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Amazon Finally Bundles Ebooks With Printed Books
nk497 writes "Amazon is bundling ebooks with print copies for the first time, via its Kindle MatchBook programme, admitting that 'bundling print and digital has been one of the most requested features from customers.' The digital copies won't all be free — as with AutoRip, which offers free MP3s for selected CDs and records — but Amazon promises to charge no more than $3 per digital copy. The programme will apply to books bought as far back as Amazon's 1995 launch. So far, only 10,000 books are listed as being part of Kindle MatchBook, but Amazon hopes to add more, telling publishers it 'adds a new revenue stream.'"
Fortunately, Amazon is not alone on the online books market. Other companies (eg some publishers) sell books online along with a free PDF. This is why competition has to be kept alive, and Amazon should not be the only choice when it comes to purchasing books, movies or music.
Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
No, because you've paid for the base content already. That's like saying if a restaurant offers you a free dessert with the purchase of an entree, the dessert must be worth $0.
I have several series in hardback that I'd like to continue with. But since I travel a lot, kindle is more convenient.
I would say I couldn't be happier about this, but I want this extended to audiobooks.
I know RTFA is frowned upon, but even from RTFS and a bit of reading comprehension you will realise that it goes something like: book = full dead tree price, eBook = full digital price, book + eBook = full dead tree price + $3.
captcha: smolders
Ah, the good ole' flawed physical analogy...
Ezekiel 23:20
I used to think that, but at some point I can't keep doing it. What the hell am I supposed to do with the books? I have an entire wall covered in them. Unless I want my house to look like a library something has to give.
Unless I want my house to look like a library
Sounds like a dream-come-true to me. :p
My God... How much time did you waste just scanning books?
This is it in a nutshell (dammit, I hate agreeing with h4rr4r ). I have a bedroom converted to a library, and about 1000 physical books, and I regularly purge them when I move. If I could find a reader I actually like, I'd be happy to stick to ebooks and recorded books in the future.
For a DRMed ebook, I'll pay no more than a paperback, because both have a diminishing chance to still be readable as the years pass. But a DRM-free ebook? I'll happily pay hardback prices, because I literally have a ton of hardbacks already, don't really need more.
Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
Those have went away, the new deal Baen has with Amazon killed them.
If I've bought a hardcopy I've paid my share of fixed costs.
Free Martian Whores!
Heck, in all honesty, I'd probably drift over to a NetFlix-style rental system if such existed. Pay, say $1 or so to rent a book for a month or so.
Wow, you kids are sure willing to part with your hard-earned cash for shit that used to be free. TV shows, bottled water, books... you can "rent" a book from the public library for free. If I'd had to pay for all the books I've read in my life it would take more money than I've ever earned.
Free Martian Whores!
I get all my Ebook versions of dead trees that Iown for free from TPB, and will continue to do so as I refuse to allow DRM on my books.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Amazon doesn't set book prices. Publishers set book prices. Well, unless selling at a loss, which is part of what the big price fixing lawsuit was about as publishers didn't want to let Amazon do that.
It's obvious to everyone that ebooks don't cost $8 to $15 to produce and distribute. Publishers have always said that they set ebook prices higher to prop up dead tree sales.
This makes some sense as hardcover sales are still very important for things like the New York Times' Bestsellers lists.
I think they also need to make back the money they make on the first run of books but I don't remember exactly how the publisher<->book store monetization works (I remember something about unsold books getting their covers ripped off and publishers not making money on those books?).
I imagine Amazon negotiated with the publishers and was like "Hey, people really want to bundle ebooks with their dead tree books and we could all make a little extra cash if you let us bundle ebooks at a reduced price without hurting your dead tree sales!"
You've paid your share of the fixed costs of the PHYSICAL medium
That's what's usually called "marginal costs", which is why it is by no means called "fixed costs" by anyone (well, by anyone who knows what he's talking about).
Ezekiel 23:20