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In my experience hand-selling paper books, I've found that there are two types of book breuys; those for whom no reasonable price is low enough and those for whom almost no price is too high (but too low a price kills the sale). I've tried applying what I learned from those experiences back onto my eBook prices and discovered that they seem to bear out. To the latter group I can easily sell them two paperback books for $50, but if I price an eBook below $5 they assume it isn't worth reading. To the former group, asking $14 for a paperback is pushing it and they'd never consider paying more than $5 for one of my eBooks.So what should an eBook cost? I say: Price for the people who are willing to spend money, not those with tight wallets. I voted $20+ in your poll, because the people who are spending $25+ on hardbacks (ie: the readers who have been supporting the bulk of the publishing industry for decades) are willing to pay $20+ for electronic versions of the same books.It isn't that the rest of the readers don't matter, but I believe that price parity (or near to it) with the current market-price (not just the list price) of the book is appropriate. So, after 18 months, when the hardback can easily be picked up for $5 and the paperback for $7, the eBook should also be $5 or less. If your backlist book is always available for $0.01 in hardback on Amazon Marketplace, the eBook better be in the $0.99-$3.99 range (ie: less than shipping). New books? The ones whose sales are meant to support the industry? Price 'em high.I know I can't afford new hardbacks most of the time, but I'm more than willing to wait, along with the rest of the cheapskates.
by Aleyna 12:00:15 AM 2013.10.24 |
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