Pricing your ebook is never an easy task

Some might call me a cheapskate, but I prefer bargain hunter. I’ll admit it: I like to buy books that are priced really low. Now don’t get me wrong; I don’t go and just randomly select books that are 99 cents (or free) just because they are. I simply read the blurb, then think to myself, “Wow, that sounds interesting, AND it’s only 99 cents.” To me, that is a great deal. But now that I have begun publishing my own stories, I am beginning to wonder if that really does say anything about quality.

Many authors, both indie and traditional, will fill their eyes with rage if you mention starting your price at 99 cents, or if you consider doing a free promotion. The argument is that so many bad works are out there to make money, and by giving them away for free or at a low price, they flood the market and depletes sales.They also go on to mention that readers are starting to notice that the quality of freebies ranges drastically, and are beginning to equate freebies and low prices with “it is so bad, they have to almost give it away.”

Others, however, will sing the praises of such a pricing strategy. Their defense is that promotions and low pricing actually help a new author get noticed, especially at a time when bargains are all the rage (the economy still kind of stinks, after all.) They believe that if you write well enough and that people truly like your free or low priced book, then they will gladly pay for the next one you write. The key here is that you have to write well.

I can see both points, though I’m more inclined to believe that free promotions/low pricing really aren’t as bad as they may seem. Now, I it’s not that I believe that the other side isn’t making any valid points; on the contrary, I agree with some of it. But as a new author, I have to wonder what type of reviews I would get if a reader thought I placed my work too high, especially for a short story. I think keeping it low for now will hopefully allow me to build a nice little fan base (I can only dream, right?) that will buy my work.

Of course, I’m still new at this, so what do I know?

What side of the free/low price fence do you land on?