Why are ebooks not cheaper than paper books ?

iMax

I was considering buying an ebook reader & went browsing for titles I'd be interested in, all the latest releases are there, so far so good, however pricewise they're identical (or almost) than their traditional counterparts.

Surely they should be a LOT cheaper ?

There's no media cost, they can't be second-handed (therefore creating more sales), there's no delivery cost.

It's no wonder more people haven't embraced the medium. Unless publishers reduce prices, ebooks will just be a niche market when they could be huge.

Even if they discounted the price by the tangible (production/delivery) costs, there's still be a healthier profit for themselves as they're cutting out the retailer.

sponsoredwalk

You know you can get books for free on your phone through java

You can go on gutenberg.org and get any of the books there and read it using the same software that phones use for playing games.

Don't waste your money on those robber barons charging 200+ for something
you can get for free

The Mad Hatter

Well, even albums aren't a lot cheaper on mp3 than on CD, and the people who make them still have to get paid.

I only use my ebook reader for public domain books anyway - could never picture myself paying money for one, no matter how cheap.

Eliot Rosewater

Yeah, that's quite an interesting question. Yet even if ebooks are to become cheaper I will never abandon the physical medium. Never.


Here's an article ye might all find interesting. A literary agent Andrew Wylie has started releasing ebooks of authors he represents despite the fact that Random House are contractual publishers for these authors. Wylie argues that ebooks were not included in the original deals with Random House.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jul/23/publishers-wylies-ebook-deal-amazon

BopNiblets

Scanner costs probably.

Denerick

Why are they not cheaper? Simple demand and supply. I for one will never buy an e-reader. Call me a luddite but I will shun any man or woman who dares to show me one of these infernal 21st century montrosities.

Wolfe Tone

Denerick wrote: »

Why are they not cheaper? Simple demand and supply. I for one will never buy an e-reader. Call me a luddite but I will shun any man or woman who dares to show me one of these infernal 21st century montrosities.

I have one Get off the net and get back to teletext!

Its actually really good. I only use it for classics that can be gotten for free off of project Gutenberg. Would not pay for an ebook though.

Denerick

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

I have one Get off the net and get back to teletext!

Its actually really good. I only use it for classics that can be gotten for free off of project Gutenberg. Would not pay for an ebook though.

Can you download for free off Gutenberg? I might just make a rapid flip flop if that is the case.

My major problem with it is that after a couple of years the machine will be useless or obsolete, making you lose your accumulated collection in the process. I'm a hoarder, I love collecting and stashing books away. Reading them is almost secondary

sponsoredwalk

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

I have one Get off the net and get back to teletext!

Its actually really good. I only use it for classics that can be gotten for free off of project Gutenberg. Would not pay for an ebook though.

How much did you pay? I was able to read books on a crappy sony ericsson
& I found a program online in which I could make my own books to read on
my phone for diddly squat :pac:

Wolfe Tone

Denerick wrote: »

Can you download for free off Gutenberg? I might just make a rapid flip flop if that is the case.

My major problem with it is that after a couple of years the machine will be useless or obsolete, making you lose your accumulated collection in the process. I'm a hoarder, I love collecting and stashing books away. Reading them is almost secondary

Totallly free. Copyright in the US is life + 70, so any book that fulfills that is free.

I agree, I prefer the actual books, but they are so expensive. And my reader has an SD card slot so you wouldn't lose your collection, no more than you lose your music collection when you get a new iPod.

How much did you pay? I was able to read books on a crappy sony ericsson
& I found a program online in which I could make my own books to read on
my phone for diddly squat

Eh, it was a present, think my sony reader cost around 180 quid. Reading on that small screen must wreck your eyes. My ebook has no back-light, and the print looks exactly like that in a book, it is really good.

Chinafoot

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

Here's an article ye might all find interesting. A literary agent Andrew Wylie has started releasing ebooks of authors he represents despite the fact that Random House are contractual publishers for these authors. Wylie argues that ebooks were not included in the original deals with Random House.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jul/23/publishers-wylies-ebook-deal-amazon

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/126853-random-house-wins-battle-over-e-rights-with-andrew-wylie.html

Random House have won there.

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

I agree, I prefer the actual books, but they are so expensive.

There are these wonderful things these days called...libraries :P

Personally I'm far too old school for these ereaders. I don't like them at all and really fail to see the appeal. But whatever floats your boat. At the moment I think ebook publishers are milking the new area for all they can.

Wolfe Tone

Have you used a library? The one where I live is the biggest load of crap I have ever seen. Never have anything I want.

Chinafoot

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

Have you used a library? The one where I live is the biggest load of crap I have ever seen. Never have anything I want.

I work in them. We're very up to date in terms of stock and we also buy items that borrowers request if we can. But I'm in Dublin so maybe that makes a difference.

