what would you pay?

I'm trying hard to approach this as a reader only, but that's hard, considering I've got eBooks for sale...
I'm curious, what do you think is fair pricing for eBooks?

17 comments:

Erica Orloff said...

I'm comfortable with the $2.99-$4.00 range. I probably do fall into that camp that thinks if it's 99 cents it's likely crap. LOL!

lesleylsmith said...

Obviously, this is a hot topic right now. 99cents is a number that's thrown around a lot.
My major issue with e-books is there's no used book market. I guess used books don't give the author any $$$, but I must admit, the majority of the physical books I buy are used.
The library thing is a big issue for me, too. I think libraries are one of the best inventions in the history of mankind. I've read some libraries are only allowed to lend out e-books like 26 times and then they have to 're-purchase' them. ;(
IMHO, libraries should get a special deal.
No doubt about it...we live in interesting times!

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, 0.99 seems to be required to get your book a high enough rank to get noticed. Once it's noticed and you have a following, maybe you can raise your price --- but at, say, $3-4, most people browsing Amazon will never find you. And they can't buy what they can't find.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I didn't answer the question about "what's fair".

I've paid up to the $6-8 range. Mostly, I wouldn't want to go over $4 or $5.

ssas said...

Interesting, Erica. I'm currently paying what I think are paperback prices for a series I'm reading.

Random House, I believe, is the one company who has decided on the 26 check-outs. Obviously paper books can be checked out hundreds of times and still function, as well as eBooks. I predict that won't last long.

I don't use the library much, nothing against it as a writer or a reader; it's just not convenient for me and rarely has the book I'm looking for.

Hm. 5 bucks would be a nice round price. I'm so old I remember when paperbacks were 5 bucks. It still surprises me when they're more!

Kieron Heath said...

I think that given the fact that the cost of printing does not apply to ebooks, this should bring down the price. However, that book still needs to be edited, presented so that it will appear just as beautifully in an ebook reader as it would on the page and should be 'worth' a certain amount as a product.

If you want, you can give yourself a bargain bucket price, but if it call goes wrong then your profits which be a lot lower than if you had managed to sell millions of copies.

A lesson I was taught is put a price on your product, what ever you think it is worth, and then try to sell more. You should aim to always make a profit, and if you sell more, you make more PROFIT.

Personally, I'm happy paying up to £7/8 or $10 I guess because I think the book has a worth. What I won't pay are the massive prices for newly released hardbacks from huge publishing houses. I think that is over the top for the ebook market.

Hope that helps.

ssas said...

Thx Kieron. :)

Erica Orloff said...

Starbucks:
What's interesting is the ART here is discounted (art of writing)--the whole (from comments above) "There's no or little cost so I should pay next to nothing"--as if the writer shouldn't expect to make a living at it.

Definitely interesting psychology about it all.

ssas said...

I wonder if art will take on more value with eBooks and the increase of self-publishing? I mean, if a reader is buying right from the writer, maybe that impact of ART would change.

I'm following with some interest some bands who are selling their albums from websites. Some are even "listener decides" for a price point. What do you think an album is worth? Or a particular song.

99c for a song is a pretty standard price point, though it's climbing. That's one of the reasons I can't stand the idea of 99c novels. I mean, a song might take awhile to write and produce, but months? Years? I don't think so. I liken a novel to an album, actually, if you just look at time and effort, and there are very few albums available at full price under 10 or 12 bucks.

It puts that $10-12 price point for a novel into perspective.

Except, books generally tend to be more one time entertainment gigs and albums we listen to over and over. That skews the perceived value.

I think the writing industry is mad to ignore their cousin, the music industry. They've JUST BEEN THROUGH THIS!

I hope more people chime in here. I'm really trying to get a handle on this.

Stephen Parrish said...

I think we do need to learn from our cousins in the music industry. However, I believe it takes much more work to write an 80,000 word book than to write and record a three minute song. Songs are going for a buck. The $2.99 price indie ebook authors seem to be settling on sounds fair to me.

ssas said...

It does kind of even the playing field with publishers, huh?

Marne Ann said...

Someone I dearly love used to say, "if you want others to appreciate your value, you must charge what you're worth." (Meaning if you underprice your work, no one will take you seriously). I believe that. I pay a bit over $8.00 for books on Kindle, right? (after taxes, or whatever) I'm fine with that and I'll pay up to about $15.00 for a book. I was paying those prices at B&N or Borders before my Kindle and I see no difference. Writing is an art. It holds value as such, in my opinion. Now, if an author wants to charge .99 for their book, if that is all the value they put on their work, I guess that is their prerogative...

Marne Ann said...

Oh, I must add though... Having a $8.00 book available and putting it on sale for less is marketing (like when your next book comes out). That is a bit different.

ssas said...

All good points, Marnie! I'm glad you're blogging. We can visit each other!!

Marne Ann said...

That's a Great idea! And fyi, I love Monday Munchies...you should keep that up. Gets me all...motivated...yeah, I'll call it that ;-)

ssas said...

Thanks! I love finding hotties online...

Todd Bradley said...

Fair pricing for e-book: 25% of the least expensive paper edition (new) sells for, or a round $5. That assumes DRM is in place.

For a non-DRM version, a fair price is 50% of the least expensive paper edition.