# COMBINED THREAD -- the 99 cent price point



## Ray Rhamey author (Jan 6, 2011)

When you see a Kindle title priced at 99 cents, what do you think? Some of the possibilities that occur to me are:


If it's that cheap, it's probably no good.
At that price, it's worth taking a chance. I'll check it out.
I've bought other 99-cent books that I liked, I'll see what it's about.
I expect the writing and editing to be lower in quality.
It could be good. I'll see what it's about.
If it looks interesting to me, I'll check it out.
I don't even bother with books that cheap.
I've been burned by 99-cent books and don't go there anymore.

I've sampled 99-cent books recently, and found terrific writing in John Locke's books and good stories (that need some editing) in Amanda Hocking's YA series. So there's good stuff out there, and probably some crap.

So what's your reaction to a 99-cent price?

Also, what's your experience with books you've bought for 99 cents?


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## Victorine (Apr 23, 2010)

I love 99 cent books.  I buy them all the time, but I do sample.  Just because it's 99 cents doesn't mean it's a poorly written book, IMHO.

Vicki


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## Bob Mayer (Feb 20, 2011)

This is an ongoing discussion that there is no solid answer to.  Each person's experience has been different.  I've experienced a 10-fold increase in sales when I dropped two titles from $2.99 to .99.  But it also coincided with some other marketing things, so who knows?  I think as a lead for a series, it's a good idea.
Today, I'm discussing at my publishing company whether to price a new title that comes in at 170,000 words at $4.99 or $5.99.  Will it make a difference?  Who the hell knows.


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## s0nicfreak (Jun 10, 2010)

When I see a .99 book I think "I'll download a sample. If I like the sample, there's a good possibility I'll buy it." 
If it's $2.99 that second sentence changes to "If it's good, _maybe_ I'll buy it." If it is anything more than that, it changes to "If I like it I will add it to my wishlist and maybe someone else will buy it for me."


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## JFHilborne (Jan 22, 2011)

I always download the sample, then buy it if I like it. I view 99c eBooks as a marketing strategy rather than the likelihood it's poorly written, although I have read poorly written/edited eBooks at this price. At least I didn't feel like I wasted much money. For 99c I know I won't read those authors works again....bargain. I tend not to buy eBooks priced too high, say over $4.99, no matter what reviews they have.


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## frankh (Feb 15, 2011)

I recoil in horror, run to the bed, and draw the covers over my quivering body. 

After an hour of catatonic misery, my wife brings me a cup of soup and tells me everything will be all right.

Then I go to the basement of Logos Bookstore in Santa Cruz. It's filled with pocket paperbacks for $1.00.

$1.00 books are great. 

$0.99 are horrible.


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## Carol (was Dara) (Feb 19, 2011)

Ray Rhamey said:


> When you see a Kindle title priced at 99 cents, what do you think?


My first reaction is to look and see what's wrong with it. Is it extremely short? Is it terribly written? Full of typos, grammatical errors, etc? What's the cover art like? Because it may be shallow of me but I won't buy a book with a cover that doesn't appear professionally designed. I just won't. 

If all of the above check out and the blurb is compelling, then I say "Whoo-hoo! Only 99 cents!"


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## L.J. Sellers novelist (Feb 28, 2010)

So many bestselling authors now have at least one e-book priced at $.99 that you can't make any assumptions about quality based on price. Like in other businesses, for authors who have multiple books out, low pricing is a loss-leader strategy.
L.J.


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## history_lover (Aug 9, 2010)

I'm sure there are some great $0.99 reads out there. And I know I can pay a higher price for a disappointing book. But I tend to think, in general, my chances are better with a higher priced book. 

That said, if a 99 cent book was well reviewed (by enough reviewers that they couldn't all be fake) and it was in a genre I read, I would go for it, possibly without even bothering with the sample if I thought the price might go up again soon. But an unreviewed, poorly reviewed or hardly reviewed (with potentially fake entries) 99 cent book is too risky. All that's saying to me is the author/publisher has no confidence in the work so unless it has a lot of people to vouch for it, I tend to take higher priced books, even $2.99, more seriously.


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## ice-9 (Dec 7, 2010)

As a three-month Kindle user, I learned pretty quickly that Kindle books can be offered at what seems like an excessively cheap price for any of these reasons, and so far it's been pretty easy to determine which reason from the description on Amazon:

* It's an indie author trying to break out - could be an opportunity to read a great book on the cheap
* It's a novella, short story, or otherwise short book
* It's a limited-time offer on a more mainstream book that might be $9.99 a week later

None of these reasons stop me from checking a book out.  I realize I may not like it, but for $0.99 I won't feel like I got a bad deal.

Honestly, with so many options available for free or under $2.99, you almost have to charge $0.99 or offer a freebie to get my attention as an author I'm not familiar with.  And the $0.99 and/or freebie method has worked with me several times these last few months.  I now have a to-read list including some authors I'd never heard of before I bought my Kindle.


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## Jenni (Feb 20, 2011)

Pricing, in my opinion, is a tool and part of your overall business plan. We drop prices on certain books, but not all.


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## Patrick Skelton (Jan 7, 2011)

Overall, the odds are in your favor as a new author to price low.  Most (9 out of 10 I suspect) people aren't going to be turned off by a cheap novel with good reviews.  Good reviews and cheap price equals win/win for the most part.  After the book has sold thousands and is marketed all over Amazon, the author can think about raising the price to more than that of a candy bar.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

Personally I like the price.  I still almost always sample unless I've heard good things from someone I know, but I tend to buy them.


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## SuzanneTyrpak (Aug 10, 2010)

I usually sample before I buy any book--but I have to admit I've bought a few .99 cent books without sampling.


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## mrscottishman (May 18, 2010)

If I like the book, I think, I am going to save up for that someday.

best,
Cheap Public Domain Scott

No really, I do buy books up to $9.99


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## William BK. (Mar 8, 2011)

My first reaction, back in October when I got my Kindle, was to dismiss 99c books as having something wrong with them--unless I recognized the name, in which case I'd assume a sale.

In the last few weeks, though, I've taken more and more to downloading samples and giving them a try, especially as I've become more aware of the many indie authors out there. They can't all be bad, and I am finding, much to my pleasure, that many of them are in fact very good indeed.

And since paying $10 is no guarantee that the book will be perfectly edited (or even any good as a story), I've lost that early prejudice now almost altogether. Roll on 99c...


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## Christine Kersey (Feb 13, 2011)

If it looks interesting I'll probably just buy without sampling. Now that I've gotten involved in indie publishing, I know that a lot of new authors will price a book for 99 cents so people will take a chance on them. It certainly doesn't mean it won't be a good book.


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## Kikuri (Dec 29, 2010)

I buy the book. ^^


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## BrettBattles (Mar 12, 2011)

I think like with anything there's good and bad. It's a matter of finding what sounds interesting, then sampling it.

I do wonder, though, if an author prices a book at .99, does an expectation get set that his or her future work should also be at .99? I have no idea what the answer is, but am curious.


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## anguabell (Jan 9, 2011)

For me as a reader it makes absolutely no difference. I download a sample. If I ike it I buy it - without hesitation if it's under $10, with some hesitation if it's more than that.
I have learned - mostly on this board - that people self-publish (or independently publish?) for many reasons, not necessarily because they can't find a "real" publisher. (As for a recent discussion about $0.99 versus $2.99, I still find it odd that people buy glossy magazines full of advertisement and meaningless articles for $4 and more but hesitate to spend a half of it on a book that someone was working on for months or even years. One thing is not being able to afford it, that I can understand only too well  - but I sometimes hear this complaint from those who can. But I digress.) So for me, it definitely doesn't decrease the attraction of the book or prestige of the author. I am very grateful to anyone who make their work accessible to as many readers as possible.


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## Shelia A. Huggins (Jan 20, 2011)

I must say...I'm actually more turned off by a high (or what I consider to be high for my budget) ebook price rather than a low one. I've become very dependent on the sample. Recently, Amazon emailed me to let me know that a book I had downloaded a sample of was reduced. I had read the sample and liked, and so I bought it. There are good and bad books all along the spectrum, and also to each his or her own. Someone else might not like what I like.


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## NapCat (retired) (Jan 17, 2011)

Bob Mayer said:


> "...$4.99 or $5.99. Will it make a difference? Who the hell knows..."


The "decision point" is at $9.99....go for the $5.99 !!


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## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

I think, "Oh good, if I enjoy the sample at all I'll buy it; what's a dollar between friends?".  I'm also much more likely to download the sample in the first place if the book is only 99 cents.  Price is no indication of quality.


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## Harry Shannon (Jul 30, 2010)

I've learned the hard way to sample everything. Some very experienced authors have responded to market forces by dropping their books to .99 but there's a lot of mediocre to terrible stuff out there as well. Buyer beware.


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## Holly (Mar 8, 2011)

If the description interests me I buy it.  I read for entertainment only!  I have never felt I got a bad deal but there are some, I won't read twice.  Not yet disciplined enough to "sample" because my collection of free or cheap books has over a hundred in the waiting line and by the time I got to it, the price would have escalated..  Found one with serious spelling errors but it was the second book by the same author that I read and really enjoyed the story line.  

Usually skip the short stories but may change my habits.


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## Ruth Harris (Dec 26, 2010)

99 cents is a great way for authors and publishers to introduce their books to a new group of readers and/or Kindle owners.  99 cents is marvelous for readers & for writers.  What's not to like?


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## Joseph Robert Lewis (Oct 31, 2010)

I think, "Nice, I can afford this!"


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## Keith Brooke (Feb 16, 2011)

As an author and publisher, I fully understand that pricing is a marketing decision: pricing at 99c hits a slice of the potential market you don't hit at $2.99 or more, and helps boost a book up the charts, etc, etc.

As a reader, I'm afraid my first reaction is still suspicion. If the book looks interesting, I dig around to see if there's an obvious reason for the low price; if it turns out to be a more established author, or from a more established publisher, then I'm usually reassured about the quality control; if not, I take some more convincing. It's not that I mind parting with the 99 cents, it's the investment of time it requires. 

And I'm the first to admit that those reactions are prejudiced and loaded with literary snobbery, but I have very limited time for my reading and have to have strategies for helping to cut through the noise - and it's worth throwing that reaction into this discussion, I think.


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## Aaron Pogue (Feb 18, 2011)

Joseph Robert Lewis said:


> I think, "Nice, I can afford this!"


Yeah, I'm a big fan. I haven't yet found one that disappointed.


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## crash86 (Oct 8, 2010)

I get quite a few books for $.99 and it's a 60/40 mix of good to eh.  I feel that for the price I haven't really lost much if it's a book I don't enjoy.  I usually don't sample $.99 books I figure for that price I can take a hit if it turns out to be crap.  What I don't care for is buying a book at that price to find that is the first book in a series and the rest of the books cost anywhere between $5.99-$8.99 then I feel ripped off but other than that it is a great way to get some really good books.


