Consumers do not like to pay more than they have to get their hands on e-books and e-book readers. When Kindle was released a few years ago for $399, many assumed that the device was worth it over the long run if Amazon dropped its e-book prices. Amazon did try to sell all of its e-books for $9.99 or less. But some publishers had other ideas. While companies such as Amazon and Apple have struggled to lower e-book prices dramatically, e-reader prices have come down on a consistent basis.
Amazon Kindle is now being offered for $139. It could potentially be offered for free with an e-book subscription (or ad-based) plan. iPad 2 will still be offered for as low as $499, when it starts shipping. Still, people are not just satisfied with these prices. It is true that people pick up e-readers to read at all times more conveniently. But owning an e-book is not the same as having a physical book in your hands. The fact that people can’t sell back their e-books is not exactly encouraging.
E-book readers are getting cheaper and should be free in the near future. Let’s face it. E-book stores can make more people buy their e-books if they provided them with the tools to do so. As cheap as Kindle is, some people still don’t want to pay $139 to get a dedicated e-reader. The iPad was never designed to be a dedicated e-reader anyway.
Not all e-books need to be offered for $0.99. But in a world where publishers keep complaining about piracy, there is no reason for authors not to try more aggressive pricing strategies. Unfortunately, that is easier said than done.
You May Also Be Interested In:
- Kindle Repairs: Where do you go?
- 15 Kindle Games Worth Checking Out
- How To Find Your Lost Kindle, iPad, or NOOK {Infographic}
- 10 Best nook Cases For The Road
1 comment
#1Spanish GentlemanMarch 9, 2011, 6:56 pm
Apple struggling to keep ebook prices low? Hardly. They’re so anti-competitive it’s not even funny. Books in the iBooks store are stupidly expensive – in the UK at least they all seem to be full RRP. But then again, iTunes albums are more expensive than buying a CD in my local hmv and ripping it to my iPod myself. Go figure.
Add your comment