I buy more ebooks than I can possibly read. A good review or an interesting synopsis and, if the price is reasonable, I'll likely buy the book.
However, I've recently found three ebooks that I'd much want to buy but I won't because they are significantly more expensive that their hardcover editions. Sadly, these are not isolated cases, only three examples that piqued my interest and I quickly discarded when I saw the price.
I live in Spain and thus the price you see in your local Amazon might be different. I've included screenshots to prove that I'm not making this up.
Libriomancer, by Jim C. Hines. Hardcover price: $14.33 Ebook price: $18.70
However, I've recently found three ebooks that I'd much want to buy but I won't because they are significantly more expensive that their hardcover editions. Sadly, these are not isolated cases, only three examples that piqued my interest and I quickly discarded when I saw the price.
I live in Spain and thus the price you see in your local Amazon might be different. I've included screenshots to prove that I'm not making this up.
Libriomancer, by Jim C. Hines. Hardcover price: $14.33 Ebook price: $18.70
Forge of Darkness, by Steven Erikson. Hardcover price: $15.98 Audiobook price: $16.49 Ebook price: $19.29
Some time ago this kind of thing would have upset me a great deal. Now, with literally hundreds of interesting books on my Kindle still unread, it just makes me scratch my head and wonder if the publisher (or whomever set these prices) really thinks that this is the best way of doing things.
(You can also read this post in Spanish/También puedes leer esta entrada en español)
As always the caveat you are not comparing prices set by the publisher but prices set by the retailer.
ResponderEliminarThese books cover three of the large conglomerates (Pierson, Bertelsmann and Hachette respectively)so it is not a single publisher messing things up.
It might be a direct result of the recent settlement in the USA. Which I believe would allow Amazon to discount ebooks again. Or in other worlds a court case in the USA that allegedly took place to protect consumers (or protect Amazon for the cynical people out there) right now is hurting (international) customers.
"As always the caveat you are not comparing prices set by the publisher but prices set by the retailer."
ResponderEliminarI know. On the comsumer's end, however, these prices are just ludicrous. Here's hoping that the settlement helps to set things right (I've just read news that Hapercollins ebooks are getting discounts again).
Incidentally, on Libriomancer these are the list prices (enlarge the screenshot to check them out):
ResponderEliminarPrint list price: $24.95
Digital list price: $25.93
Yes, it is a mess. And one of the reasons I can be happy I have so much back-catalogue to read that I can ignore these newer books for a while until things are sorted out.
ResponderEliminarNot the best for the authors in the long run, but neither is this pricing system.
Kobobooks lists similar prices by the way.
"Yes, it is a mess. And one of the reasons I can be happy I have so much back-catalogue to read that I can ignore these newer books for a while until things are sorted out. "
ResponderEliminarExactly! Something similar happened last year with some other titles and the price eventually went down. With so many interesting books to read which are reasonably priced and I don't mind waiting.