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## Keith Brooke (Feb 16, 2011)

crash86 said:


> What I don't care for is buying a book at that price to find that is the first book in a series and the rest of the books cost anywhere between $5.99-$8.99 then I feel ripped off but other than that it is a great way to get some really good books.


That's a very interesting point. Particularly as pricing the first book in a series low is often recommended as a successful strategy. I wonder how many readers that just irritates? (Also particularly relevant for me at the moment, as I'm considering pricing the first of a two-book series at 99 cents, with the second volume at $2.99.)


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## Aaron Pogue (Feb 18, 2011)

Keith Brooke said:


> That's a very interesting point. Particularly as pricing the first book in a series low is often recommended as a successful strategy. I wonder how many readers that just irritates? (Also particularly relevant for me at the moment, as I'm considering pricing the first of a two-book series at 99 cents, with the second volume at $2.99.)


I was thinking the same thing, Keith. I think there's going to be special appreciation for the $0.99/$2.99 pairing. Even if readers don't pay enough attention to the business agreements to understand _why_ those are magic numbers, they'll probably be consistent enough that readers will learn to expect it.

I hope so, anyway. That's my long-term marketing plan at the moment. I've got a Director of Marketing arguing for $0.99 across-the-board, though, so I've been following this thread (and similar ones) with considerable interest.


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## KD Sarge (Feb 20, 2011)

My experiences as a writer color my adventures as a reader. In my wanders as a writer, I've learned to spot the...well, the "You can't teach me anything and also my words are GOLD" writer. The ones who, when critiqued, explain that it's your own fault if you didn't comprehend their vision. The ones who self-publish rather than let an editor sully their genius with grammar corrections. The ones who know just how much their precious words are worth.

When I see a 99-cent book, I'm going to assume it's written by someone who is willing to learn, willing to watch trends and see how other people succeed. This gives me greater hope for the book.

As for how others feel--my sales have quadrupled since I dropped my price from $2.99 to $0.99. It seems an excellent way to get read, and that's my goal. Hook 'em good, and reel them in...  

crash, that does seem a little extreme. Keith, I'd think a $2.99 price on later books much more reasonable. Of course, I would, as it's what I mean to do as well. Aaron, all books $0.99 for a period, or is that the price he/she thinks you should stay at?


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## Aaron Pogue (Feb 18, 2011)

KD Sarge said:


> Aaron, all books $0.99 for a period, or is that the price he/she thinks you should stay at?


He's thinking there to stay. (And he's got his own trilogy coming out through our company this fall, so it's his own future on the line, too).

That thinking came a lot from John Locke's recent guest post at Konrath's blog, and it's hard to argue with that kind of success. Right now, we've still got more work to do designing processes than we do fixing price points.


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## history_lover (Aug 9, 2010)

Keith Brooke said:


> As an author and publisher, I fully understand that pricing is a marketing decision: pricing at 99c hits a slice of the potential market you don't hit at $2.99 or more, and helps boost a book up the charts, etc, etc.
> 
> As a reader, I'm afraid my first reaction is still suspicion. If the book looks interesting, I dig around to see if there's an obvious reason for the low price; if it turns out to be a more established author, or from a more established publisher, then I'm usually reassured about the quality control; if not, I take some more convincing. It's not that I mind parting with the 99 cents, it's the investment of time it requires.
> 
> And I'm the first to admit that those reactions are prejudiced and loaded with literary snobbery, but I have very limited time for my reading and have to have strategies for helping to cut through the noise - and it's worth throwing that reaction into this discussion, I think.


I don't think your reactions are snobbery at all. Not long ago, we had a discussion here about the free books on Kindle and almost everyone agreed that Kindle users quickly learn that you can't just download all the freebies willy-nilly because you'll wind up with a lot of books you never get around to reading. Most people are picky about what freebies they pick up because like you say, it's not about the money, it's about the investment of time it requires to read those books. To me, it's the same with $0.99 books.


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## zizekpress (Mar 9, 2011)

Ray Rhamey said:


> When you see a Kindle title priced at 99 cents, what do you think? Some of the possibilities that occur to me are:
> 
> 
> If it's that cheap, it's probably no good.
> ...


You can buy it and not lose any sleep over whether it's good or not. I have a suspicion that a lot of people buy at $0.99 in a kind of frenzy and then never get around to reading most of them. So the question is, does it really increase readership?


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## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

If I enjoyed the first book in a series enough to read the second, I wouldn't mind paying $2.99 for it, even if the first was only 99 cents.  If they jumped up by a dollar each subsequent sequel I'd start to get annoyed


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## Joseph Robert Lewis (Oct 31, 2010)

I wonder if Amazon would ever consider running a massive poll on their home page to generate some raw data about reader preferences and trends? Just five questions or so about "what do you think of ebook prices" and so on...


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## crash86 (Oct 8, 2010)

Ben White said:


> If I enjoyed the first book in a series enough to read the second, I wouldn't mind paying $2.99 for it, even if the first was only 99 cents. If they jumped up by a dollar each subsequent sequel I'd start to get annoyed


That's the thing, if I get a book for 99 cents and the rest of the series was $2.99 that is fine. I got the MY Blood Approves series by Amanda Hocking and the first book was 99 cents and the rest were $2.99 and that is fine. It's when the first is a cheap book and the rest of the series cost anywhere from $6.00 and up that gets me. I just got a 7 book series by Douglas Lindsay, 99 cents each and each book about 275 pages or so (haven't really figured it out but it's a good guess) and I feel that for $7.00 to get a whole series is a bargain and the amount of pages of reading for that price as well is value for money.

There are a lot of mainstream writers I like that I have read for years, but now that I read exclusively on my Kindle paying $12.99 - $17.99 for a book by the likes of Stephen King, Jodi Picoult or Frank Delaney is too steep. I get some really good cheap reads by indy writers. I read a lot and have been unemployed for a while now so my spending habits tend toward lower prices books, and lower prices doesn't always mean poor writing or poor quality.

I know that the Agency Model is whats making the prices of e-books going up and the publishers are doing themselves no favors. Maybe if we start voting with our wallets they might get the hint...... and people wonder why piracy is on the rise.


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## theraven (Dec 30, 2009)

I don't really react to a price and decide based on that element alone. The cover is my 'first decision' method. No matter what the price is, if the cover looks unprofessional then I pass. If I can see that the author put some time into the cover and it's appealing to me then I'll move on to read the blurb, if I like the blurb then I sample. I've set a higher buy price then others when it comes to ebooks so that probably makes a huge difference. I don't mind paying up to $6.99-7.99 on an ebook. And since I have so many books on my Kindle to read, it doesn't matter if I can buy 2 books or 14 books with my monthly budget. I just want a book I'm pretty sure I'm going to enjoy since time right now is my most valuable and lacking resource.  

I won't buy a book just because it's 99-cents (even if it's a sales price) unless I've read that author's work before or want to support that particular's authors career even though I don't usually read that genre. Sometimes how people conduct themselves in 'public' will also sway if I'll buy a book or not.


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## RobertMarda (Oct 19, 2010)

I am often already trying to determine if a book is something I like before I see the price.  The title and cover tend to draw me in.  If I see the price at more than $2.99 then unless something about what I have learned about the book is compelling I usually pass.  From what I have learned there are plenty of good books at $0.99 and $2.99 for me to buy and so I move on.

I generally figure a $0.99 book is self published and happily support indie authors who get my attention.  I almost always sample first when finding a new author.  Once I am confident in the quality and style of the author then I don't bother to sample often and just buy the next book in a series.

I like the idea that I can talk with the author and ask them questions about their books and get answers before I buy and this gives me an added level of assurance that I will like their book.


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## Joseph Robert Lewis (Oct 31, 2010)

ZionsRodeVos said:


> I like the idea that I can talk with the author and ask them questions about their books and get answers before I buy and this gives me an added level of assurance that I will like their book.


I'm happy to answer any questions about my books


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## Aaron Pogue (Feb 18, 2011)

ZionsRodeVos said:


> I like the idea that I can talk with the author and ask them questions about their books and get answers before I buy and this gives me an added level of assurance that I will like their book.


Me too! Like Joseph, I saw that comment and thought, "Man, I wish my readers would get in touch with me!"

Then again, I've got lots of blogs. Sooner or later, if they have any interest in it, my readers will get in touch with me somewhere.


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## markarayner (Mar 14, 2011)

frankh said:


> I recoil in horror, run to the bed, and draw the covers over my quivering body.
> 
> After an hour of catatonic misery, my wife brings me a cup of soup and tells me everything will be all right.
> 
> ...


I like your style, man.


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## Neil Clarke (Mar 14, 2011)

Interesting thread. I'm actually conducting an experiment with the ebook edition of the current issue of my magazine right now. We normally list at $2.99, but this month I'm experimenting at 99 cents to see if the volume makes up for the lost sales. Don't have a lot of data so far, but it looks promising. I'll be sure to come back and let people know what we find.


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## Starry Eve (Mar 10, 2011)

Good quality writing should be worth more than 99 cents, but then, I also feel it's a fair enough price to encourage people to take a chance on a new author. If nobody had heard of JK Rowling and her book had gotten rejected by traditional publishers, I wonder if Harry Potter's first volume would've started at 99 cents?


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## Dan Ames (Feb 8, 2011)

My first reaction is that it's too cheap.  My second reaction, is that if it's a really bad book, it's over priced.  It all depends on the book, and ultimately, the marketplace.


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## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

Aaron Pogue said:


> Me too! Like Joseph, I saw that comment and thought, "Man, I wish my readers would get in touch with me!"


Thirded here, like most writers my favourite subject is what I've written


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## Norman (May 23, 2009)

The advice I've been reading lately, is the highest price a new author should sell their book for is $2.99 so they can get the 70% royalty Amazon pays on books greater than $2.99. Competing for market share is tough. Selling a novel for .99 is one way to attract a fan base. I've dropped my three oldest books to .99 and my new release is positioned at $2.99. It took me a year to write my forth book. Paid an editor to get it in the best shape possible. It sat with a New York agent for months. I decided to go with a kindle release. There is nothing wrong with .99 books.

all the best
Norm

_--- edited... no self-promotion (book covers, web links, mentioning your book/blog/etc.) in posts outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._


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## 3pointers (Jan 8, 2010)

I love that price.  If the summary sounds like something I'd enjoy, I buy it.  I also read the reviews, however, and if it got a lot of low ratings for what I feel are legitimate reasons, I'll pass, even at $.99.

If I enjoy the book enough, I'm always willing (and often expecting) to pay more for his/her other titles.


