[ubuntu-uk] Book costs (was Re: e-books without Adobe Digital Editions)

[John Levin]

On 10/11/2010 08:17, Neil Greenwood wrote:
> On 9 November 2010 19:53, richard<rjs1064 at u.genie.co.uk>  wrote:
>> On 09/11/10 15:40, Neil Greenwood wrote:
>>> On 9 November 2010 13:13, pmgazz<pmgazz at gmx.co.uk>    wrote:
>>>
>>>
>> All the editing etc has to be done for the print copy anyway, and  an e
>> book has none of the costs of physical book. Such as distribution,
>> handling, printing, staffing the shop, pulping the ones that don't sell!
>>   E books should be considerably cheaper, only trouble is the book world
>> is scared stiff of them.
>>
>
> That's not how it works though. The publisher will amortise the costs
> of editing, copy-editing, marketing, artwork, printing, warehousing,
> distributing, author advance, etc. across the expected print run
> (including physical and digital editions). Then of course, they add a
> healthy profit on top. A significant chunk of the profit they attempt
> to make on one title goes towards acquiring future titles (kind of
> like R&D expenses in software development).
>

Isn't the largest part of the cover price the retailers margin? By 
selling more directly, and cutting out the middleman, or selling through 
automated stores that don't have the same overheads as a shop or chain, 
the publisher should, in theory, be able to charge less and receive more.

(Many a slip between theory and actuality, of course.)

John

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John Levin
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