Ebook Pricing

Thanks to a couple I am friends with I now have a Sony PRS-600 ebook reader. Brilliant as my book shelves are full. Anyway I thought I would buy some books to go on it from some of my favourite authors. My first port of call was Waterstones where I did a quick search for Neal Asher. For the hardback copy of his book Orbus they are charging £16.19 (apparently saving me £1.80). For the ebook version which requires no manufacturing, incurs no transportation costs and they only need to keep a single copy of on the server they want £14.39 and WHSmith’s want £12.59 for the ebook version. How the hell can they justify this? Another of Neal Asher’s book, Brass Man, goes for £7.99 for the paperback and they want £6.39 for the ebook version but apparently it’s only that price because it’s in the sale :? The same ebook on WHSmith’s is £5.59.

  1. Early days in this market and the market isn’t that big at the moment. I imagine that as the publishing world gets shaken up by this that prices will come down, which of course doesn’t help you right now.

  2. AND, they have no resell value. I don’t like e stuff, ebooks, emusic; you get a lot less for your money!

    • Never even thought about resale. I know some people say that the DRM is stupid as it means, unlike with a real book, you can’t just give it to a friend once you have finished with it.

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