[LyndaC]

Does anyone else have a problem paying more for the Kindle version than the paper version of a book? I do.  Cheyenne McCray's new book was 2.00 more than the dtb and the new Lora Leigh and Alexis Morgan are the same price as the paperback. At those prices I would rather buy the book and share it or swap it - thus causing publishers to loose - than have it on the Kindle.  Am I wrong?

Lynda

 

[PJ]

I wouldn't buy the book at all.  I can think of no reasonable explanation for an eBook being more expensive than the DTB and I would not reward the publisher by buying any version of the book whatsoever!

 

[intinst]

Everyone has their own price guidelines or limits. If you don't won't to pay that price, you can wait and it may go down. Some have no problem paying for the convenience of reading on the Kindle.

 

[VictoriaP]

I don't think it's a question of right or wrong.

In general, I personally think the e-book version should be a little cheaper than the print version.  But realistically, I'll pay the paperback price (if it's out in PB) to get the ebook--I'm out of space to store DTBs, and it's nearly impossible for me to get rid of them--I rarely loan books because I never get them back, don't swap them because I re-read, etc.  

Worse than that, I'll probably spend more to get the book sooner if it's not out in paperback yet.  While I rarely, if ever, buy hardcovers anymore, the Kindle version of a new hardcover is invariably more than I would spend on the paperback.  And while I'll wait for it to get down to $9.99 typically, I'm not waiting until the paperback release anymore.  LOL  So I'm actually spending more for new releases than I did previously.

But I didn't get into ebooks expecting to save money.  The amazing number of free & bargain books is a huge plus, obviously, and I'm taking advantage of it, but I knew going into this that I would be spending as much, if not more, to feed my reading habits.

 

[crebel]

LyndaC - This is a topic we revisit often.  I think it comes down to what works for you.  I personally won't pay more for a Kindlebook than a DTB, but I will pay the same cover price for the convenience.  Some will pay a little more because they factor in not paying for gas to the store, no tax, no new bookcases to store, etc.  

There are so many books to be read that I just don't buy kindlebooks that are above my personal price point and I haven't bought a DTB in 9 months because there are plenty already (and more every day) that are at or better than the DTB price (and I buy 20-30 books a month).  

I hate finding a series new to me that I like and not continuing because the rest are higher than even as a new but older DTB, but that is just me - I stop reading the series and start something else.  I have a list that I continue to check prices on because they do sometimes come down in price and I know someone will pop in here with the site you can use that will alert you when there is a price change.

 

[PJ]

I hate finding a series new to me that I like and not continuing because the rest are higher than even as a new but older DTB, but that is just me - I stop reading the series and start something else. I have a list that I continue to check prices on because they do sometimes come down in price and I know someone will pop in here with the site you can use that will alert you when there is a price change.

I don't think we are talking about eBooks that are more expensive than DTBs in general. I think we are talking about a specific book where the Kindle version is more than the DTB version on the same day. That is were I draw the line.

 

[LyndaC]

I also have only bought 1 dtb since I got my kindle. I have so many books still to read, but these, as you mentioned, are in a series that I really enjoy and I just don't understand why the publishers would put such high prices on them. The publisher prices are ~14.00 then discounted to just above or at the cost of the paperback book. I know it is my decision whether to buy or not. That is not my problem. I am just wondering if anyone knows the reasoning behind it? Are the ebooks becoming so popular that they are trying to cash in?

I also buy 20 - 30 books per month from many different sites and have noticed the increased prices.

 

[LyndaC]

PJ, No, not in general, but the new books that are coming out. The Cheyenne McCray book was released on 2/3/09 at 2.00 more. After 2 weeks it dropped to the same price as the paperbook and is still at that price.

I guess I am thinking that Kindle has had more of an impact than previously thought.

 

[Athenagwis]

I understand what you mean, but I don't even look at what the DTB costs for the books I am buying on the Kindle. I figure I can always find it cheaper somewhere else (used, 50% off stores, library), so to me, a DTB is always cheaper then a Kindle book. Period. But I like my Kindle more, so I don't mind. Instead of looking at how much the DTB version is vs. the Kindle version, I have collected all the books I want to read in the future, of which I have about 35 that I can find free, and the rest are for sale on Amazon. I then set up an account at www.Shoppingnotes.com and have loaded in all the Amazon books I want to buy in the future. I have it set to tell me if any of these books fall below $4.00. If they do I will buy them right away. If they don't I will buy them in order of cost from cheapest to most expensive as I get around to reading them. If they become no longer available to buy on Kindle at some point, oh well, there are always more books to read! In between my purchases I will read the free books, and if I ever get super frustrated with the cost of Kindle books, I'll turn to the library again!

Rachel

 

[Andra]

I have had good luck sending feedback to Amazon when I find that the Kindle version is higher than the current DTB version.  It seems to happen most for me when a book moves from hardback to paperback - it takes a little bit for the price to settle down.
The feedback is the blue box that is way down on the screen.  I choose the "Other" option and then explain that such and such is available in paperback for less than the Kindle version.  Usually in a day or so, the price drops and I pick it up.

 

[CandyTX]

A friend of mine made the point that a Kindle book, in general, is "forever" meaning that it doesn't have a set life. A paperback, on the other hand, can only be read a certain number of times before it falls apart or, even, denigrates. *laugh* I pointed out resale value (I'm a nerdy bookkeeper)

 

[klrodrigues]

I like Cheyenne McCray as well but I wouldn't buy it when it's more than the DTB.

 

[Mycroft]

Many of the titles I purchase are a couple (or more) years old and are priced in the $3.99-$7.99 range.  Given that I hardly ever purchased paperback books before getting my Kindle and that I greatly prefer reading on my Kindle, I don't bother comparing the Kindle price with the paperback price. I just buy it and don't think twice. For me, convenience is worth the small difference in price there might be for some titles.

 

[ladyvolz]

I have had good luck sending feedback to Amazon when I find that the Kindle version is higher than the current DTB version. It seems to happen most for me when a book moves from hardback to paperback - it takes a little bit for the price to settle down.
The feedback is the blue box that is way down on the screen. I choose the "Other" option and then explain that such and such is available in paperback for less than the Kindle version. Usually in a day or so, the price drops and I pick it up.

I agree with Andra, I too have sent feedback to Amazon when I found a DTB that had moved from HB to PB priced higher than the PB version. Within a couple of days of sending the e-mail, the price had dropped to below the PB pricing.

 

[LyndaC]

Thanx Andra and ladyvolz. I will give that a try.

 

[Sweety18]

I usually don't buy the ebook if it costs more than the paperback.  However, if its a book I want really badly and costs a bit more, I usually cough up the extra $$.