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## SEAN H. ROBERTSON (Mar 14, 2011)

If it looks interesting to me, I'll check it out.


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## Javier Gimenez Sasieta (Feb 18, 2011)

In my opinion, 99cents price is a bad move: Every time I see that price I think there is some kind of desesperation behind it. But I believe that 99c prices will be a tendency in Amazon: we´ll see more and more 99c priced books. Maybe we should give them an opportunity, I don´t know. I always believed on reasonable prices, not ultra cheap bargain prices. 

As Robert Heinlein would say, "There ain´t no such thing as a free lunch."


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## Joseph Robert Lewis (Oct 31, 2010)

Javier Gimenez Sasieta said:


> In my opinion, 99cents price is a bad move: Every time I see that price I think there is some kind of desesperation behind it. But I believe that 99c prices will be a tendency in Amazon: we´ll see more and more 99c priced books. Maybe we should give them an opportunity, I don´t know. I always believed on reasonable prices, not ultra cheap bargain prices.
> 
> As Robert Heinlein would say, "There ain´t no such thing as a free lunch."


People seem to think $0.99 music and TV shows are reasonably priced. Why not books?


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## Sandra Edwards (May 10, 2010)

There's an old saying..._You can't judge a book by it's cover_. The same should hold true for the price.

That said, I never, ever buy ANY book without sampling first.

Sandy


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## 2leelou (Feb 24, 2011)

I figure what the heck, if it's only $.99 and I don't like it I'm only out $.99. I have paid full price for a regular book (before Kindle) and didn't like the story so I was out the full price.  I have a few $.99 books (Franz Kafka, etc) that I know the story so I'll give it a shot and see what quality they are.  I haven't read them yet so we'll see.


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## Rex Jameson (Mar 8, 2011)

Time is a big factor for me due to graduate school and working multiple jobs. The redeeming part of a 99 cent book is that you don't compound a loss of time with price. Still, a 1.99 or 2.99 book is just as tempting to me as a 99 cent book.


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## brianrowe (Mar 10, 2011)

This has been a real head-scratcher for me, as I just debuted my first novel SLATE on the Kindle yesterday. I've gone back and forth on prices, and I ultimately decided on $2.99. I think $2.99 is a fair price for an 82,000-word novel, as opposed to say a novella or something, which should go for 99 cents. But what if 12 people buy it for $2.99, and 1,000 people buy it for 99 cents? That's the main question.


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## Renee Adams (Mar 14, 2011)

My reaction is usually the following:

1. Summary check.
2. Typo check.
3. If it looks interesting, and no typos, purchase.


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## Adler_James (Feb 17, 2011)

I look for the blurb and see what the book's about.  For the price, who knows... it's tricky because I've read books that need a lot of work and it seemed maybe the author thought "I'm selling it for a buck, who cares?" - and if that's true, it scares me a little.


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## patrickt (Aug 28, 2010)

An acquaintance told me his digital camera was better than mine because it cost $5,000. I said, "I'll sell you mine for $10,000 and then you'll have a camera twice as good as the one you have now." People who equate price with quality are fools. A friend said her Rolex impressed people and I suggested she should start meeting a better class of person.

So, when I see a $.99 book I think, "Wow, less than $1. It is probably a new author." I don't even have to look to know it isn't Lee Childs or Lawrence Block. Then, I'll read the description, see if the author has written other titles, and  if it's the genre I like and meets other criteria I'll probably order it.

I rarely do the samples for entertaining reading.


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## GoHats (Jan 29, 2011)

a 99 cent book would be of high interest to me but would at the same time increase concern about low quality.

so basically coming from an unknown book which I'm on the fence when I look at it - slight negative
but for something that looks attractive, say because of recognition or a high quality page - moderate positive


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## Paul Levine (May 14, 2010)

•If it's that cheap, it's probably no good.

Maybe that's unenlightened...but I'm also wary of cheap raspberries at the market, figuring they'll spoil within 24 hours.

Paul Levine


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## Starry Eve (Mar 10, 2011)

So the general consensus is that 99 cents is fair if the author is new and/or the pages are less than a certain number? Yes, 99 cents is a cheap price, but I'd still prefer to give authors the benefit of the doubt regarding the quality of their work until I've sampled their material. Are there any accurate stats on the percentage of quality 99 cents books being released vs the 'crappy' ones? If reading taste is subjective, it may not be possible to measure aside from just dismissing works based on poor grammar and editing?


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## Neil Clarke (Mar 14, 2011)

I find this quality perception thing interesting, but isn't matching up with my recent experience. I've been experimenting with a 99 cent price on the current issue of my magazine and in just a few days it has far outsold the monthly total of any other issue we've published at $2.99. I suppose it could be that our reputation is eliminating the quality concern among the new buyers, but I have no real way of knowing. 

I guess what I'm after here (to the people who think 99 cent = low quality), does anything cause you to second-guess that perception?


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## pixichick (Mar 1, 2011)

I never concern myself with the price and always preview any book I read - I can tell, and you all probably can too when a book is fantastic or completely horrendous.  For me, within the first two pages I know if I want to keep reading or not.


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## Joseph Robert Lewis (Oct 31, 2010)

I understand the general concern that a cheap book is more likely to be a poor book, but the general experience among authors is that lowering the price will increases sales. 

So at the very least, the lower price is attracting a large number of readers while the higher price is not. I think that means that folks concerned about cheap books being poor are in the minority.


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## Eric C (Aug 3, 2009)

I'd be surprised if anyone argued with the statement: "There is no difference in quality between 99 cent books and $2.99 books or any books priced in that range." Until that changes, pricing simply reflects a different philosophy or approach to selling.

Me, I sell one book at 99 cents and the other at $2.99. I tried pricing everything at $2.99 but given I'm virtually unknown and advertise or market very little my books tank when they are all $2.99. I need the "gateway drug" to attract customers.

My 99 cent book sells itself, given the price and lots of favorable reader reviews, and yet it hasn't led to significant sales of the $2.99 book until very recently. I had to sell about 13,000 copies of my 99 cent book before the $2.99 book began to sell in any numbers. I think this is because there are a LOT of readers who buy 99 cent books and take months upon months to actually read them (if ever) before they come sniffing around to see what else I have available.


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## miss_fletcher (Oct 25, 2010)

Hmm. I buy books when randomly browsing in this order;

Cover
Blurb
Author Name
Price
Reviews
Prior Knowledge of Title

So when I see a 99cent (70pence) book I think, cool, I get to buy more books now, lol. I don't automatically assume the content is going to be inferior because of the low price. But then I think most "hardcore" readers dismiss price entirely. I would be happy to pay £4.99 for an eBook (Indie too) if it was promoted to me correctly.


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## carl_h (Sep 8, 2010)

If the genre of the book and info regarding the book sound like something I might read, I have no qualms buying a book at .99.  In fact, I've done that on several occasions and discovered delightful authors and, as a result, went on to purchase other books by that author.  L.J. Sellars comes to mind.  I bought her first book at 0.99 and have since purchased all of her books.  Scott Nicholson has also released 0.99 books leading me to purchase his other works.  Even Faye Kellerman had a book out at 0.99.  In my opinion, dismissing a book simply because it's priced low is a mistake.  On the other hand, buying it because it's only 99 cents could also be a mistake.


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## Moissanitejewel (Mar 17, 2011)

If it's non-fiction I read a small sample, but I usually buy because it's something I want to know. Like how to raise Tarantula's.  There aren't many books on it, so I have to trust it. If not, at least it's 99 cents. 

If it's fiction, I read the entire sample, then use a search engine to check it out on other sites to see how it's doing. If I can't find anything for it, I think for a little while and usually go for the next book on my list. There is always another five or six books on the list anyhow, right? 

In the end, I usually buy something around $1.99 to $4.99 or so, but I give it a chance. Sometimes 99 cent authors are actually good and just looking to attract agents, so it's always worth a look first.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

The .99 cent price is affordable and I like it. It is a token to pay for my real investment in time with any author's work.

Edward C. Patterson


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## jsmclean (Mar 6, 2011)

If I have it, I buy it at .99, no hesitation.  If I read it and think something's amiss (happened once--the book was clearly a written-in-a-weekend guide to selling crafts that was probably a five pages pamphlet handed out for free at Michael's or something), I review it and say so.  Otherwise, I think the price is part of what appeals with e-books.  I am a huge used-book fanatic, and I never say no to a .99 paperback; with an e-book, I don't even lose shelf space.


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## Tara Maya (Nov 4, 2010)

I won't buy a book solely because it's cheap. Why waste the space on my kindle? But if I am interested in a book, the $.99 cent price can make the difference between buying it immediately and putting it on my Wishlist.


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## brianrowe (Mar 10, 2011)

_--- edited... no self-promotion outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._


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## lpking (Feb 12, 2011)

Four months ago, I would have avoided a 99¢ book for all the reasons stated above by other readers. Additionally, I value my time too much to weed through dozens of samples.

Since starting to pay a little more attention to the dynamics of ebook publishing, I've bought half a dozen 99¢ books from authors I've encountered elsewhere online, and appreciated or enjoyed in those other places. However, I've only read two of those.

I'm torn between guilt that I felt kindly enough toward an author to basically drop 35¢ in his/her tip jar (damned by faint praise) without having much intention (dishonesty!) to read the book, and satisfaction that I contributed my measly bump to his/her book's ranking on Amazon.


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## Patrick Skelton (Jan 7, 2011)

Honestly, my first thought is "Indie Writer".


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## William BK. (Mar 8, 2011)

> I'm torn between guilt that I felt kindly enough toward an author to basically drop 35¢ in his/her tip jar (damned by faint praise) without having much intention (dishonesty!) to read the book, and satisfaction that I contributed my measly bump to his/her book's ranking on Amazon.


In some ways, I feel the same. I'm not the kind to say "Stick it to the man," but as I've become more and more interested in the possibilities of publishing on the Kindle, I've been more inclined to buy a 99c book on impulse, even if I'll never read it. I do like seeing Indies breaking into the bestseller lists here on Amazon, so perhaps it is a bit of a noble cause, doing my bit to "bump" the ranking. Honestly, it's a bit like voting, isn't it. One vote in a sea of millions doesn't really mean much, but every little bit helps at the same time...


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## Tara Maya (Nov 4, 2010)

@ tkkenyon. To be fair, the description of "The Magicians" does in include the words "angst", "anticlimax", "tedious", "fraught" and "jaded ennui" (is there any other kind of ennui?), plus it's about Manhattan college students, so maybe that might have been a clue...  

But, I know what you mean. If I buy a more expensive book and it turns out to be a dud, it's especially disappointing!


