Comments on: Amazon, Macmillan, and the “agency model”

By: David Forbes

David Forbes — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:27:11 +0000

I’m sorry, I have no idea. It works fine in Firefox, which is the browser I use. Are you getting a particular error message?

By: Issac Maez

Issac Maez — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:47:48 +0000

Websites RSS feed is not work in my browser (google chrome) how can I fix it?

By: David Forbes

David Forbes — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:21:31 +0000

Sorry MB, your two longer posts did end up in the spam filter. I just found them and approved them. Apologies for the delay, I wasn’t around my PC last night or most of this morning.

Thanks for the info. I’m going to check to find out if those prices are set by HarperCollins or by the retailer. I’m kind of thinking the retailers are charging whatever they think they can get, but I’m not positive. I’ll see what I can find.

By: David Forbes

David Forbes — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:16:06 +0000

It’s out there and I replied! Yes, they go to moderation to filter out the spam. I don’t always have time to moderate/approve right away.

By: MB

MB — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 02:00:48 +0000

Argh. I see it disappeared into the aether. OK. Here we go again. A condensed version this time. :D I looked up the ebook prices back in October or November, when I couldn't get my hands on a paper copy of the book. (I was only reminded of it today because of a discussion about the relative cost of ebooks vs hardcovers and paperbacks.) Back then, the official "list price" on practically every site was $14.99. It since appears to have been reduced to $11.99. The Sony Reader store is the only retailer that still has the old price of $14.99 (here), but Google cache pulls up an old Fictionwise page and an old CoolerBooks page with the old price. On the latter page, you can actually see the change in the list price from $14.99 to $11.99. Most retailers have it at $11.99 now, minus whatever discounts they offer (e.g. Fictionwise, Mobipocket, eBooks.com, etc.) Inkmesh has a comprehensive price comparison. You'll notice that the only two retailers selling the ebook for the same price as the paperback, $7.99, are Amazon (Google cache here) and B&N.com, and they both make it clear that the real price is $11.99 and they're just offering it for less.

By: MB

MB — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 01:34:15 +0000

Please tell me my previous comment got through and is just awaiting moderation or something?

By: MB

MB — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 01:30:50 +0000

Hah. Okay. I admit, the last time I performed a thorough search and price comparison was back in October, when I couldn’t get my hands on a paper copy. I just remembered it now because of a related discussion about the cost of producingebooks. Anyway, back in October, practically every retailer had $14.99 as the “list price,” although I do remember $11.99 cropping up a few times, too. Since then, the official list price appears to have been reduced to $11.99.

The Sony Reader store is the only site to still have the old list price of $14.99 (http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/david-forbes/the-commanding-stone/_/R-400000000000000176516), but Google cache is my friend, so here are is a cached page at CoolerBooks clearly showing the change from $14.99 to $11.99 (http://209.85.135.132/search?q=cache:MPNQJ-YKRVIJ:www.coolerbooks.com/inside.asp%3Fid%3D301389), and here is a cached version of the Fictionwise page with the old price(http://209.85.135.132/search?q=cache:UnNdz8tfRKkJ:www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b95161/The-Commanding-Stone/David-Forbes/)

The official HarperCollins page has it at $11.99(http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061985737/Commanding_Stone_The__EPB/index.aspx), as does Fictionwise now (http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b95161/The-Commanding-Stone-/David-Forbes/?si=0) and Mobipocket (http://www.mobipocket.com/en/eBooks/eBookDetails.asp?BookID=220654)

Inkmesh has a proper price comparison, taking into account the various discounts the different retailers off the list price(http://inkmesh.com/ebooks/commanding-stone-david-forbes-ebook/).

You’ll notice that only Barnes&Noble and Amazon offer the ebook for $7.99 (although I have to rely on Google cache again for the Amazon price: http://209.85.135.132/search?q=cache:BUd_ukUAplsJ:www.amazon.com/The-Commanding-Stone-ebook/dp/B002PEP4GO), and that on both of their sites it’s made clear that the ebook’s regular list price is $11.99 and they’re just offering it for less.

By: David Forbes

David Forbes — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:02:16 +0000

Really? It costs that much? Can you point me to the online retailers charging that much?

By: MB

MB — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:05:50 +0000

Speaking of ebooks, why does the ebook version of The Commanding Stone cost either $14.99 or $11.99, depending on the online retailer, when the paperback is only $7.99?

By: David Forbes

David Forbes — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:22:58 +0000

The feeds are working as far as I can tell. Try again?