Also, South Dublin Libraries website has the facility for borrowers to download ebooks. Most libraries, funding permitting, will be heading in this direction.

dashboard_hula

Hi,

I got a Sony e-reader last year as a gift from my boyfriend. At first I didn't use it for anything other than books in the public domain..and I was surprised as to how many books I *wanted* to read were in the public domain. I then got handed a datastick at a session one weekend with literally thousands of books on it of all genres and subjects...I wasn't about to ask him how he obtained it, I just grabbed, copied and thanked profusely.

And then I started seeing books on Amazon and Waterstones that I really wanted to buy and read, but the hassle of an online purchase for just one book was too much, and I couldn't afford to buy more than one book, so I went looking for e-books of the titles I wanted.

There's something nearly Christmas-like about finding a book you really wanted to read as an e-book, and having it downloaded to your E-reader literally 3 minutes later. It was a new way of satisfying my absolutely voracious appetite for books. I didn't mind that the titles weren't that much cheaper, as far as I was concerned, I was saving on shipping costs, printing costs, and seeing as I live a more and more simple lifestyle these days, I saved on storage space.

In short, e-books and e-readers = win. Highly recommended.

Eoin

Denerick wrote: »

Why are they not cheaper? Simple demand and supply.

I think you have it the wrong way around. Supply is as close to unlimited as it gets, plus demand is probably not that high.

Maybe they want to artificially keep demand for hard copies high.

iMax

My mother has a sony reader (she's a mature student doing her masters this year at 63), & it's a grand unit, I've tried it out & it does the job, but I was really impressed with ibooks on the ipad (haven't got one yet), I reckon that app alone would make me buy.

Eoin

The iPad is a backlit LCD screen, as opposed to eInk like on the dedicated eBook readers. Even if I bought an iPad, I couldn't see it replacing my eReder.

Wolfe Tone

eoin wrote: »

The iPad is a backlit LCD screen, as opposed to eInk like on the dedicated eBook readers. Even if I bought an iPad, I couldn't see it replacing my eReder.

eInk couldnt remember what it was called! Really easy on the eyes, just like real ink.

Eoin

Yep, I was really surprised how easy it is on the eyes.

IrishPhoenix

I have a Sony Reader and it is brilliant. I do think the transition between a paperback and starting to use the reader for the first time can be a bit jarring but then you get used to it and you wouldn't even notice the difference. I adore mine.

dashboard_hula

I find the e-ink a lot easier on my eyes too - if I'm reading on a long car journey/train/bed etc, then sometimes I have to put away the iphone and switch to the reader because my eyes are getting squinty.

Oh, and another thing. The e-reader is freaking indestructible. I have literally dropped the thing in the bath and it just carried on. I once dropped it on a tiled floor, it landed on the corner and the bottom metal strip came off - popped it back on and it didn't even turn off.

Wolfe Tone

The bottom popped out on mine too, nearly shat myself. Works fine!

mikhail

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

Well, even albums aren't a lot cheaper on mp3 than on CD, and the people who make them still have to get paid.

Actually, the physical cost of a CD is something in the region of €1, so it makes sense that there isn't a huge saving with mp3s. Books are much more expensive to print though, so the answer to the question posed at the start of the thread is simply greed.

Plowman

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dashboard_hula

Plowman wrote: »

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I see where you're coming from about illegal book downloads, but tbh, as long as you make a choice to buy from a recognised website (Amazon, Waterstones...I'm sure there's more I must find them), then there's definitely some royalties going back to the author. I remember reading an article in the Guardian I think a few months back about how contracts and book deals were being re-written to specifically include electronic royalties. Some authors actually got a better deal because I think certain genres (sci-fi, fantasy, for example) got bigger sales through e-books than paper/hardback.

mikhail

Plowman wrote: »

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The music industry makes a fortune, which has only increased with the advent of mp3 sales. The artists who actually create the music usually see sweet feck-all of it though, which is why touring is where they make money.

The Mad Hatter

Denerick wrote: »

Can you download for free off Gutenberg? I might just make a rapid flip flop if that is the case.

Yup, and if you have an iPhone or iPad, you have access to the PG library for free through iBooks, which is actually a nice enough ebook reader.

Plowman

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mikhail

I apologise: I seem to have had my figures somewhat off, or perhaps just out of date - as recently as 2004, BMI reported record profits. The sales model has changed drastically so that people who used spend €15 on an album with three good songs and a lot of filler now spend €2.97 on the three good songs. I think that unit sales of music have never been higher, though I can't find a link with a quick google.

My original point was to distinguish between the music industry (which I acknowledge has seen declining income) and musicians, who never did see much money from record sales anyway, except for the very highest earners. They always needed to tour to make the bulk of their money.

sponsoredwalk

A simple google will show that even the irish music industry recorded record
profits in 2009, we had this debate a while ago :pac:
There are smarter options than the current ones, google and an open mind be thy friend!

Eoin

Plowman wrote: »

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Does that mean that you don't buy second hand books?