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## caseyf6 (Mar 28, 2010)

Most of the time when I see 99c, I think "who-hoo!" and go ahead and buy it.  I've already generally read the description, most of the indies I see are from here anyway so I have an idea at least of what their conversational writing style is, and I am glad to support.  A 99c price tag makes the choice easy.

$2.99, I'll sample and then either buy or put on my wish list.


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## Katie Salidas (Mar 21, 2010)

My first thought when seeing the $0.99 price is "indie," and I love indies. After that I pop into the reviews. If the reviews look good, or at least interesting (sometimes a bad review is just "opinion" not a comment on writing) I'll buy it without a sample. Even at $2.99 I might just go ahead and by without a sample if it looks good.


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## KimberElliott (Feb 9, 2011)

I love a .99 book - the price allows for a bit of an impulse buy and if it's not for you, you don't feel cheated.


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## Christine Kersey (Feb 13, 2011)

Before I got involved in indie publishing, when I'd see a book for .99, I'd wonder why it was so cheap. Was it just a sample? What was the catch? But now I realize it's most likely an indie book and if it looks good, I'll buy it. The challenge is to help readers understand there's not necessarily anything "wrong" with it, but just a way for an author to get noticed.


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## theaatkinson (Sep 22, 2010)

there are times when a 99cent book made me buy just for price. Usually, if I don't know the author and I want to see if I'd like the writing. funny thing, because when I buy a DTB, I consider cover art first (if I don't know the author) and have bought many unknown authors regardless of price.

It's interesting to see how ebooks have changed the way I purchase


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## Cliff Ball (Apr 10, 2010)

Having just bought a Kindle myself, I prefer $.99 ebooks, or at least $2.99 and under anyway. If there's an e-book by an author I normally read, and its the same price as the paperback, I might as well buy the paperback, especially if the e-book is priced higher than $5. Some of us don't have enough money to read everything we want, so $.99 is the perfect price. I never sample, and cover art says nothing to me, other than the genre it's in, so I read the description, and buy it based off of that. I've also never found reviews to be very helpful, unless it contains plenty of spoilers. I guess I'm just weird.

As an author, I drop the price to my e-books to $.99 for a couple of weeks sometimes because more and more people seem to take a chance on your books when otherwise they would've passed on it.


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## lpking (Feb 12, 2011)

Reviews, yeah. All over the map.

But sometimes, maybe even often, you can get an idea of whether or not the book will appeal to you. The style and opinion of the reviewer reveals a lot about that person. By measuring their tastes against mine, I can tell, sometimes. 

Sometimes I can tell that a book someone else hates is at least worth trying. One thing that I have a hard time with: someone who writes a grammatically perfect review with peerless spelling, and complains about typos and grammar in a book. I've read a couple of books with the odd typo or grammar mistake that didn't throw me out of the story, because that story was compelling and the writer's voice was good. I usually figure that someone who writes perfectly and complains of spelling/grammar requires a level of excellence the rest of us may not demand.


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## belindaf (Jan 27, 2011)

As an indie, I had to try the 99 cent experiment because I was afraid it was the only way to increase visibility. I felt pressured to do it because everyone else is. I knew that for the amount of money I'd be making I might as well list it for free to gain readership but on the other hand, I don't want people assuming I'm garbage. It's a double-edged sword.

I tend to favor the arguments of the "race to the bottom" camp on pricing, but I read many 99 cent books (based on recommendations, usually) and not because they're 99 cents. I'd happily pay $2.99 or more. I've paid as high as $7.99 for a Charlie Huston book in the Joe Pitt series.

I don't want to undervalue a writer's work. I know how hard this is. Paying the little bit more, to me, is philanthropic especially for hardworking, low-selling indies. I love to #supportthelittleguy. Pretty much tag any book post on Twitter that way and I'm going to at least have a look. Still, some writers insist on charging 99 cents...


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## Joseph Robert Lewis (Oct 31, 2010)

belindaf said:


> Still, some writers insist on charging 99 cents...


I don't "insist" on the $0.99 price. I just think it is reasonable to charge a low price when I as an author am new to the public, and my writing is unknown, with few (but excellent) reviews, and little publicity. I think it's a phase, it's how new authors should start out.

If the author's books are successful and generate lots of buzz and good reviews, then the author becomes a known quantity and drives sales on their brand (and not low prices), and then it becomes reasonable to charge more.


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## Will Write for Gruel (Oct 16, 2010)

Joseph Robert Lewis said:


> I don't "insist" on the $0.99 price. I just think it is reasonable to charge a low price when I as an author am new to the public, and my writing is unknown, with few (but excellent) reviews, and little publicity. I think it's a phase, it's how new authors should start out.
> 
> If the author's books are successful and generate lots of buzz and good reviews, then the author becomes a known quantity and drives sales on their brand (and not low prices), and then it becomes reasonable to charge more.


Yeah, I think this is a valid strategy. What I keep thinking is that when the writer is unknown to the reader, he might only get that one chance with the reader when the reader is viewing the page for his book. If the reader doesn't buy (or at least sample) there's a good chance that reader will never stumble upon his book again.

$2.99 for a book is certainly extremely reasonable, but $0.99 is an impulse buy, a pack of gum at the checkout in the supermarket.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Many of my sales are based on name recognition, but also that I champion 99 cent books.


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## Dee_DeTarsio (Oct 26, 2010)

I think everyone likes a deal and a good bargain--and the chance to discover new authors is a bonus! Pricing in this digital revolution is a tricky thing, and it remains to be seen where prices will settle. I try to keep an open mind and and look forward to a good story, whatever the cost. (Though I still can't bring myself to buy Fall of Giants by Ken Follett, yetjavascript:void(0)


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## StaceyHH (Sep 13, 2010)

Joseph Robert Lewis said:


> People seem to think $0.99 music and TV shows are reasonably priced. Why not books?


When you buy $.99 music or TV, you are buying an episode, not the album or season. The direct comparison should be if you are buying the book by the chapter.



Joseph Robert Lewis said:


> So at the very least, the lower price is attracting a large number of *readers* while the higher price is not. I think that means that folks concerned about cheap books being poor are in the minority.


I would argue that the lower price is attracting a larger number of *buyers,* not necessarily *readers.* While it doesn't matter to the bottom line (at the outset,) whether purchasers are actually reading the $.99 books, few readers = few reviewers = less buzz = less sales in the long run.

When I first got my kindle, I bought up a slew of $.99 books. Currently, I have over 30 - $.99 purchases, of which I have read 8. 3 of the eight were shorts or novellas by traditionally published authors, where the story was part of a series that I'm currently reading. 4 were KB authors, (two from the same author.) And one was a book I was already planning to buy that popped up on a 1-day sale (THAT one ended up being TERRIBLE.)

That leaves 22 of my $.99 purchases that I haven't read, probably won't read, don't remember I bought unless I look, and don't feel guilty about not reading them.

They're probably perfectly good books, and cumulatively, I'm out $22 - the cost of 3 of my normal purchases - but there's really no push to read them - like thinking "OMG I spent money on this!!! must read!!!" They're pure impulse buys.

Well, at this point, because of my track record with the $.99 impulse buys, the price is more of a deterrent; even if it's very little money, I still tend to think that I'll never get around to reading it.

I've got to believe I'm not the exception at this price point, and it would be interesting if it were possible to find what percentage of $.99 books actually ever get read, and how that ratio would change at each major price point.



tkkenyon said:


> pretty disappointed in (*The Magicians* by Lev Grossman,) but I am only half-way through it. ...
> 
> A bad $10 book is 10 times as disappointing as a bad $1 book.


Just read that one. Fortunately it was a library ebook instead of a purchase. If you're 1/2 way through, it gets worse and more angstier. (Is that a word?) If you're the type that bails on books, bail. 

I get irritated just the same whether it's a $10 or a $1, because it's my time. The last two books I read were bummers, I got them for free from the library, and I'm still cranky about them even though I didn't spend a dime.


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## Joseph Robert Lewis (Oct 31, 2010)

StaceyHH said:


> I would argue that the lower price is attracting a larger number of *buyers,* not necessarily *readers.* While it doesn't matter to the bottom line (at the outset,) whether purchasers are actually reading the $.99 books, few readers = few reviewers = less buzz = less sales in the long run.


That may very well be true, but at this point I'm willing to accept the risk that a hundred buyers _might _be readers over the certainty that five buyers _are _readers.

On the flip side, I actually have more confidence that the people who make the effort to request a _free _copy are definitely readers (and reviewers).


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## StaceyHH (Sep 13, 2010)

Joseph Robert Lewis said:


> On the flip side, I actually have more confidence that the people who make the effort to request a _free _copy are definitely readers (and reviewers).


I think that's probably true. I don't know if I've ever requested a free copy of a book, but I've accepted a couple, and generally only accept them if I'm planning to read and review right away.


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## Stephen T. Harper (Dec 20, 2010)

The best way to sell books is by word of mouth.  Best way to get word of mouth is to a) have a book that inspires readers to tell others about it, and b) make it easy for that first group to pick it up in the first place.  99 cents is pretty easy.  But as a reader, with free samples on Kindle and strong reviews from people who've read to the end... you can hardly go wrong at any price under 8 or 9 bucks.


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## Cindy Borgne (Mar 21, 2011)

One time I saw a kindle book for .83 cents. I didn't think that was possible?


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## JerseyGirlBookReviews (Jan 27, 2011)

I love that we are able to download free and low priced (.99 etc) e-books. I have been pleasantly surprised by some of them that I bought. I have enjoyed reading new authors and genres that I wouldn't have known about if I was still reading paperbacks.


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## RM Prioleau (Mar 18, 2011)

I'm so glad to see a thread like this. I've been having trouble for the longest time trying to figure out how much to price my upcoming book and whether or not it would be good to price it either .99 cents or 1.99. 

It's good to see all of these mixed reactions about the price.

As for me, personally, I don't care if the price is $0.99 or $9.99. If the book appeals to me, then I'll buy it. I think the book's blurb is the one thing I really look at rather than the price. If it sounds like a story I would be interested in reading, then I'll buy it no matter how much it costs.


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## CaedemMarquez (Mar 23, 2011)

It's also important to remember that sometimes .99 is the lowest one can go. So even if an author feels that .49 would be more appropriate for the length of their story, it can't really be offered.


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## billm75 (Mar 24, 2011)

I don't react poorly to anything priced under $3 to be honest.  I love reading, even if the story winds up being poorly written or simply not my taste, if it's less than $3 I can't complain.  Someone took the time and effort to create this thing, and I was willing to take a chance.  I've been pleasantly surprised in the past with a 99 cent purchase, and have been horribly disappointed by a $13 dollar purchase from a well known author (dean koontz, I'm looking at you).  

I waste $3 on worse things, at least this way I get the opportunity to find out if this author has ANYTHING going for them that I might enjoy.  The price is a bonus to me.  I can choose 10 new books by 10 new authors for less than $10 or I can gamble on Koontz for $13 and find out he crapped the bed again.  Hmmm.......

