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'The Da Vinci Code' and Other Random House Titles Appearing in iBookstore
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What is the average cost (by percent) of printing, distribution, reseller markup of a book?
You will be right, unfortunately
While the current and older generation still reads, I find the younger kids who grow up with "highlights" only reporting etc. have no attention span to even read a book.
If it's not embedded via the parents, it will go on like this their entire lives.
So, they will not want to bother to go to a book store and maybe not find the book they are looking for. Easier to just go online or wait for the movie.
The bookstores are trying to stem the tide by offering coffee, food etc. and an overall bistro atmosphere. Will not last though.
Sad
Sad is the social experience is dying too. Texting is just not the same as talking to someone face to face. Or sipping your coffee while flipping through mags at Barnes and Noble and people watching.
That's what I meant when I said Apple, since they have been the leaders in pushing digital distribution of content (ultimately for their gain of course).
In the end as long as publishers realize that consumers want their content in an easy to access manner (digital distribution) then it is better for all, no matter which way they access that content, be it iTunes, Amazon, Kindle, etc.
Was on iBooks early this morning when I noticed that a RH book that I searched for was now for sale.
Good news!
Good news!
Yes! It's exciting to pay up to 50% more for your ebooks than you were before!
No complaints here.
Perhaps a library card might better suit your needs.
I found this breakdown by someone claiming to be a publisher... looks about right from my experience.
Book Retail Price: $27.95.
Retailer (discount, staffing, rent, etc.) $12.58. Thats 45%.
Author Royalties $4.19. Exactly 15%.
Wholesaler $2.80. Exactly 10%.
Pre-production (Publisher) - $3.55. Thats 12.7%.
Printing (Publisher) $2.83. Translates to 10.125%.
Marketing (Publisher) $2. Thats approximately 7.15%.
Huh? The iPad is a multifunction device, it makes sense to have iBooks, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, etc. on it. The Kindle is very much a single-task device, with no real app store besides some games and social integration.
I think it should be cheaper because you get less for you money. For example I can not lead the book to my significant other/kids/friends. I can not resell the book when I'm done reading it, or give it to the public library. The price SHOULD reflect that.
Stick with the Kindle book store! You can then read your books on a wide variety of devices (including your phone, computer/iPad and Kindle if you have one).
Also, reading lengthy text on the iPad/iPhone is, for me at least, not a very good experience. Magazines are an exception to this - because of the pretty pictures.
For those who are interested, I do have a Kindle (since Christmas) and it is brilliant, battery lasts for the quoted 30 days, lots of good free books, screen is amazing. And a relatively inexpensive device (£109). Basically, I would recommend the Kindle for reading.
Also, reading lengthy text on the iPad/iPhone is, for me at least, not a very good experience. Magazines are an exception to this - because of the pretty pictures.
For those who are interested, I do have a Kindle (since Christmas) and it is brilliant, battery lasts for the quoted 30 days, lots of good free books, screen is amazing. And a relatively inexpensive device (£109). Basically, I would recommend the Kindle for reading.
I agree with you, you get a lot less tangible product for not a lot less buck. I know that they still have to written, published and all that.
Maybe its just because the only non tangible product we are used to buying online is software, and there's not a lot of difference between buying it in store or online, except you get an e-manual rather than a book. I believe that when buying a book we want to pass it round, which you can't do with an e-book.
I don't see what is so wrong with expecting the lower cost to be passed on in lower prices.
Don't forget you also have no inventory cost. When publishers print books they need to guess how many they will sell and take the risk on printing them. That risk is removed with downloadable content.
Perhaps the better conclusion to draw from this is not so much that people are cheap but that publishers have a lot invested in printing and distribution channels and don't want to undermine their investment so are keeping e-books artificially expensive.
Great info!
A link for people whom want to know where those numbers came from; http://ireaderreview.com/2009/05/03/book-cost-analysis-cost-of-physical-book-publishing/
Exactly. With less cost to the consumer theoretically you should be able to sell more units. Even at a less amount of profit per unit (hard copy vs. digital copy) if you sell more units you could end up making more profit, theoretically . . .
Then you should buy paper books. The convince of being able to carry around and own several books and not take up space, is not worth it to you.
I guess this is nice but it would be much nicer if iBookstore was easier to browse through. It's a royal pain right now. I'm also surprised that they haven't put the bookstore support in iTunes. It would make things more convenient, and consistent, too. Ok, I'm done with my rant.