Except that if the publisher prints 8k hardcovers, and only 2k are bought, they still paid for the other 6k. That's additional cost to them that comes right out of their sales - decreasing the margin on hc to the point where it's probably negative. Because once the paperback comes out, the hardcover's unlikely to sell except remaindered and at a loss.
Of course, they can simply print fewer hc or none. However, fewer hc is a smaller print run is a more expensive (to the publisher) book, either increasing the price of the hc or reducing the margins again. And going straight to paperback kicks the publisher back to the lower margins of pb for people who want a physical book.
That may be where the industry ends up going, but I can see why they'd be reluctant to do it. Not everyone wants eBooks or has an eReader, and the publisher is better off selling hardcovers to those people who do want physical books - those who will buy it. If the eBook format eats into the sales, thus forcing them to smaller print runs and higher costs, I can see where that would be a major issue for them.
Which is why I want to see them implement the discussed model (not a single price-point for a product, but a sliding scale over time) that they've proposed. Because yes, I won't buy the eBook until it drops, but I'd like it then. But I also see why they don't want to undercut hardcovers. (I think the delay might be more like 6 months for those, if they wanted to get as many off the shelves as possible...because most of what was left when a cheap eBook option came out would probably be a loss, at a guess.
NetFlix vs. DVD is a slightly different scenario. NetFlix will cut into DVD sales, but it won't kill them - assuming it's not in the on-demand section - because someone who sees and loves a movie may want the convenience of owning it. With an eBook, you have the convenience of owning it, and a physical copy is useful only if you want to be able to loan it. Which is probably a bigger barrier to interest to overcome.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2010-02-13 02:47 pm (UTC)Of course, they can simply print fewer hc or none. However, fewer hc is a smaller print run is a more expensive (to the publisher) book, either increasing the price of the hc or reducing the margins again. And going straight to paperback kicks the publisher back to the lower margins of pb for people who want a physical book.
That may be where the industry ends up going, but I can see why they'd be reluctant to do it. Not everyone wants eBooks or has an eReader, and the publisher is better off selling hardcovers to those people who do want physical books - those who will buy it. If the eBook format eats into the sales, thus forcing them to smaller print runs and higher costs, I can see where that would be a major issue for them.
Which is why I want to see them implement the discussed model (not a single price-point for a product, but a sliding scale over time) that they've proposed. Because yes, I won't buy the eBook until it drops, but I'd like it then. But I also see why they don't want to undercut hardcovers. (I think the delay might be more like 6 months for those, if they wanted to get as many off the shelves as possible...because most of what was left when a cheap eBook option came out would probably be a loss, at a guess.
NetFlix vs. DVD is a slightly different scenario. NetFlix will cut into DVD sales, but it won't kill them - assuming it's not in the on-demand section - because someone who sees and loves a movie may want the convenience of owning it. With an eBook, you have the convenience of owning it, and a physical copy is useful only if you want to be able to loan it. Which is probably a bigger barrier to interest to overcome.