I'd rather gamble and lose than never take the chance.  J.A. Konrath/Jack Kilborn has become my latest favorite on Kindle, due to his low prices and his excellent story telling.  And, through the 15 books I've purchased in the last month, I've not spent over $50.  That's amazing to me.  I've been 99% satisified with everything I got.


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## nelmsm (Dec 24, 2009)

If the description sounds interesting and it's $0.99 I'll go ahead and buy it.  If it is less the $3 and it has an interesting description then 90% of the time I'll buy and sample the other 10% of the time.  It's probably why I have several hundred books/samples waiting to be read on my Kindle


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## Josh_Stallings (Mar 18, 2011)

I wish I didn't feel this way, it isn't logical, but a .99 book feel less worthy than a 2.99 book.  Odd, a .99 short story feel just right.  This all based on an instant emotional reaction.


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## Will Write for Gruel (Oct 16, 2010)

Joseph Robert Lewis said:


> That may very well be true, but at this point I'm willing to accept the risk that a hundred buyers _might _be readers over the certainty that five buyers _are _readers.
> 
> On the flip side, I actually have more confidence that the people who make the effort to request a _free _copy are definitely readers (and reviewers).


Yeah, and really, is paying $2.99 guaranteeing the book will be read?

I always sample before buying. Always. I don't care if the book is $0.99. If the sample doesn't grab me, why would I spend $0.99 on it? And if I sample and like it, I'm more inclined to read it.

I've paid for $7.99 paperbacks with blurbs on the back from authors I enjoy, and while the writing may be facile enough, the books can often be dull and uninteresting. Price doesn't really correlate with quality.


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## Angela Henry (Mar 26, 2011)

For me price doesn't determine quality. I've found some great new authors at the 99 cent price point. I'm more likely to try a new book for 99 cent. I've certainly paid a lot more for books that I ended up hating.


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## JeanneM (Mar 21, 2011)

_--- edited... no self-promotion outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._


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## Patrick Skelton (Jan 7, 2011)

99 cents is great if it results in LOTS of sales. For me, it didn't even double them. I raised my price back to 3.99 and my sales stayed about the same. Bizarre.  Yes, a 3.99 price does encourage people to not just make impulse buys, but to sample first and read the reviews. That's exactly what I want. I want my readers to know what they are getting and really want to read story.  I would rather them sample first and decide it's not for them, than encourage them to impulse buy, read a few chapters, hate the story, then trash-talk it on my Amazon reviews. Also, the Kindleboard market is pretty much a 99 cents to 2.99 market. Correct me if I'm wrong, but is the general consensus that the Kindleboard market is the self-published market?  Perhaps buyers who frequent Kindleboards expect books to be priced in the above range?  Are there many authors of traditionally published books here on Kindleboards?  Just curious...


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## LDHesler (Mar 25, 2011)

I am fairly new to this, having just added my own book of short fiction to the Kindle store, but I agree with an earlier poster (billm77) who suggested that anything under $3.00 is a great price for not just sampling an author's work, but for getting to know the work (and hopefully, the author) with less risk involved.

I think the reader's commitment level is different when you're dealing with ebooks of this price; it's hard to commit to a $12 to $25 printed book, but a book that's under $3.00 is less intimidating. Odds are, you can more easily find a new favorite author by gobbling up stories priced at $3.00 or less. 

I also kindly disagree with those who would suggest that a $.99 book is cheap or that the $.99 price should be used for individual chapters.

Just because a book is $.99 doesn't mean it's any less of a story than the higher priced works; we are in a transitional time where the publishing industry is changing in huge ways. We seem to be torn between embracing what the new model promises and what the old model insisted was "normal". 

A cheap price doesn't always denote a cheap story. Someone put effort and time into writing that book, and into formatting it for publication, so they should get compensation. Using the $.99 price point simply means an author has to work much harder to make back that money.  

Just my opinion... I'm interested in what everyone else has to say!


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## JeanneM (Mar 21, 2011)

I don't understand what I did wrong.  I thought we were discussing the .99 cent pricing.  I wasn't self promoting.  But I won't post anymore as I apparently don't understand the rules.


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## Mo (Mar 25, 2011)

For me since I bought my Kindle and got into e-books, I've become a much more stingy book buyer. $0.99 - $2.99 seems like a reasonable price for a book now to me. Although I'll be more likely to buy a $0.99 book than a higher priced one. Anything priced over $2.99 now makes me seriously consider the purchase and how much I really want the book, but if it's by one of my favourite authors like Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman, I'll happily shell out the extra $ to pay the price set by their publishers.


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## Patrick Skelton (Jan 7, 2011)

Jeanne,

Exactly.  Which is why I priced my book at 3.99 as opposed to 99 cents.  I don't want everyone in the world buying it like a candy bar.  I want my readers to be selective about their reading, just as they would with mainstream authors.  Cool thing is that I woke up to 4 more sales at the 3.99 price!


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## gryeates (Feb 28, 2011)

I think it's fine. Most of the ebooks I've bought have been .99 to 2.99 and there's been few I have not enjoyed.


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## StaceyHH (Sep 13, 2010)

LDHesler said:


> I also kindly disagree with those who would suggest that a $.99 book is cheap or that the $.99 price should be used for individual chapters.


I'm the one who made the chapter comparison, but I never suggested that chapters should cost $.99. I was pointing out that the music to book comparison should be the ALBUM price (generally $4.99-17.99,) to the book price, not the TRACK price ($.99) to book price. A more accurate comparison would be Album=Book, and Track=Chapter.

The only reason I pointed that out is because I've seen the comparison made so many times: "I can buy a song for $.99 that I'll listen to over and over!" It's simply not a good comparison.

_Should_ most books be $.99? I don't know. I don't really care either. I know that when I see that price point, I usually feel like a cheap price has a MUCH higher potential of indicating a shoddy product. Is that true? I don't know, _I personally feel that it does._ And I'm entitled to that feeling.

This is what each self-pub has to decide when they choose to price a novel at $.99. Do the potential advantages of marketing at that price point (possibly picking up more readers, selling more copies, gaining more visibility,) outweigh the potential disadvantages (alienating or missing out on readers who are put off by the very cheap, or the very n00b.)


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## emilyward (Mar 5, 2011)

I generally assume that it's an Indie author, and I feel like supporting them. If the blurb, cover, and reviews are good, then I'll download a sample. If I like it, I'll probably buy it. I've found some great 99 cent books and some mediocre ones, but I haven't yet bought one that I regretted.


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## Mo (Mar 25, 2011)

I haven't really used the sample feature of Kindle yet...maybe I should start doing that.


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## B.J. Keeton (Jul 8, 2010)

I look at $0.99 books like this: they're probably the author's way of getting his or her name out there. If I know them, I often buy it. If I don't, I read a sample.

I think $0.99 is a fantastic price, but only as an introduction. If an author has a library or series, then put some of the best books or first books at $0.99 and get people interested in your writing for what amounts to no investment on their part aside from time, and they're still supporting the author. In many cases, those impulse buyers become fans, and they want to finish the series or read more by the quality author. Many people might not take that chance with $2.99+ books. I know that's my plan as I get further into this.

Unfortunately, people often see $0.99 as an indication of quality, they are not even directly related. I see it instead, as a a great marketing decision for people with multiple books, but I don't think it's a great price for anyone who has a single novel or small library they want taken seriously.

_--- edited... no self-promotion outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._


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## Mo (Mar 25, 2011)

B.J. Keeton said:


> I think $0.99 is a fantastic price, but only as an introduction. If an author has a library or series, then put some of the best books or first books at $0.99 and get people interested in your writing for what amounts to no investment on their part aside from time, and they're still supporting the author. In many cases, those impulse buyers become fans, and they want to finish the series or read more by the quality author. Many people might not take that chance with $2.99+ books.


_--- edited... no self-promotion outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._


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## LDHesler (Mar 25, 2011)

StaceyHH said:


> I'm the one who made the chapter comparison, but I never suggested that chapters should cost $.99.


Quite sorry, Stacey! I think I did misunderstand the initial comparison.

I think it's just fantastic that this discussion is so important to readers and writers alike.


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## JM Gellene (Mar 30, 2011)

Like many previous posters, I originally equated the 99c price with poor quality. I tried to be open-minded about the cheaper books but the blurbs were often poorly written, and that added to my perception. Therefore, I priced my first effort at $2.99; I had actually considered $4.99 in order to signal that _I rock and you should buy my book!_ I sold nothing. My cover didn't help; I need to work on on my GIMP skills - Dammit Jim, I'm a writer, not a graphic artist. Anyway, I am now at 99c because I feel that I need to earn my way to higher price points. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Short version: I was a price snob as a purchaser. As a seller, I understand and now pay more attention to the 99c bin when looking for something. That said, I still sample because of time constraints; I have a full time job, a family, and [enter your own nouns here]. Besides, I sample random passages at the bookstore, the 25c library sales, and even the free books box at the local used bookstore; why wouldn't I do that online at any price? If the sample grabs me, it grabs me. Period.

Shorter version: Your book has got to be worth your reader's time.


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## Scott Daniel (Feb 1, 2011)

From the writer's point of view, I look at as a tool to introduce my work to readers. In my particular case, I've written a short story and I believe 99 cents is a fair price.


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## beckyj20 (Jun 12, 2010)

Honestly my first reaction is if its that cheap it cant be that good. I will buy 99cent books if a lot of people recommend them. Other than that I will skip over them most of the time.


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## Sean Thomas Fisher (Mar 25, 2011)

I agree with PJ, I'm new to publishing ebooks and think 99 cents is a fair price for my short story but I would be hesitant to pay that little for an entire novel - unless maybe it was on sale - for fear of poor content. But the 99 cent fad is definitely gaining some momentum, which is kinda scary because I would like to make enough to someday have a guitar-shaped swimming pool and I'm not sure 99 cents is going to get it in the long run. Especially considering the time it takes to invest in writing a novel, so I will price my upcoming novel a bit higher.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Let me say this about the 99 cent price being a fad. Fad, it is not. My books sell well at that price (I have a few at $2.99), but a fad is something that is short term and I've been going full bull for three and a half years. Now I'm not a Konrath or Hocking - there's not formula for that. In fact, I'm just little ole' me selling non-genre fiction (that is Trojan Horse fiction each leaning into a genre - with a touch of gay-themes about and historic flare). I've been told they are well written and I even have fans, and at the f-a-d price (I hate the word fad - too close to what I am  ). Still, they move at a moderate rate and have I've pushed out nearly 11,000 sales across 17 titles. A readers investment is TIME, not money, and authors who are in it for the money are in a casino of their own fabrication. The money is an after-burp. Now I'm told up and down that some need their writing to make a living, ad I believe in that - but they should stick to writing and avoid the author business, which begins with a strving toward art, sharing and legacy. If I needed to write for a living, I'd start a dozen blogs about every controversial topic in the blogosphere and then compose essays on the economy and Justin Beiber's hair. I'd expect a steady income from that. But when I offer my years of authoring - my children, to the public for consumption, I am looking for their time (as valuable as mine) and not their money (although if they want to throw a copper in my violin case, they are welcome to do so. This Fad (ahem) will be on the same street corner until I'm arrested for loitering). I charge 99 cents because I take myself TOO seriously to do otherwise.

