I don't know.
Digital publishing has been around for quite a while.
And the pricing is still wacko!
For eBooks, The publishers don't have to pay for
- Printing costs.
- Shipping costs. (books are heavy)
- Middlemen percentages.
- markup for the bookstand.
- The cost of returns and shipping for that, of the lots that don't sell.
- And storage and warehouse costs all along the path.
The above items make up a HUGE portion of the cost of a physical book at the register.
The cost of publishing an eBook with their already established computer system is minimal compared to the above.
- So . . . Do we get a cost break for eBooks?
Nope. They cost us pretty much full retail.
Not even the discount we get at some retailers.
- But . . . are they passing on that extra savings to the authors?
Right... don't make me laugh.
I didn't mind as book prices went up through the years.
I knew paper and shipping, etc., were rising, and the cost was justified.
But now that those costs are being cut out of the loop?
I would say that the publishers were just not figuring out the truth.
But I am pretty sure they DO understand.
All that extra profit... I think we know where it is going.
I don't know if they WILL ever do it right.
It has been around quite a while now and we don't even always get the paperback cost cut, and we can't get the bargain bin pricing that you can find paper books at in the sales bins.
.