[def]

Can anyone explain why the cost of an epub book is usually several quid more than buying the physical version?

I'm considering buying a reader but just looked at some of the online shops - all of the books I've bought in paper version over the last few weeks are £2 - £4 more in epub format.

Seems backward to me, anyone able to explain?

[Croker]

It's quite simple - and very frustrating for the consumer. Basically, publishers are terrified about digital publishing eroding the healthy mark-ups they make on hardback and paperback books, and so often price digital versions in an unattractive way, so as to keep feeding at the trough a little while longer.

A good example is the new Stephen King novel, Under The Dome. Apparently, it will launch in digital format on approx. 24/12/09 (6 weeks after the dead tree version), and will be at a list price of $35, in comparison to a hardback price of $9!

It's good old-fashioned price gouging, to be honest - despite the fact that the cost of digital distribution for books is much lower than that of dead tree versions (got a proof-read digital version of a book? Then put it on your website for sale, and away you go. No need for printing, delivery trucks to take it to your high street stores, or indeed the stores themselves).

Sadly, I foresee this kind of thing continuing for some time yet.

[mike7]

From a UK point of view books are not subject to VAT whilst electronic publications are.

[gavan]

Originally Posted by mike7

From a UK point of view books are not subject to VAT whilst electronic publications are.

However, if you buy them from a US site then there's no way of levying UK VAT.


On the original subject, I don't know why ePub books tend to be more expensive. They certainly seem to be the most expensive of the various eBook formats, on average.

However, I buy most of my books in mobipocket format as they are often cheaper (it's worth shopping around on the various US eBookstores). I then remove the restrictions on my free use of them and convert the resulting file to ePub format to use on my Sony reader.

Works perfectly and as a bonus I have a file that can be transferred/converted easily to read on almost any future device. I'm not interested in paying for ebooks that I'm not going to be able to 'keep' beyond the current reader.

I typical pay $5-$10 for an eBook which is reasonable.