The Never Ending Book Pricing Debate (Different Strokes for Different Folks)
If you are a member of a literary website (it doesn't matter which one), you may have noticed that almost every discussion group includes a thread that hosts a seemingly endless debate regarding how much is too much to pay for a book. Everyone has a theory and everyone believes theirs is the correct one.
Not very long ago, a customer would walk into a store and purchase a book for anywhere from $7.00 to $40.00, depending upon the format (hard cover, paperback, or audio), subject matter, popularity, length (number of pages), or the inclusion of illustrations and/or photographs.
The invention of the personal computer, the internet, and the elctronic book reading device ushered in a renaissance for independently and self-published books; which in-turn radically changed the perceived monetary value of books forever.
Many avid readers have become so accustomed to paying as little as $1.00 to $4.00 for an e-Book, they have convinced themselves that anything more than that, for any type of book, is too much. Since so many independent and self-published authors often give their books away for free, for whatever reason, some readers have even come to believe that it is foolish to pay anything for something that you can get for nothing.
The purpose of this blog post is not to participate in or encourage the never ending book pricing debate. It is to serve as a reminder that the determination of whether the established price of any product is too little or too much is directly related to the perceived value of said product by the buyer and his or her financial status. In other words, different strokes for different folks.
Some think that flying on a commercial airline costs too much; while others would never dream of flying anything other than first-class. Some would never pay more than $25,000 for a new car; while others do not hesitate to pay cash for a Cadillac, Mercedes Benz, or BMW. When traveling, some always stay at a budget motel; while others routinely reserve a suite in a luxury hotel.
In a free-market economy, demand determines price. If enough customers are willing to pay a premium price for something, that is what the seller will charge and, by default, that is what the item is worth. Those who aren't willing don't have to pay it, so they have no reason to complain about it. They are free to purchase a less expensive version of the product.
The value of a book or anything else for that matter is relative. The perception that something is expensive, like beauty, lies in the eye of the beholder. Debating how much is too much will never resolve the issue or change anyone's mind, because the consumers are looking at it from different perspectives. Instead of wasting valuable time arguing, I suggest we all just relax and read a good book instead. The price paid for said book is entirely up to you.
Not very long ago, a customer would walk into a store and purchase a book for anywhere from $7.00 to $40.00, depending upon the format (hard cover, paperback, or audio), subject matter, popularity, length (number of pages), or the inclusion of illustrations and/or photographs.
The invention of the personal computer, the internet, and the elctronic book reading device ushered in a renaissance for independently and self-published books; which in-turn radically changed the perceived monetary value of books forever.
Many avid readers have become so accustomed to paying as little as $1.00 to $4.00 for an e-Book, they have convinced themselves that anything more than that, for any type of book, is too much. Since so many independent and self-published authors often give their books away for free, for whatever reason, some readers have even come to believe that it is foolish to pay anything for something that you can get for nothing.
The purpose of this blog post is not to participate in or encourage the never ending book pricing debate. It is to serve as a reminder that the determination of whether the established price of any product is too little or too much is directly related to the perceived value of said product by the buyer and his or her financial status. In other words, different strokes for different folks.
Some think that flying on a commercial airline costs too much; while others would never dream of flying anything other than first-class. Some would never pay more than $25,000 for a new car; while others do not hesitate to pay cash for a Cadillac, Mercedes Benz, or BMW. When traveling, some always stay at a budget motel; while others routinely reserve a suite in a luxury hotel.
In a free-market economy, demand determines price. If enough customers are willing to pay a premium price for something, that is what the seller will charge and, by default, that is what the item is worth. Those who aren't willing don't have to pay it, so they have no reason to complain about it. They are free to purchase a less expensive version of the product.
The value of a book or anything else for that matter is relative. The perception that something is expensive, like beauty, lies in the eye of the beholder. Debating how much is too much will never resolve the issue or change anyone's mind, because the consumers are looking at it from different perspectives. Instead of wasting valuable time arguing, I suggest we all just relax and read a good book instead. The price paid for said book is entirely up to you.
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