Attention Kindle-fans!

[rich p]

Yes .

Reminds me actually, it's getting close to 1st January so then a whole knew raft of authors will become out of copyright in the UK (not in the US for much longer so initially may be hard to get hold of). Joyce and Virginia Woolf are the only big names to have died in 1941 that come to mind (although many of Joyce's works are out of copyright anyway).

I'm so lacking in culture, I didn't even realise she had a sister called Joyce.

 

[G-Zero]

Maybe it isn't up to them! There are two possible reasons why they might be forced to charge more:

1. The UK government, in their wisdom, decided to impose VAT on digital downloads whereas paper books don't incur that charge.
2. Many book publishers are fighting a futile battle to keep their industry the way it was before eBooks came along. (The same way that the music biz did with MP3s.) Instead of embracing the possibilities of change, they are manipulating prices in favour of paper. Retailers have to put up their prices or they don't get the rights to sell the eBooks.

Cheers Colin,

I wasn't aware of VAT being imposed on the format.

Typical greedy barstewards; reading is reading, regardless of the format.

 

[ufkacbln]

Kindle is not a profit making device

In fact in he US the Kindle Fire is being sold at less than the production cost with the full intention of recovering profit on the downloaded media

 

[marinyork]

Kindle is not a profit making device

In fact in he US the Kindle Fire is being sold at less than the production cost with the full intention of recovering profit on the downloaded media

Yes, it's just a shame we might not be seeing it in the UK for a long time.

 

[Mozzy]

What the heck is a Kindle?

 

[swee'pea99]

What the heck is a Kindle?

It's a hollow chocolate egg with a wee plastic toy inside.

 

[yorkshiregoth]

I like www.epubbud.com for iphone compatible ebooks

 

[phil_hg_uk]

The main reasons ebooks are more expensive than they should be, sometimes more expensive then the hardback version, are firstly VAT as mentioned but secondly in some cases the publishers are setting the price ( or price fixing ) for instance this book --> Steve Jobs Bio if you look at amazon you will notice it says "This price was set by the publisher" this is where the publishers are setting the price this is also referred to as agency-model pricing, this practise is currently under investigation in the UK, EU & US the most noticable additions to this are claims in the last couple of days that Apple are also been investigated.

If you have a look at the amazon kindle forum you will find lots of info in there, and a lot of the posters in there have been active in bringing this practise to the attention of the authorities.

 

[ColinJ]

The main reasons ebooks are more expensive than they should be, sometimes more expensive then the hardback version, are firstly VAT as mentioned but secondly in some cases the publishers are setting the price ( or price fixing ) for instance this book --> Steve Jobs Bio if you look at amazon you will notice it says "This price was set by the publisher"

I mentioned that immediately after I mentioned VAT on ebooks!

(But your explanation was better than mine ...)

 

[phil_hg_uk]

I mentioned that immediately after I mentioned VAT on ebooks!

(But your explanation was better than mine ...)

Opps sorry I commented when I hadnt read you post properly excuse me a min there thats better my appologies.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

It's a kind of mint cake.

Oooo nasty, I bought one of those once. Just the once. Vile.

 

[Spinney]

The main reasons ebooks are more expensive than they should be, sometimes more expensive then the hardback version, are firstly VAT as mentioned but secondly in some cases the publishers are setting the price ( or price fixing ) for instance this book --> Steve Jobs Bio if you look at amazon you will notice it says "This price was set by the publisher" this is where the publishers are setting the price this is also referred to as agency-model pricing, this practise is currently under investigation in the UK, EU & US the most noticable additions to this are claims in the last couple of days that Apple are also been investigated.

If you have a look at the amazon kindle forum you will find lots of info in there, and a lot of the posters in there have been active in bringing this practise to the attention of the authorities.

Sorry if this causes people to go off and get their pop-corn, but...

But why shouldn't the publishers set the price of their books? Paper or electronic?
It's like saying that a car manufacturer cannot decide on the price at which to sell their cars.

If it costs more than you want to pay, don't buy it.

All publishers getting together to agree that they will all set a minimum price is price fixing, and is not what I am asking about (or what I ready phil_hg's post to mean).

 

[phil_hg_uk]

Sorry if this causes people to go off and get their pop-corn, but...



All publishers getting together to agree that they will all set a minimum price is price fixing, and is not what I am asking about

But that IS what they are doing

 

[Spinney]

Are they? Your post only mentioned Apple.

 

[phil_hg_uk]

Are they? Your post only mentioned Apple.

No I mentioned that according to the media Apple are the latest to be looked at, this practise has been going on for a while and involves a lot of the major publishers which is self evident if you look at how many books on amazon have "This price was set by the publisher" in the listing.