Kindle & the $9.99 issue – an email exchange

Here is a brief email exchange I was part of -

 Thank you for your interest.
But I have no say in the pricing decision, and the publishers have no doubt considered the relevant tradeoffs.
I personally find it much more pleasant to read books printed on paper and bound, anyway. Perhaps you should consider that alternative.

****************

Web page: http://www.********.edu/***

——————————————————————————–

From: abhi
Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2009 1:56 AM
To: ***@***.edu
Subject: about your kindle edition book

Prof. ****,

I’d like to buy your book – however the $14 price of the kindle edition is a barrier.
Most Kindle owners are actively boycotting any book priced over $9.99.
Perhaps you could talk to your publisher to make the price more reasonable as I’d really like to read your book.

thanks
abhi

Perhaps one reader asking for a more reasonable price means nothing. However, for every one customer who complains there are usually 10-100 more who are facing the same issue. Its a good book and the only thing stopping me from handing over money to the publisher and the author is the ridiculous price.

4 Responses

  1. One of the first books I purchased for my Kindle 2 was priced at $9.99. Great! I checked back a few weeks ago and it is now $14.15. I will not buy unless it’s under $10 – end of story.

  2. I wonder if that professor has tried reading a book on a Kindle?

    • probably not.
      it was interesting that he never really considered that asking the publisher to lower the price would make me likelier to buy the book than him asking me to buy the physical version.

  3. Wow. Whoever that is? He needs a lesson on sales technique. I’d likely decline to purchase his book in any format after that douche-tastic reply.

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