Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Mark Coker of Smashwords and E-book Pricing

Who doesn't love a sale?

But when is cheap too cheap?

That's the question self-pubbed writers are asking these days. What is the perfect price point when it comes to an e-book?

MARK COKER from Smashwords answered that question at the recent RWA Conference in Anaheim, CA at the Marriott Hotel.

Here's what Mark had to say:




What are your thoughts when it comes to buying e-books?

As a writer if you're self-pubbing.

And as a reader with your finger on the One-Click Button when you're looking for that next great read.

What's too high to pay for an e-book?

What do you think of 99 cent books?

I'd love to hear what you have to say!

6 comments:

Wynter said...

Thanks for posting that, Jina. From my experience, a low-priced ebook doesn't necessarily sell better than a higher one, but I think $.99 to $2.99 is mt best price point. If it's a book I've heard a lot of buzz about, I will certainly pay more, but to try something I haven't heard about, I won't pay more than $2.99

Naima Simone said...

Great post, Jina! I've heard several authors talking about this topic so it's a concern, especialy with self-publishing. As far as buyiny an ebook, it depends on the book and the author. Like for a Nalini Singh novel that's in hardcover, I'll pay the $12.99--one, it's Nalini Singh and I know it'll be worth the price. And two, its cheaper than the hardcover.

As far as an author I don't know, I probably wouldn't pay $12.99. Probably $4.99 is the highest for a risk. But it really comes down to how bad I want the book.

Jina Bacarr said...

Wynter, I believe your observations are spot on: in these tough economic times, we all love a bargain, but we want value for our money at the same time.

I priced my erotic short stories at 99 cents because they're under 7,000 words; my novella 30,000 words at $2.99.

Jina Bacarr said...

Naima, you've hit it right on the head--it comes down to how "bad we want it." I love used book stores (not that many left, by the way)--the prices are determined by "demand" for a book. I once bought a $100 book (1st ed. 1927) for $20 when the store had a major sale; I needed it for research, but I couldn't afford a hundred bucks for one book. I think it boils down to "fair pricing" works best.

Casey Crow said...

I'm with you, Jina. I think the price point should reflect the lenght.

Jina Bacarr said...

Thanks, Casey -- it's like buying Godiva truffles -- one truffle (short story) shouldn't cost as much as a whole box (novel).