Kindle book prices

[Dave Lehnert]

Anyone think that prices of the Kindle books should be a lot cheaper than the paper version? A lot are only two bucks or less than the hard copy.
Some books are more in line. “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest” is $37 vs $16. A just released book I am reading now $17.99 vs $5.38. That seems reasonable as they don't have to print a book.

[Bruce Page]

I agree that they should be cheaper. I just bought a Kindle book for $13.99. It doesn’t make sense to me, the hardcover is $13.98 with free shipping for prime members. I buy the e-book version because of the ecological benefits but it would be nice to save some money too.

[Eric DeSilva]

This is a misapprehension shared by a lot of people. Goods aren't priced by what it costs to make them, they are priced according to what people are willing to pay. If I produce something, there is a profit-maximization curve that is associated with the product--I price it high, I get more money per unit, but sell less units, and if I price it low, I get less money per unit, but sell more units because I attract more buyers who would not pay the higher price. Somewhere there is a value that maximizes the profit I receive, and that is how things are typically priced--you will notice that cost of production is not part of that equation.

[Jerome Stanek]

I would rather buy a real book than an E book That way I can store it or sell it trade it

[Dave Lehnert]

Being in retail for over 20 years I understand that.
I guess my question is Why are people buying the digital copy for close the same as a hard copy? You can't sell it, You can't pass it on to a friend.
Also why is it not offered for less. I would guess it is way cheaper to sell you the digital copy. No inventory to keep, No staff to pack your order, no shipping cost, Nothing to manufacture. Seems like they would want to push you to buy digital. But it must be working for them.

[Shaun Mahood]

Most of the people I know who buy ebooks do it mostly for convenience - I want it now, I can buy it now and read it now. I'm the same with music on iTunes, but really prefer my hardcopy books.

[Gary Hodgin]

That's especially true for e-books. All the costs are upfront. The marginal cost (additional cost) of producing and selling each additional book after the first is about zero. The selling price is determined by demand. With printed books thee marginal costs are above that of e-books, but still quite low compared to the prices we pay. They reflect demand.

Hardbacks vs softbacks is a little more complicated. The main difference in price between the two has more to do with price discrimination (on the demand side) than production cost. Eager buyers pay a higher price and get the hardback. Less eager buyers and marginal buyers get the softback and lower price. The main difference between the two prices is based much more on willingness to pay than on production costs.

[Stephen Tashiro]

How do e-book prices for other book readers (like Nook) compare to Kindle's?

[Charles Bjorgen]

How do e-book prices for other book readers (like Nook) compare to Kindle's?

All about the same as far as iBook, Nook and Kindle, at least for fiction which are the eBooks that I buy. I try to wait a few weeks until the $14.95 books drop to $12.95 unless I absolutely have to get a title right away. Although I can make more book shelves I don't have room for any more so the eBooks are perfect for me. I also tend to re-read my books after a year or so and that gives them additional value for me. In the case of books relating to woodworking or photography, I require the hard covers.

[Bill Edwards(2)]

I have no idea where the books, I bought 35 years ago, are at.

I know where all my Kindle books are.

And if the space station crashed on my Kindle,
I'd get another one and still have my books.
(Kindle, not space station)

[Chris Kennedy]

The book prices are set by the publisher, and I think it comes purely down to demand. I have noticed a fair number of older titles with lower costs. Most of the reference materials that I have bought were cheaper on Kindle than hardcopy, mainly because I don't think there will be a huge demand for these references (particularly if they are older).

Cheers,

Chris

[Chuck Saunders]

Now Bill, how many of those 35 year old Kindle books do you have?

[Larry Browning]

You are paying for the content of the book, not the media it is presented on.

[Derek Gilmer]

You are paying for the content of the book, not the media it is presented on.

But if the content of the book + cost of printing, binding, shipping, warehousing and possibly rent at a storefront = $35. One would think the cost of content + epublishing would be much less.

[Jim Rimmer]

But if the content of the book + cost of printing, binding, shipping, warehousing and possibly rent at a storefront = $35. One would think the cost of content + epublishing would be much less.

content of the book + cost of digitizing+server maintenance+high tech help versus forklift driver= $35 Maybe not the same $$$ but my point is when you remove the printing part of the equation you are replacing it with something else.