View Full Version : Bill Clinton - most expensive eBook?
I was browsing Fictionwise today and they have the eBook version of Clinton's book for $28.00. Amazon are selling the hardcover version for $22.00. Mobipocket also have it at the Fictionwise price.
Although I disagree with Bill Clinton on just about everything, I would like to read his story, but I'm certainly not going to pay 28 bucks for the privilege. I'd find a pirated version first.
If publishers think they can sell eBooks for that much more than the hardcovers, I'm afraid things look grim for the eBook business.
arnage2
06-26-2004, 05:52 PM
i thought that the whole intrigue of ebooks was that they were cheaper than paper books
dean_shan
06-26-2004, 06:09 PM
i thought that the whole intrigue of ebooks was that they were cheaper than paper books
It should be that way but it's not all ways the case.
Janak Parekh
06-26-2004, 07:53 PM
i thought that the whole intrigue of ebooks was that they were cheaper than paper books
It should be that way but it's not all ways the case.
And, if it's cheaper, it's not usually by much. The value proposition of ebooks today is that you don't have to carry around the physical book, more than anything else.
--janak
And, if it's cheaper, it's not usually by much. The value proposition of ebooks today is that you don't have to carry around the physical book, more than anything else.
I know we've discussed this before, but I'm sure eBooks really cost a fraction of a paper book to produce and almost nothing to distribute. Of course we are paying a premium for the convenience, but I don''t see why we should be asked to pay more than the hardcover version.
A lot of eBooks are priced somewhere between the paperback and hardback version which is probably about right.
Janak Parekh
06-26-2004, 08:17 PM
I know we've discussed this before, but I'm sure eBooks really cost a fraction of a paper book to produce and almost nothing to distribute. Of course we are paying a premium for the convenience, but I don''t see why we should be asked to pay more than the hardcover version.
Oh, I agree with you totally. It should be much cheaper. My point is, I'm willing to pay a bit because of the convenience. The markup you pointed out for Clinton's book is a little insane, though.
--janak
Sven Johannsen
06-26-2004, 10:26 PM
A liitle off topic, but does anyone know if his autobiography is fiction or non-fiction? :wink:
A liitle off topic, but does anyone know if his autobiography is fiction or non-fiction? :wink:
Sven, are you suggesting that the former President would tell anything other than the complete truth? :rotfl:
Pony99CA
06-27-2004, 02:46 AM
I was browsing Fictionwise today and they have the eBook version of Clinton's book for $28.00. Amazon are selling the hardcover version for $22.00. Mobipocket also have it at the Fictionwise price.
I recall reading that somebody paid $19.00 for the eBook. I don't know where or what format, though.
Steve
Janak Parekh
06-27-2004, 02:48 AM
A liitle off topic, but does anyone know if his autobiography is fiction or non-fiction? :wink:
Sven, are you suggesting that the former President would tell anything other than the complete truth? :rotfl:
Guys, guys. I know you're trying to be humorous and light, but let's not take it any further than that, otherwise our mods'll have to lock it. ;)
--janak
I recall reading that somebody paid $19.00 for the eBook. I don't know where or what format, though.
Thanks Steve, you inspired me to search around a bit. I couldn't find a $19.00 price but I did get the book for $22.40 at www.ebooks.com. This site is based in Australia it seems.
Anyway, Mr. Clinton is now waiting patiently for me to finish my current Neal Stephenson book so that I can get started on him. He already has gone through a slight format change so I can read his words of wisdom on my Zaurus.
Oh, ebooks.com had the book in Mobipocket, MS Reader and Adobe formats so plenty of choice.
Guys, guys. I know you're trying to be humorous and light, but let's not take it any further than that, otherwise our mods'll have to lock it. ;)
C'mon Janak, just because the Yankees lost there's no need to take it out on us guys. :D
I thought political posts had to reach a certain level of nastyness before getting locked?
