GalleyCat has put together a great round-up of thoughts on the delay of e-book releases.
I have to admit that I don't actually have much of an opinion on the delay of the e-book just yet. I don't like being denied immediate access to an e-version of a book, but I also don't like being denied immediate access to a paperback of a book, and most people deal with that pretty well.
So: is this publisher pigheadedness? Is this a fight against Amazon price fixing? Are there other viable ways to handle this? I have no idea. But the GalleyCat group seems pretty well versed, so click click and read away.
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I am staunchly in the free range eBook camp. Publishers view eBooks in the paperback model but this is not how digital readers see them. They don't prefer digital because it is cheaper...they prefer the format. The paperback model worked all these years because the majority of customers preferred hardback.
ReplyDeleteSince publishers currently make similar profit on HB and eBook versions the "reducing choices due to reduced profit" argument doesn't wash unless by releasing the eBook at the same time they lost net sales, which wouldn't happen just because the consumer had a choice. 100 books clearing the same profit is the same, regardless of the distribution of HB to digital.
If they are scared of the $9.99 price point that is a different matter altogether and they need to address it. Dynamic pricing, legal action against Amazon, whatever.
I don't like being denied immediate access to an e-version of a book
ReplyDeleteIt's okay. The pirates are on it as we speak. They got your back. How do I know? Because I can watch a full-length feature film before it's released in the theater, let alone released on DVD, without spending half a cent...not saying I do that, but I could if I so desired. Pirates just have our best interests at heart. Money shouldn't be an issue for any of us. Money is the devil...I'm sure that's a direct quote from the Bible...Spartacus 24:7. Look it up.
In 25 years (because no matter what year it is, 25 is always the magic number), when we're all living solely through the internet (perhaps even eating off the screens and pissing on the keyboard...but really, who needs food and toilets anyway?), we will wonder why we were so worked up about it.
Tell me a story, Grandma! (Yes, we will all be grandparents within 25 years, too, so just accept it) There were these things called books, and they were made out of an ancient substance called paper...
Last time I looked WalMart, Target, Sears, and Amazon were selling certain hardcovers for $9.99. Will the publishers withhold their new hardcovers from those vendors?
ReplyDeleteI don't understand the fear of Amazon. All ready Barnes and Noble has joined the e-book fun and next year looks like many others, including Apple, will start selling their own e-reader devices. How will Amazon control the price then?