Your high school English teacher may have told you that the value of a good book was immeasurable, but Walmart and Amazon have a feeling that it hovers somewhere under 10 bucks. The two online giants have begun a deep-discount war that is more reminiscent of neighboring delis with erasable sandwich boards than retail behemoths.
Walmart fired the opening salvo on Thursday with a promotion offering their top 10 pre-ordered books (including Sarah Palin’s memoir and new books from Stephen King, James Patterson, John Grisham, and Michael Crichton) for only a sawbuck — including free shipping. Amazon responded to the broadside by matching their price, but as of this morning, both deals had slipped down another notch to a staggering $9 per popular new hardcover. That’s over two-thirds off the cover price of Palin’s Going Rogue, which, according to the Wall Street Journal, retailers are hoping will provide a shot in the arm for somewhat sluggish book sales this fall.
While this might seem like just some good old American capitalism at work, it’s also a cause for reflection. These are two of the largest outlets for book sales in the world, and although it might spell better deals for us, the consumers, it’s hardly an auspicious sign for the vitality of the industry. It’s even worse news for independent booksellers who aren’t able to compete at anything near the level of Sam Walton’s little corner store. But maybe the most interesting aspect of this is its implications for physical books themselves. Amazon’s pricing for these hardcovers is now lower than the $9.99 tag on most Kindle editions. Is this a sign that e-books are starting to have a depreciative effect on the genuine article? The inevitable might have just inched a little bit closer.
What do you think? Are you happy for the change in your pocket, or are you worried for the change in the market?
I can’t imagine any human being who would spend money on a Sarah Palin book except, perhaps, high school drop outs. Hasn’t she proven over and over again that she’s a vapid fame whore with little intelligence? I wonder if she has started to read newspapers yet?
Jeff, read her articles in the Wall Street Journal, National Review etc., watch less mainstream news for “facts” and then you’ll realize you’ve been completely wrong about Sarah Palin.
I have read them, and no, no I’m not wrong. She’s beyond insane and a spotlight whore.
I’ve read them and she’s the most embarrassing and inappropriate political figure today. I’m embarrassed to share a species with her. So, no, I’ve got Sarah Palin’s number, and have had it since day one.
John, your use of scare quotes around “facts” nicely (if unintentionally) sums up the version of reality presented by Fox News. Also, if you believe that coherent English copy attributed to Mrs. Palin was not largely written by someone else, then I am worried for you. If anything, you (but certainly not I) should vote for her ghost writer.
That’s why she was governor of a state, while you post anonymous comments on entertainment websites.
One term which she couldn’t even finish!
The main word being “was” governor. She quit before her term was even up.
But do you really like her?
Books should cost $9. I can’t believe that hardcovers go for $30+ these days, it’s utterly ridiculous. I would never spend that much on a book.
Due to the costs of producing; warehousing; shipping; selling; and marketing books, hardcovers cost way more than $9 to get onto the store shelves. Paperbacks are cheaper to produce, but a lot of costs were absorbed in hardcover publication. Besides, American reviewers still don’t take paperback originals seriously, and review attention is a major part of publicity for a book (as radio is for music). The economics behind book publishing is very tight, and margins for all involved (aside from a few big name authors) are very slim.
And this is why corner shops can’t compete. They can’t buy and sell in volume so the prices shoot up. The future of books is the internet, whether sales through a website or e-books.
It’s not volume buying; it’s loss leaders. Since books are pre-priced, stores like WalMart can deep discount them to fool their customers into thinking that they get deep discounts on everything, which they don’t. Same with Amazon. You’re being tricked into buying more than you need because things are “cheap”.
Hit the library. They’re free!
Are you serious, David? They’re free because someone bought them and then donated them to the library. They didn’t just show up one day like magic. Another thing, if printed books go away and eBooks become the only format, then libraries go away too. Ever think of that? Also, all those millions of people who can’t afford e-readers or computers will lose their only means of reading as well.
I’m worried.
Maybe I’m dating myself but I dont see e-books replacing the books we read for pleasure. There is something in the weight of a book, in the feel of the paper, the way they age and smell… I dont see me ever falling in love with a computer screen , the way I have with a dog eared novel.
i couldn’t agree more.
I agree…e-books are the devil.
agreed.
That’s exactly how I feel too. I want my own personal library in my dream home. Books should never be replaced.
I have an extensive library, and I LOVE IT!!! Of course, it’s all porn, but it’s great.
I have an e-reader (not a Kindle, a Sony), and I find that, except when traveling, I prefer to read a physical book. It’s just a different, more fulfilling experience.
Completely agreed. i actually just bought an ereader, but I’ll never stop buying actual books. I enjoy having the physical weight of a book in my hand. What I’d like to see, though, is perhaps the ability to purchase a hard copy of a book with the download of a digital edition included. Much the way movies are being sold these days.
They certainly won’t be replaced. Cars didn’t end the production of bicycles. But maybe certain types of books will be published digitally while others stay on paper. If nothing else, the method of buying them is shifting.
