DISQUS

Mark Ross · 2 months ago

$27.95 for the eBook? Seth and Scott are right... The major publishing houses don't know what is coming or what they are doing... Good riddance.

Dan Colman · 2 months ago

Just curious Mark, what would you realistically prefer to see? Lower prices? Free? What model works for you and the publisher at the same time? Personally, I see a day coming soon when publishers get cut out of the loop, and books get distributed directly and electronically by Apple and Amazon at very low prices. I can live with that.

Mark Ross · 2 months ago

I agree, Dan, although I'll go even one step further and reference Scott's podcast that you posted a while back: it wouldn't surprise me if in the future that yes, you could get a Kindle or Apple version, but that you could also get a copy directly from the Karen Armstrong store. :)

I have mixed feelings about the price point Amazon has established. I would love to have been privy to the discussions on where to set it.

Let me finish my free copy of Free and I'll let you know more of what I think. But seriously... How in the world does Random House arrive at selling that eBook at that price when you can buy the Kindle version for $9.99? Please don't tell me that they think people will pay full dead-tree price to buy it in a format that is, in their minds, more "open" than the Kindle format...

Dan Colman · 2 months ago

Mark, I really like the direct access model. That's probably a good possibility too.

As for Random House pricing, I am not going to defend it. But I should note that the book, even though listed at $28, actually sells for $16 on Amazon. I don't know whether that's too high, or too low. But certainly the production costs something, and so do the editors, marketers, designers, proofreaders, etc. If publishers survive, book costs will remain higher. If they don't and if we move to a direct electronic model, then prices will go down. Feel free to get in touch once you're done with Free. Look forward to your thoughts.

Dan