Janak Parekh
06-27-2004, 06:31 AM
C'mon Janak, just because the Yankees lost there's no need to take it out on us guys. :D
I thought political posts had to reach a certain level of nastyness before getting locked?
Not anymore, actually. We've found that, with 100% accuracy, political threads get locked, so we just avoid the argument ahead of time. If you take a look at the forum list, the Off-Topic forum specifically frowns on political & religious discussion.
--janak
One thing is for sure. Regardless of whether the book belongs in fiction or non-fiction, Bill certainly wrote a big book.
The MS Reader download is over 5MB and when converted to Mobipocket gets up to nearly 8MB. There are quite a few photos which must account for the size. Cryptonomicon which is of comparable size (but pretty much all text) gives a file of about 2MB when converted. No wonder I'm running out of space on my CF card :lol:
One thing I did do is remove that cover photo with the slimey grin. Regardless of ones politics, the photo has to go. I can't believe the publishers couldn't get a better picture of him than that one!
Brad Adrian
06-28-2004, 05:10 AM
I don't have much desire to read the book, so somebody just tell me how it comes out in the end. ;)
keelinlee
06-28-2004, 11:14 AM
I was browsing Fictionwise today and they have the eBook version of Clinton's book for $28.00. Amazon are selling the hardcover version for $22.00. Mobipocket also have it at the Fictionwise price.
Although I disagree with Bill Clinton on just about everything, I would like to read his story, but I'm certainly not going to pay 28 bucks for the privilege. I'd find a pirated version first.
If publishers think they can sell eBooks for that much more than the hardcovers, I'm afraid things look grim for the eBook business.
You don't seem to integrate that the eBook Stores sell eBooks at the price the Publisher chose...
The Retailers do not fix prices. Mobi, Fictionwise, ... all have the same price.
They can make a rebate, which corresponds to the rebate the Publisher make.
Eg, on Mobipocket website, this eBook (http://www.mobipocket.com/en/eBooks/BookDetails.asp?BookID=18254) is written as 20% off the print book (ie the official price). But if Amazon also has a rebate on the same title (30 or 40% off the official price), the paper version is cheaper than the electronic.
ebooks.com may have a special price due the tax laws in Australia.
You don't seem to integrate that the eBook Stores sell eBooks at the price the Publisher chose...
The Retailers do not fix prices. Mobi, Fictionwise, ... all have the same price.
That's what I thought as well until I found the book for $22.40 at ebooks.com, compared to the $28.00 at Fictionwise and Mobipocket.
Steve also mentioned that a site somewhere was selling at $19.00.
Jorgen
06-28-2004, 02:45 PM
I don't have much desire to read the book, so somebody just tell me how it comes out in the end.
This is a very good idea: Mark Steyn advise you to skip pages 1 through 869: http://www.opinionjournal.com/la/?id=110005276
The review seems to be a better and funnier read than the book.
Jorgen
Pony99CA
06-28-2004, 03:31 PM
This is a very good idea: Mark Steyn advise you to skip pages 1 through 869: http://www.opinionjournal.com/la/?id=110005276
The review seems to be a better and funnier read than the book.
That was quite funny. I especially liked the "claim on Mount Rushmore or rush to mount more" line. (That's not a political comment; just a teaser to read the link.)
Steve
skewline
07-06-2004, 05:18 AM
could you define non-fiction? fiction?
Pony99CA
07-06-2004, 10:09 AM
could you define non-fiction? fiction?
Why? Don't you have a dictionary? Here's a free one online -- Merriam-Webster (http://www.m-w.com). Enjoy. ;-)
Steve
wirelesscop
07-28-2004, 05:24 PM
Hey Everyone,
Can anyone recommend a program that will allow me to load and view / read ebooks?
Thanks!
wirelesscop
07-28-2004, 05:29 PM
Here's a stupid question...
