in order to receive the benefits of immediate access, lower price than comparable hardback pricing, and elimination of the need to store or dispose of a hardback book after reading it once.

I agree with this. I don't mind paying more for e-books.


I'm a new Kindle user (mother's day gift). Is there a way to just search for free books?

 

[DVCLiz]

I agree with this. I don't mind paying more for e-books.


I'm a new Kindle user (mother's day gift). Is there a way to just search for free books?

In any category, you can search by price from low to high. There are also other sources for free books, but I don't know them - someone else might be able to tell you.

 

[SaraJayne]

But, there will also always be consumers like me, who don't mind paying higher prices for ebooks in order to receive the benefits of immediate access, lower price than comparable hardback pricing, and elimination of the need to store or dispose of a hardback book after reading it once.

Honestly, I don't think of any ebook I've bought - and I have about 350 on my Kindle after about three years - as "too expensive" - even though I probably could have saved a few bucks here and there if I'd bought the paperback version.

I'm simply not going to buy or borrow ANY paper version of a book ever again if it comes in a Kindle version.

And I don't think I'm the only one. I tend to see the expenditure of money on books as a relatively cheap form of entertainment - I would pay the price of any current hardback to see a first-run movie in a theatre with snacks. If my budget can manage it, I see books in the same category.

I buy both ebooks and paper. Sometimes, I just wanna hold a book.