Edward C. Patterson
The Fad(xx) of KB


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## LDHesler (Mar 25, 2011)

What's happening is pretty simple: people are reading. And the method of acquiring that material has become so easy, it's nearly insane.

Does it scare some people? Certainly. 

We think back to our younger years when we first discovered books in the brick and mortar stores of legend. We always saw the bestsellers sitting atop carefully designed tabletop displays while the books that didn't sell were marked down to a few dollars and dumped in bins or staged at the entrances. It's the OLD WAY. Because so much money goes into producing a printed version of a book, if it wasn't selling at all, the stores had to at least get some small portion of cash out of them. 

It's different, now. With the $.99 price, authors are still able to make money. And the fact that there are so many people eager to read via Kindle and other ereaders makes the market vast and nearly endless. Those two number nines don't mean the book is cheap, nor do they mean the author is desperate. They are simply an indication that the times are changing. Some people love change, embrace it and adapt to it accordingly. Others... well, not so much.

A brick and mortar store sees, what... a couple of hundred customers a day?  

How many people are browsing Amazon for $.99 books at this very moment?


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## Will Write for Gruel (Oct 16, 2010)

Mo said:


> For me since I bought my Kindle and got into e-books, I've become a much more stingy book buyer. $0.99 - $2.99 seems like a reasonable price for a book now to me. Although I'll be more likely to buy a $0.99 book than a higher priced one. Anything priced over $2.99 now makes me seriously consider the purchase and how much I really want the book, but if it's by one of my favourite authors like Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman, I'll happily shell out the extra $ to pay the price set by their publishers.


I think this is the key for unknown writers -- price low to get your book read, and if it's good enough, some of the readers will be willing to buy your next work at a higher price.

I think it's evident that $0.99 is a promotional price and not a price that most writers can make money at. There are a few, yes, who sell so well at $0.99 that they do indeed make a nice sum of money.


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## Mehryinett (Feb 19, 2011)

I react first by making sure it's 99 cents, and not 99 dollars. Because I bet somebody out there has priced their book at 99 bucks in the hope that a few people will buy it by accident.


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## aaronpolson (Apr 4, 2010)

I love 99 cents.  It gives me a reason to stay home rather than fire up the car and drive to the library. 



Seriously, if I haven't read anything by an author (other than a sample), 99 cents will get me through the door.  I might shell out more dough, later.


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## Mo (Mar 25, 2011)

aaronpolson said:


> Seriously, if I haven't read anything by an author (other than a sample), 99 cents will get me through the door. I might shell out more dough, later.


Yup, price is not an indicator of quality, despite widespread perceptions to the contrary.


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## Debbie Bennett (Mar 25, 2011)

99c (or the equivalent 70p in UK - lowest price you can set on Amazon). What have you got to lose? What else can you buy for that amount and potentially get several hours of pleasure from?

deb


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## WillieMcIntyre (Mar 30, 2011)

A low price doesn't always equate to a bad book. Sample, sample, sample. You'll know after a few pages if it's a 99c book for a reason or whether it's a classy new writer (modesty forbids) trying to make his/her name.


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## Ray Rhamey author (Jan 6, 2011)

It finally dawned on me that for Kindle buyers a 99-cent book is really low risk because of the preview feature. 

Do you use the preview much?


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## Mo (Mar 25, 2011)

Ray Rhamey said:


> It finally dawned on me that for Kindle buyers a 99-cent book is really low risk because of the preview feature.
> 
> Do you use the preview much?


I don't sample much honestly. I could see myself sampling if the price is higher, or if there aren't many reviews of the book in question.


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## Harry Shannon (Jul 30, 2010)

I've learned to sample everything. Always. Regardless of the price.


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## Steve Emmett (Mar 31, 2011)

The free sample is a fabulous idea. It has saved my bacon (and money) many times. Just 'cos something is by a big name or a chart topper doesn't mean it will satisfy. I have found great new authors this way.


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## Eric Pullin (Mar 31, 2011)

My books "The Why Series" are priced at 99cents because they are short bedtime stories / early reading books. I don't want price to be the reason that kids are not able to enjoy my stories.
I believe that 99 cents offers value for money and I hope that, once you have taken one book, you will want to buy the other titles in the series,
Pricing is nothing to do with quality. It is about reaching your audience and making readers feel that their money has been well spent.


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## Steve Emmett (Mar 31, 2011)

Yes, Eric. Certainly short stories need to have a lower price and I'm all for full-length novels being fairly priced but I do have qualms about spending a year or two (or more) producing a novel to have it sold at 99cents. There is an old established economic rule about this - but I'm not an economist! In the end we are all different, our readers are different, and we are all trying to sell books and keep readers satisfied.


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## crash86 (Oct 8, 2010)

I have gotten some really good books for .99 cents and I would say that for every 10 I buy I might get one ( sometimes all 10 are good) that is crappy but for less than the price of a cup of coffee who can really complain?  I have bought some 9.99-12.99 books that have been crappy and I felt cheated a bit by the cost of the book even after getting a free sample just to make sure that I will like it.  I don't equate cheap with not being good.


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## BarbraAnnino (Jan 27, 2011)

Interesting thread. 

I have a short collection, a single short and a novel all for 99 cents. My plan was to do an "introductory" price then raise the novel after the first month to 2.99. For me, it was just an incentive for readers to take a chance that coincided with my blog tour.


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## dcw2k80 (Apr 1, 2011)

If I can get 25 books for the price of a single hardcover... sign me up. I do agree it's probably a marketing thing BUT it probably only means a new author is trying to get his/her books read. And that's a good thing. Sure they'll be some dreck in the mix, but that's what preview samples are for. And buying dreck accidentally is also the case with print books as well. Again, 25 books for the price of one? Oh yeah. Done deal.


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## WilliamVitka (Mar 28, 2011)

I'm more likely to take a chance on an unknown author if his or her book is only $.99. It's also the price I assign to my short stories, so I hope other feel the same


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## Alan Ryker (Feb 18, 2011)

I sample at 99 cents. I don't do it because I can't stand losing a dollar, but because I've found that if I've paid for a book, I'll read much farther into it even after I find out I don't like it. It's a compulsion and almost always a waste of time. I'll put a sample down, though.


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## Adria Townsend (Feb 24, 2011)

Samples are great, plus books can be returned too...

Here's a question: are folks less likely to return a book if it's "only" 99 cents?


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## Starry Eve (Mar 10, 2011)

Well, I know I personally wouldn't bother returning anything for 99 cents. It'd be like telling someone to 'keep the change'.


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## joepr (Mar 16, 2011)

a 99 cent book? 
I can react very good for that


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## Tim Ellis (Mar 27, 2011)

I have 10 books available. Initially (apart from having a sampling problem) I priced a couple at $5.99, but hardly anybody bought. I dropped to 99c and had sales of 170 in two weeks. I put the price up to $2.99 - nothing. They're back down to 99c and selling, but... there's always a but! Most of my sales are in the UK! Can anybody tell me why?

Tim

_--- edited... no self-promotion outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._


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## Dan Holloway (Dec 18, 2010)

Tim, the US and UK are very different markets. Most people I know (including me) who are doing well in one aren't doing so well in the other. I have a feeling that much of it is intangibles and the balance is made up of how a book integrates into the "customers who bought this also bought..." structure. I would wager many writers use the same tags and so on for books in both marketplaces, rather than researching each separately.

P S - daft question. Anyone reading this - how do I get my things to line up side by side rather than stacking in the sig? Thank you!


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## Tim Ellis (Mar 27, 2011)

Thanks for the response, Dan. Yes, you might be right about researching the different market! Sorry Moderator for the link - typical man - wade in read the instructions after! I also have an answer for you, Dan about the lining up. Don't put them on seperate lines - put a space at the end of the first code, and then bring the next one up.

Tim

_--- edited... no self-promotion outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._


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## Dan Holloway (Dec 18, 2010)

Thanks, Tim!


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## Shelia A. Huggins (Jan 20, 2011)

I see .99 novels as a great way to find new authors. I might even try out something that I don't typically read. I did that last week and was surprised that the genre and story hooked me from the beginning.


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## ScottF (Mar 29, 2011)

When I first saw a .99 book on Kindle my jaw dropped.  In a good way; the idea of such a deal excited me.

Let's face it, we have little to no overhead when we e-publish. No paper, no printers, no shipping, no binding, no agents and editors taking their cut. I think .99 is fair.

Of course, with _everybody_ and their Aunt Mimi pricing at .99, its effectiveness as a promotional tool drops off significantly. It becomes a race to the bottom.

But when I first saw a .99 book? It added a "WOW" factor to my n00b Kindle experience. And plenty of people are jumping on the Kindle bandwagon every day.

Market forces have a mind of their own. Let's hold on tight and see what tomorrow brings.


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## CaedemMarquez (Mar 23, 2011)

Starry Eve said:


> Well, I know I personally wouldn't bother returning anything for 99 cents. It'd be like telling someone to 'keep the change'.


Lol, good point!


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## Josh_Stallings (Mar 18, 2011)

Well done!!!


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## medicalhumor (Feb 15, 2011)

As a new author to Kindle, I've considered lowering the price of my book from $2.99 to .99 to gain more exposure.


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## Trulte (Apr 2, 2011)

A .99 price doesn't do it for me at all...

Maybe I'm old (fashioned) or we have another view on pricing in Norway, but for me cheap absolutely most of the times equals not very good quality. Books, clothes, shoes, furniture, whatever. If an Amazon-book costs me .99 or 4.99 it doesn't influence my action. Those prices are soooo low anyway compared to both hardcover, paperback's and e-book prices in Norway. Books in this country are expensive! Just bought ONE e-book the other day. Well known Norwegian author, but not top selling, not "just published" The price? Over $20...

What does it for me is a) if I know and like the author I buy.. b) if a friend that knows my taste in books and recommend a (for me) unknown author, I buy.. c) if Amazon recommends a book based on my own bought books or based on other people with similar taste in books I will probably sample and very often buy.. d) if I have time to browse Amazon editorial reviews or product descriptions randomly, I often end up buying something. I have never ever bought a book for the price only. I have, however, downloaded The Complete Works of William Shakespeare for free - just to test .txt files on my Kindle 

There are, I think, several ways to find readers to your books out here. Price can be a way to do it, but not always - not everywhere. I myself found a new writer in this forum today that I am going to buy. I don't even remember the price of the book...