Sigh: you’re not dating yourself, I’m 26 years old, young enough to still be part of the wave of supermega-technophiles taking over the world with phone apps and god knows what other technological unnecessities, and I abhor the idea of e-books. I want the smell and the feel of the paper and I want to actually turn pages. I love seeing my favorite old books on the shelf, all worn out (hey there, Pride and Prejudice – sorry your cover is hanging by a thread). Also I don’t want my eyeballs burning out from staring at a little screen for hours at a time.
I made the mistake of subscribing to Marvel Comics’ digital comics where I can read comics online. Somehow I miss the smell of them and holding them in my hands. I canceled my subscription shortly thereafter
Whats amazing, is that all the college students at my school, people in their 20s agree too. They don’t want to lose books. I think thats awesome. Books will be around for awhile longer.
Totally agree. I spend enough time in front of digital screens for my job. I sure as hell don’t want to do it to read as well.
Also, I truly think that if publishers at some point go to digital versions only, they’ll soon stop publishing all together. Once any product hits the market in digital form, it is pirated and downloaded for free by millions of people. You can’t do that with printed books. It can be passed on to others, but only one at a time.
I wouldn’t pay even $9 for a hardcover – that’s what the sale table at Borders is for (or the library)
I’m thrilled for you guys in Amaerica, but up here in Canada we’re paying ridiculous amounts still.
Well, enjoy your free health care!
This is troubling for the industry. Still it is nice for those of us who are unemployed right now.
It’s not free – you pay for everything in life. Canadians pay for their healthcare in their (much higher than in the US) TAXES.
Socialism suck, man. LOL. J/K
I’m glad to hear this. Price is a big reason why I don’t buy hardcovers. That said, the low price should be across the board. Most of those authors I wouldn’t buy, even from the fifty cents table at a yard sale.
Support your local independent bookstore. These are the people who fall in love and recommend the books you end up loving. They actually know the books on the shelves, not just the bestseller lists. And a much higher percentagae of the money you spend at a local business, as compared to a chain store or buying online, stays in your community.
Amen!
Lisa I’ve said this over and over again. Not only for books but for music and dining too. We are a nation of “I MUST have EVERYTHING” and “I MUST have it NOW”. I absolutely love the technology we have but it is going to ruin that “specialness” of things in life and its costing many many jobs.
I am worried, because in my opinion, an e-reader will never match the quality of an actual book. But everyone is so blinded by the technology. We don’t NEED e-readers the way we might require a computer for school or work. That being said, I only buy hardcovers from a small group of favorite authors, and usually with a coupon. There are too many book swaps, used bookstores, coupons, libraries! and other outlets to find books at reasonable prices that it’s not really a concern.
Hey EW since S King works for you why not have him add his two cents about this book-seller war and why he agreed to let his new book be sold for $9
The author usually does not have any say in how much the big box stores or Amazon decide to sell his books for. These outlets deep discount these as loss leaders to fool their customers into thinking that everything they sell is deep discounted, which is not the case.
King has put in his two cents: http://shelf-life.ew.com/2009/10/23/stephen-king-ebook-delay-price-wa/
I think it’s interesting the number of people posting that $30 is too much for a book (that provides days of entertainment and you get to keep it forever) but $15 is a fine price for 90 minutes of entertainment at the movies?! Umm…okay.
No, the $15 is NOT OK. That’s the reason we go to the movies maybe once a year. Some day that movie will show up for free on TNT, and I’ll just wait patiently.
But not for books – I spend a fortune on those……
happy for the change in my pocket!
There’s a change in my pocket when I’m around pretty girls.
Well, you bring up some interesting points about what this means for the book selling industry but I can’t get over the feeling that hardcovers only exist so that retailers can sell a book that should go for somewhere around 6 bucks in softcover for over 20. I don’t really see the point of hardcovers. Yeah. They’re pretty, but they’re clumsy to carry around and they take up obscene amounts of space on my bookshelf.
The point of hardcovers is in part to charge a premium for those that wish to read a new book first (which pays the AUTHORS enough to keep writing). You can’t think the pittance they get from a paperback keeps writers in their homes.
Reviews are an important part of the marketing of a book (much as radio is for music), and reviewers for the most part do not review paperback originals. The devate over hardcovers versus paperback originals has been going on for years now, but the fact os hardcover sales still make up a large part of book sales and position the future paperback. DVDs have not replaced movies playing in theaters either.
I’d rather pay full price at my local bookstore then spend a dime with Walmart. Ever. For anything. I will use Amazon on occasion, but only for books that are not avaliable locally (and after one trip to the bookstore, home delivery is the only reasonable option).
Two things: First, I’m not a Sarah Palin fan, but I don’t think this forum was intended to be a place for Sarah Plain bashing. Stick to the subject. Second, Wal-Mart has almost put Toys R Us out of business, and is now working to do the same with the independent bookstores. If they win, the only books you will be able to find in the store are those by established writers such as King and Patterson. In that case, we all lose.
BTW, the above comments were not made by me. I am a different KH. I agree with what he said, but it’s still not me. We now return you to our discussion already in progress.