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What's the price of an ebook? £15 at Waterstones!!

Submitted by Rachel Willmer on Mon, 01/16/2012 - 11:43

I don't understand Waterstones ebook pricing strategy, I really don't.

They've just put up the prices on quite a few bestsellers to £15.85.

Does Waterstones really think anyone is going to pay them nearly £16 for the ebook version of Lee Child's "The Affair", when you can get the hardback from Waterstones itself for £9.49, or the same ebook for £8.49 from Apple, Google or Kobo; or the Kindle version for £6.79?

It's the same story but even worse with Gary Neville's autobiography, Red - £15.86 from Waterstones, against £4.99 from Amazon, Apple, Google and Kobo.

What extra quality can they possibly be adding to justify charging 3 times as much?

Ebook prices change very frequently so these examples may all have changed by the time you read this, but the current prices can be found at :

http://luzme.com/author/Lee+Child/book/The+Affair

http://luzme.com/author/Gary%20Neville/book/Red%3A%20My%20Autobiography

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Comments

A good observation and it

Submitted by Martyn Daniels (not verified) on Mon, 01/16/2012 - 17:11.

A good observation and it would appear maddness. Waterstones would appear to remain lost in space on digital and spending heavily on rebranding their logo only demonstrates that they may have their sights fixed of share value rather than cunsumer value. We await their eplatform/reader moves and hope they can demonstrate that they do have a viable digital strategy.

PS visited WHS in Bath and saw what was a most embarrising KOBO POS. Not only did it look half baked and was speard around the store like confetti but as normal, you could stand at a display stand and waitforever for a sales person. WHS in places looked more like a bargin store and needs some serious merchandising if it wants to move that perception.Would like to see WHS sales figures on Kobo. 

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