And finallly - NO, I am not a rich girl. Not at all. And I am not old, either. Not THAT old, anyway  I think I represent the average buyer in Norway. A country where "everything" is expensive, and where cheap often means poor...


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Cheap. Just to attract buyers.


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

Trulte said:


> A .99 price doesn't do it for me at all...
> 
> And finallly - NO, I am not a rich girl. Not at all. And I am not old, either. Not THAT old, anyway  I think I represent the average buyer in Norway. A country where "everything" is expensive, and where cheap often means poor...


I agree with you. For me it's all about the quality of the work. A 99 cent eBook is not enough to make me purchase it. I have to know the author. I won't buy anything from an unknown author unless they were recommended to me.

The only time I would lower the price of my novels to 99 cents is for a brief sale. Long enough to attract the faithful readers only. I don't believe in keeping an eBook at 99 cents for the long term because when something is too low it reflects on the quality. All things considered, $2.99 is incredibly low.


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## Steve Emmett (Mar 31, 2011)

Russell Brooks said:


> I agree with you. For me it's all about the quality of the work. All things considered, $2.99 is incredibly low.


I agree, too. In fact, if a book is so cheap I will be wary of the quality. I do not think that a good book, well-written, that has taken an author months or years to write should be so cheap. We are talking about their wages. Yes, I'm an author so do scream at me if you wish but...think about it. What does it matter to the reader if the cost is 2.99 or 6.99 if the book is great?


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## Harry Shannon (Jul 30, 2010)

It's a tough one. Deflationary pressures and competition are forcing us to consider dropping at least some books to .99 to stay in the game. In principle couldn't agree more, we're talking about wages for six months ot a year of hard work. For me, $4.99 for a new novel feels right, with $2.99 for older material the "sweet spot." Novellas maybe $1.99, short fiction free to .99. Unfortunately, so many people are clammoring for attention there is a glut of inexpensive (and often so-so) product on the market. I've tried to balance it along those lines, with a bargain book thrown in to spark sales now and then. It's either that or just give up after all these years as a "mid-list" novelist, and only write for myself. As the Chinese say, we live in interesting times.


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

Steve Emmett said:


> I agree, too. In fact, if a book is so cheap I will be wary of the quality. I do not think that a good book, well-written, that has taken an author months or years to write should be so cheap. We are talking about their wages. Yes, I'm an author so do scream at me if you wish but...think about it. What does it matter to the reader if the cost is 2.99 or 6.99 if the book is great?


One just has to look on the Kindle bestseller's list. I've looked on the list for thriller novels and hardly any of them are 99 cents. I'd like to increase the price to $4.99 but I'm leery on doing so because it's only my first novel. If I was Barry Eisler or James Patterson, then I knew that I could get away with doing so.


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

Harry Shannon said:


> It's a tough one. Deflationary pressures and competition are forcing us to consider dropping at least some books to .99 to stay in the game. In principle couldn't agree more, we're talking about wages for six months ot a year of hard work. For me, $4.99 for a new novel feels right, with $2.99 for older material the "sweet spot." Novellas maybe $1.99, short fiction free to .99. Unfortunately, so many people are clammoring for attention there is a glut of inexpensive (and often so-so) product on the market. I've tried to balance it along those lines, with a bargain book thrown in to spark sales now and then. It's either that or just give up after all these years as a "mid-list" novelist, and only write for myself. As the Chinese say, we live in interesting times.


In my case I'm not talking about months, I'm talking about years. Not to mention what I had invested, from marketing to hiring a professional cover designer, an independant editor, eBook formater. This is a serious investment and I wonder if most readers realize that. For those of us that are striving to make a living as an indie author, like myself, it's difficult to do so when you price your eBook lower than $2.99 because it'll take a long time to earn back on the initial investment at a 35% royalty.


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## Dee_DeTarsio (Oct 26, 2010)

Most of the time, I'm like "wheee!" Let's try a new book/new author! I know the old adage, "you get what you pay for," but with so many books out there (and so little time), I think .99-cents is a good introductory offer!


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## rerussell (May 17, 2010)

I LOVE .99 books -- they're a GREAT way for me to try new authors/genres.  I can't count the number of .99 books I've purchased and really enjoyed, and there were some books that weren't to my taste.  When I've purchased a book for more than .99 and then see it drop to .99, I think, 'good idea, maybe more people will try the book'.  When I've purchased a book for .99 and then see the price increase, I think, ' ohh, I got a deal!'  For me, price doesn't denote quality.  

Purchasing books is like playing poker -- sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes you break even -- but you have a lot of fun playing.


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## Duane Gundrum (Apr 5, 2011)

For the longest time, I think the expectation was that it would be a bad book if discounted. I think that expectation is slowly going away as more established writers are starting to push out books at discounted prices, mainly to fight back against publisher attempts to control the ereader market.

I've even added a few titles at 99 cents, just because I figured it couldn't hurt me as I have a huge number of books, so why not try it out and see what happens, which I think a bunch of writers are experimented with as well.

I don't personally think "bad writer" when I see a discounted price. I first read through the book, or at least through the description, before I make a more informed decision.


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## Julia Kavan (Feb 6, 2011)

I look for a good story first - then the price. I will buy a $5.99 story if it appeals to me - I'll equally buy a 99c story _if_ it appeals to me. Cost is not the first thing I look at - although I realise that _is_ the case for some

I write (and would like to publish more) short stories, but I do wonder where the 99c novel leaves the short story writers. How much should we/our publishers charge? Or should we be giving them away? Some people are much more skilled at writing short stories and others may not want to tackle a novel - surely they should still be able to earn some money from their work...if that's what they wish.


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

Julia Kavan said:


> I look for a good story first - then the price. I will buy a $5.99 story if it appeals to me - I'll equally buy a 99c story _if_ it appeals to me. Cost is not the first thing I look at - although I realise that _is_ the case for some
> 
> I write (and would like to publish more) short stories, but I do wonder where the 99c novel leaves the short story writers. How much should we/our publishers charge? Or should we be giving them away? Some people are much more skilled at writing short stories and others may not want to tackle a novel - surely they should still be able to earn some money from their work...if that's what they wish.


Julia. If you spent time writing your short stories, then charge $2.99. Let the consumer decide on what they want to spend. Don't let consumers determine how much you should charge. I hope that helps.


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## Julia Kavan (Feb 6, 2011)

Russell Brooks said:


> Julia. If you spent time writing your short stories, then charge $2.99. Let the consumer decide on what they want to spend. Don't let consumers determine how much you should charge. I hope that helps.


It does, indeed.


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## Winter9 (Jan 19, 2010)

*big smile* lets try it!  I have found new authors because of that! It's the best way to let people get to know your books!


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## MiaHeart (Feb 10, 2011)

At first when I saw a .99 cent title when browsing my Nook I was a bit puzzled. It made me question the book and if there was something wrong with it, and so I passed it over. When I came to Kindle Boards I began to realize what the whole .99 cent thing was about and gave some a try. It does make me wonder though if others still don't have the same initial reaction I had. We are used to paying good money for books, so the lower price gave me a pause. I would imagine it does other folks not writing books etc as well. Because they are not privy to the information we all are and what it's all about.


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

Winter9 said:


> *big smile* lets try it!  I have found new authors because of that! It's the best way to let people get to know your books!


Another way of letting readers know about your novel is by giving away free copies to book bloggers who will spread the word about your book.


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## 41352 (Apr 4, 2011)

Honestly, I devour books normally, and I love the 99c price - ONLY outside the US we never even get to see it as we must pay taxes. A 99c book becomes a 3.44euro book, which isn't the same. Still, that is much cheaper than most books out there.
Now, if you price your book at 2.99, then we, outside the US, will pay about 6 euros for it. In short, for me it makes quite a big difference if you price your book at 99c or 2.99, and I will think long and hard about buying a book costing 4.99 or so, since it will cost be about 10 euros - practically the price of a paperback.


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

Chrystalla said:


> Honestly, I devour books normally, and I love the 99c price - ONLY outside the US we never even get to see it as we must pay taxes. A 99c book becomes a 3.44euro book, which isn't the same. Still, that is much cheaper than most books out there.
> Now, if you price your book at 2.99, then we, outside the US, will pay about 6 euros for it. In short, for me it makes quite a big difference if you price your book at 99c or 2.99, and I will think long and hard about buying a book costing 4.99 or so, since it will cost be about 10 euros - practically the price of a paperback.


WOW, I didn't know that it was that high over there in Europe. It would be nice if there were European eBook distributors that could allow us to sell our eBooks at a low price.


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## Jonathan Ellis (Apr 10, 2011)

I think my response here will immediately brand me as a newbie on this board, so please overlook my clumsiness for a while. I've recently released my book on weight control If I Can Lose It as a $9.95 book in print and as a $.99 eBook. To me the experience of a sale is exactly the same, though I do make considerably more from a print sale. When I make a sale I am just as satisfied either way. It feels good. What really works for me however is my ability to sell to a person who cannot spend 10 bucks for a book, but can afford a dollar. People who are curious have the opportunity to see for themselves if I'm just trying to make money, or if I really do have an answer to personally taking control of one's own weight. At this point I've sold many more eBooks than print. So I have no complaints about pricing, and from my buyers I've had no complaints of any kind.


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## bee78 (Apr 11, 2011)

I'm a brand new Kindle reader and I think the cheap/free reads are a great way for me to get to read a wider range of authors. For me, I'll be far more likely to take a chance on a new author if the book is only $0.99. I've skipped over quite a few that looked ok, but were $2.99 but I was far more 'rash' about buying the $0.99 ones. And if it's a series and I like it, then I'd be far more likely to pay $2.99 for a follow up. E.G. I tried Amanda Hocking book one of the Trylle series for $0.99 and would probably buy the second and third ones for the higher price because I've been drawn in with the first one. I'm also going for her other series based on this first book, so she's doing pretty well out of me based on that first $0.99 book. Also, if I hate the book, I don't feel too cheated if I've paid less then a dollar.Also, I'm in Ireland so the dollar is only about 0.70EUR - BARGAIN!!