I went into Kazaa and typed in EBOOK. I got like 10,000 hits. It looks like all the results are .PDF files. Are these ebooks? I guess I should clairfy... I know that they are ebooks...but can these be viewed on a PPC or are they only for a Windows computer / desktop / laptop? Meaning, is there a "special" file that can only be read on a PPC? I think I saw ADOBE for PPC. Maybe that'd work?
Kati Compton
07-28-2004, 05:35 PM
PPCs can view PDFs using a reader, but please don't discuss getting illegal book copies through Kazaa.
Jorgen
07-28-2004, 08:09 PM
Can anyone recommend a program that will allow me to load and view / read ebooks?
Go here and read about all the different formats
http://www.memoware.com/mw.cgi/?screen=help_ebook_toc
To get a feel for it all, go to http://www.blackmask.com and download a couple of free ebooks. You should have Microsoft Reader on your PPC (if not installed, it is on the companion disk unless you have one of the phone-PPC's or whatever they are called - if not ask again here).
Most readers are free or come as both a free and a commercial version.
I personally like .LIT (slow reader using lots of memory but everything looks nice) and iSilo (fast with good user interface and good for downloading news from web-sites (see http://www.turcic.com)).
Jorgen
Pony99CA
07-29-2004, 03:50 AM
Here's a stupid question...
I went into Kazaa and typed in EBOOK. I got like 10,000 hits. It looks like all the results are .PDF files. Are these ebooks? I guess I should clairfy... I know that they are ebooks...but can these be viewed on a PPC or are they only for a Windows computer / desktop / laptop? Meaning, is there a "special" file that can only be read on a PPC? I think I saw ADOBE for PPC. Maybe that'd work?
Yes, it should. PDF files are Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format files. You can download Acrobat Reader for the Pocket PC (http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readerforppc.html) to read them.
Steve
PetiteFlower
08-11-2004, 08:58 PM
Microsoft Reader uses .lit files
Palm reader(my personal favorite) uses .pdb files
There are lots of places to buy these ebook formats and also to legally download free ebooks (mostly out of copyright stuff but still good reading, plenty of classics available) :)
Anything illegal you'll have to figure out on your own, can't give you any help here!
Altaman
08-14-2004, 03:50 PM
I know I am a bit late in posting in here, but I thought I would give you all insight into the publishing/distribution industry.
I use to work for a Magazine/Pocketbook distribution company and what I am about to tell you is probably going to shock you!
In the wholesale/retail environment the wholesaler/distributor get a magazine for 40% off the cover price, the retailer gets the magazine for 20% off the cover price. You average magazine has about a 40% sellthru, meaning the other 60% are destroyed/recycled.
Paperbacks on the other hard goto the wholesaler at about 45%-50% off the cover price. The retailer depending on their volume gets the book at 20%-3% off in most cases. A good selling paperback will have about 40%-50% sellthru (most are in the 30% sellthru with a excellent auther/book having in the 70%+ sellthru area) initially. The balance are again recycled.
Now when you look at this picture it is totally in the publishers favor for you to buy an EBook for the following reasons:
1) No returns
2) No printing costs (build one EBook for each Ebook reader and make your $$)
3) No shipping costs to get the books to the wholesaler/retailer
Now I don't think that the EBook is going to take over the physical book in the near future, but I think that it can/is being used to increase the overall margin for a given book for the publisher and the Ebook retailer. The consumer is being programmed to accept the cost of the given EBook at the same price of its physical counterpart.
The consumer of course will be told that the sales of the EBook is lower hence the need for the same cost as physical one. This was kind the same excuse the music publishers used on us in going from cassette to CD. I remember when the CD came out they said that when the sales increase the price of the CD will naturally fall! Well that sure didn't happen.
DVD's on the other had have done the opposite, they came in low to stimulate sales and now the publishers can't seem to get the price up. It use to be that the of a new release VHS tape cost about $60-$80 (canadian) for rental and later came out at a sell-thru price. The Blockbusters, etc of the world love the DVD, as lower costs and faster ROI.
Anyways that is my insight into the publishing industry from about 7 yrs ago.
Alt
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