Sunday, October 30, 2011

Pricing

Any Nora fans out there? Raise your hands. Mine is waving madly. Why do I ask? I got a notice from Amazon that she had a new book out. The prices:
Kindle 9.99
Paperback 9.60
I know we've talked about this before but I just don't get it. Doesn't this seem a little skewed to be selling the paper version cheaper than the e? As I'm sure you remember, when e first came on the scene, the mantra from every e publisher was--let's all say it together--'you can get an e book much cheaper than a paper book'. But that was e publishers, not the large publishing industries moving into the e trade.
I believe after everything settles, the prices will level out. Right now they fluctuate from publisher to publisher like daily gas prices. One of the reasons I believe prices will settle is that Amazon and Smashwords are leveling the playing field. Plus indie publishers are selling their books at a more reasonable price.
Any Eisler fans out there? I met him at RT a few years ago. Okay, I got my book signed. Meeting might be a slight exaggeration. Barry is a former CIA operative who now writes thrillers. He turned down a book deal with St. Martin's and opted to go with Amazon. He'll be out in both e and paper. The article I read said it took St. Martin's four months to send him a draft of the contract, whereas Amazon got him a contract immediately. Smart Amazon. It also quoted him as saying if there was a way to get his books to the readers that cost less and were delivered better and faster that's what he wanted.
'The times they are a changing'. I trust the publishing houses change with them.
~*~
Blogs of interest:
Amarinda Jones
Anny Cook
Julia Barrett

4 comments:

Julia Rachel Barrett said...

Seems ass backwards or bass ackwards.

Sandra Cox said...

It sure does.

Unknown said...

The publishing industry are greedy little bastards. It costs so little to make an e-book yet they screw readers over on prices. But then - it's also up to the readers to boycott those publishers isn't it?

Sandra Cox said...

No doubt about it, the reader has the final say.