$9.99 is really expensive, you suck. eBooks should never cost this much
As a buyer of eBooks, I agree. Hell, as a buyer of regular books I agree.
Here’s how I, as a reader, go about buying a book.
Is it someone I know will rock my world and I’ll love reading? I’ll buy hardcover. Heck, I’ll spend good money to right away read a favorite author. I’d pay $50 to read Vernor Vinge’s next A Fire Upon the Deep related book he’s working on. Maybe more, to be honest. I can’t. fucking. wait. for that book to come out. Hardcover, paperback, eBook, whatever, I’m a crack addict who’ll pay for this author’s book.
The next level is someone I want to read. I try to read them in paperback or eBook priced at roughly paperback equivalent prices. But sometimes the convenience of reading right away on my iPhone triggers a buy between $9-12. $14.95 is a mental trigger for me, at that price I’ll wait for the book to come down in price (which it always does), or find a cheap print copy.
Of course, I’ve been in some financial hard times in my life. Right after I was laid off the $4 difference between $9 and $14.95 was a bit much. For those times I use the US’s amazing library system, and get the book on loan. I understand if people are hard enough up they can’t afford the $4 difference. It’s mac and cheese time, ramen noodle time.
But if you’re spending more than $4 a day on Starbucks coffee and fast food, I have less sympathy!