Discussion: Ebook Prices

There’s been some debate lately about ebook prices. New releases or popular authors have ebook prices around the same as a regular hardcopy. Is this really fair for readers? These are the publisher set prices of course, and not the authors’ fault.


Let’s take a moment to discuss this.


It doesn’t cost as much to produce an ebook, so why should the prices be as expensive? Personally, if I wanted to spend $10+ on a book, I will go out and buy the hardcopy. Am I being too harsh in saying this or not?


Perhaps publishers are worried that if the prices are too much lower than hardcopy prices- especially if half price or lower- then readers would drastically decline in buying hardcopy books? I wouldn’t think so to be honest. Many people, even those of us who enjoy ebooks, still love buying the hardcopy books to fill our bookshelves as well. Or maybe I’m the only one who likes to collect so many books that I like to get both. Haha.


I have an ereader. And I haven’t bought a single book due to the prices. Even the “older” books are priced a bit out of the range I feel that is unnecessary. Yes, I know there’s 99 cent books. But I never find any in the list that are of interest to me. I’d love to be able to purchase a brand-new just-released book one day without it being the same price it is as hardcopy. For now, my ereader is used for getting review copies (NetGalley, from publishers/authors, etc) and that’s the basic use of it. It makes me a bit depressed at times because I do want to actually purchase books on it as well. At this time, though, I just don’t see that happening.


Why are ebooks so expensive? It takes less the time and money to produce them. There’s no mass paper production, and author royalties stay the same either way.


How do you feel about the prices? Do they concern you? Or do you disagree and feel they’re justifiable?


Just some thoughts and opinions that I wanted to share today.