So authors, my advice would be give the first one as cheap as possible and then if it's a good book and you hook your readers, you can easily sell the follow on ones at a higher price


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

bee78 said:


> I'm a brand new Kindle reader and I think the cheap/free reads are a great way for me to get to read a wider range of authors. For me, I'll be far more likely to take a chance on a new author if the book is only $0.99. I've skipped over quite a few that looked ok, but were $2.99 but I was far more 'rash' about buying the $0.99 ones. And if it's a series and I like it, then I'd be far more likely to pay $2.99 for a follow up. E.G. I tried Amanda Hocking book one of the Trylle series for $0.99 and would probably buy the second and third ones for the higher price because I've been drawn in with the first one. I'm also going for her other series based on this first book, so she's doing pretty well out of me based on that first $0.99 book. Also, if I hate the book, I don't feel too cheated if I've paid less then a dollar.Also, I'm in Ireland so the dollar is only about 0.70EUR - BARGAIN!!
> 
> So authors, my advice would be give the first one as cheap as possible and then if it's a good book and you hook your readers, you can easily sell the follow on ones at a higher price


I lowered my first novel to 99 cents. I had a sales boost for a short period of time which may have been due to the advertisements and promotions that I was doing during that period. After the promotions were done the sales decreased. I brought the price up to $2.99 and my sales increased a bit, and when I was featured on Kindle Nation Daily, I had a huge sales boost. So in terms of sales I didn't sell less copies at $2.99.

Based on personal experience, when people buy things for cheap, they're less likely to read it. At a higher price you'll attract a more serious audience that is not only more likely to be a repeat customer, but they're likely to tell others.


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## bee78 (Apr 11, 2011)

Russell Brooks said:


> I lowered my first novel to 99 cents. I had a sales boost for a short period of time which may have been due to the advertisements and promotions that I was doing during that period. After the promotions were done the sales decreased. I brought the price up to $2.99 and my sales increased a bit, and when I was featured on Kindle Nation Daily, I had a huge sales boost. So in terms of sales I didn't sell less copies at $2.99.
> 
> Based on personal experience, when people buy things for cheap, they're less likely to read it. At a higher price you'll attract a more serious audience that is not only more likely to be a repeat customer, but they're likely to tell others.


Good point and I'm glad to see that your books are doing well. but for many people, authors on Kindle may be completely new to them so the cheaper prices are a good way to get an introduction to new work. I'd be happy to pay the higher price for an author if I've been recommended them by a friend or if I've read good things about them, and for me if I really love an author then I will buy the printed book, Kindle won't be enough! If I really love an author, I'm more than happy to pay them the full price, it's well worth it IMO. I just feel that the cheaper books are a good way of unknown authors to get people to read their books and ultimately, get a name for themselves. I'm a wannabe writer and I think I'd be happy to do it that way in order to get more people to read my book. If the book is good enough, then word will spread, and the price can go up (law of economics!).


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## liafairchild (Apr 2, 2011)

Wow, what a great question. I will probably read every single one of these because I've been asking myself this question for the last few weeks. I have bought a few 99cent books and to me it's just like any other priced book. Some were good and some I was not impressed with. However, I usually buy based on recommendation or in support of a fellow author. 

When I first put my book, "In Search of Lucy" on Amazon I really felt it was worth at least $5. I worked so hard on it and didn't want to go lower. After a few weeks of research and meeting other authors I realized that most of them were at either $2.99 or .99 so I lowered to $2.99. Then a few more weeks went buy and I was drowning in a sea of 99cent tweets, shares, etc all over social media. I thought, could these books really be that good if they are only 99cents? But, people were buying them either way. After another couple of weeks and someone suggested I lower to 99cents to see what the response is. I am selling more books now and it is the same book that I felt was worth $5. I guess what I'm saying is that there are probably hundreds of other authors with great books that feel they need to go 99cents to compete. Yes, there are probably those that put minimal effort in or maybe throw some short stories together that they had sitting around their computer. But you will be able to find some good books as long as you read the reviews and try to buy based on recommendations.

Sorry this was so long, but I've really been struggling with this topic. Thanks for listening. Lia Fairchild


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

bee78 said:


> Good point and I'm glad to see that your books are doing well. but for many people, authors on Kindle may be completely new to them so the cheaper prices are a good way to get an introduction to new work. I'd be happy to pay the higher price for an author if I've been recommended them by a friend or if I've read good things about them, and for me if I really love an author then I will buy the printed book, Kindle won't be enough! If I really love an author, I'm more than happy to pay them the full price, it's well worth it IMO. I just feel that the cheaper books are a good way of unknown authors to get people to read their books and ultimately, get a name for themselves. I'm a wannabe writer and I think I'd be happy to do it that way in order to get more people to read my book. If the book is good enough, then word will spread, and the price can go up (law of economics!).


 That's a good point. However, unless you have several books out, it'll be hard to make a living when you're selling eBooks at 99 cents. That's why I'm keeping mine at $2.99. Every once in a while I'll lower them to 99cents for a brief period. Then raise them after.


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## Kimberly Spencer (Apr 10, 2011)

I love the price point, but it doesn't make me buy the book. The book cover and description are usually the deciding factors in whether I actually press the buy button.


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

kimberly84 said:


> I love the price point, but it doesn't make me buy the book. The book cover and description are usually the deciding factors in whether I actually press the buy button.


 If you enjoyed the story, would you most likely recommend it to someone else? Would you look for another book by the same author even if the eBook were more expensive?


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## Kimberly Spencer (Apr 10, 2011)

Russell Brooks said:


> If you enjoyed the story, would you most likely recommend it to someone else? Would you look for another book by the same author even if the eBook were more expensive?


To be honest, I haven't been all that vocal about the books I love online. But I always recommend my favorite books to friends and family. And yeah, I'd definitely search for more by an author I love regardless of the price. Most of the books I read are usually around 9.99 anyway. And I love to get lost in a book and then find out other books in the series are already out.


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

kimberly84 said:


> To be honest, I haven't been all that vocal about the books I love online. But I always recommend my favorite books to friends and family. And yeah, I'd definitely search for more by an author I love regardless of the price. Most of the books I read are usually around 9.99 anyway. And I love to get lost in a book and then find out other books in the series are already out.


$9.99 eBooks or paperbacks?


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## sharonC (Apr 3, 2011)

I love 99 cents books.  Great for my wallet.


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## Krista D. Ball (Mar 8, 2011)

Russell Brooks said:


> $9.99 eBooks or paperbacks?


Most of my favourite ebooks are in that price range. Mostly because I generally read larger publishers. There are also a few small presses that I enjoy; their ebooks are often between $3.99-$6.99.

I made a point to read a lot of Canadian SFF and the cost really depends upon the publisher (from $15 for the latest Rob Sawyer to $5.95 for Christopher Hoare's novel). But, again, I'm not reading for the price point; I'm reading because I want to support my industry (Canadian SFF and small Canadian publishers).

I rarely purchase 0.99 books anymore unless I know the author's work (i.e. I would buy a Julie Ann Dawson without even looking at the title or the price; same with a Chrystalla Thoma or a Marie Dees). I've just been disappointed too many times with subpar material (and I'm not just talking typos).

Would I return a 0.99 book? If I just didn't like the story and thought it was stupid/silly/not grounded in reality, no. I would return it if it had major grammar, spelling, and technical issues. That would be out of principal: I simply do not want to pay for a "book" where there is a spelling mistake on every page (and I've come across a few of those).


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## HaemishM (Dec 9, 2009)

When I see a $.99 cent eBook I think that's a great deal. It's such a great deal, I decided to try selling my first book at $.99 cents over a year ago and I never looked back. The sales increase was immediate and dramatic. Not only that, it has continued to sell well for me, and it's raised sales on my second book. Lowering the price to under a dollar really obliterates the barrier a lot of self-published authors find in readers. I mean for a buck, how bad could it be? 

Sure, the book could be terrible. As a reader, I don't think "oh it's only $.99 cents, it's got to be crap!" I think that it can't hurt to give it a go. I could spend more than that on a soda. No, when I see an eBook priced higher than a paperback, I think that there's some price gouging going on. 

$2.99 - $4.99 seems to be about the best price point for eBooks that aren't intro/promo books, or novella size.


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## bee78 (Apr 11, 2011)

Russell Brooks said:


> If you enjoyed the story, would you most likely recommend it to someone else? Would you look for another book by the same author even if the eBook were more expensive?


Yes most definitely - If I love a book I harp on about it to anyone who will listen. I ram it down people's throats til they read it LOL! . I think for a new author, the 99c price is great, they can then push up the price for sequels and if the books are good enough, people will buy.


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## Kimberly Spencer (Apr 10, 2011)

Russell Brooks said:


> $9.99 eBooks or paperbacks?


Ebooks, but those are by larger publishers. As far as self pubbed books, the most I've ever spent was $3.99.


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

Krista D. Ball said:


> Most of my favourite ebooks are in that price range. Mostly because I generally read larger publishers. There are also a few small presses that I enjoy; their ebooks are often between $3.99-$6.99.
> 
> I made a point to read a lot of Canadian SFF and the cost really depends upon the publisher (from $15 for the latest Rob Sawyer to $5.95 for Christopher Hoare's novel). But, again, I'm not reading for the price point; I'm reading because I want to support my industry (Canadian SFF and small Canadian publishers).
> 
> ...


Not to be a snob, but that's one of my fears about dropping the price of any of my novels to 99 cents: The perception. That's not to say that most 99 cent books are sub-par, but I want to be sure that people are buying my books because of the quality and not because they are dirt cheap. Besides, I'm selling slightly more copies at $2.99 than I was when I dropped it to 99 cents for a month. I believe that in terms of making a living, it's easier to live more comfortably with your eBooks at 99 cents when you have several books out. That's just my opinion.


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## Cheryl Bradshaw Author (Apr 13, 2011)

I think of it as a great opportunity to read more books, but I do always download a preview to make sure it's something that I feel I will enjoy


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

Cheryl Bradshaw said:


> I think of it as a great opportunity to read more books, but I do always download a preview to make sure it's something that I feel I will enjoy


I forgot to mention that. With the preview option, I believe that whether a book is 99 cents or $3.99, the reader should be able to judge the quality of the work and then purchase it based on how well the sample is.


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## Krista D. Ball (Mar 8, 2011)

Russell Brooks said:


> Not to be a snob, but that's one of my fears about dropping the price of any of my novels to 99 cents: The perception. That's not to say that most 99 cent books are sub-par, but I want to be sure that people are buying my books because of the quality and not because they are dirt cheap. Besides, I'm selling slightly more copies at $2.99 than I was when I dropped it to 99 cents for a month. I believe that in terms of making a living, it's easier to live more comfortably with your eBooks at 99 cents when you have several books out. That's just my opinion.


I don't think you're being a snob. I believe it was Zoe Winters who did the blog interview and post about how she did not want to appeal to the "gotta have a bargain" folks. Now, $0.99 is ok for short fiction or for special events (i.e. you're doing a blog tour to promote book #2 of a series, so you drop book #1 to 0.99 to get people hooked, etc).

For me, I write for a living. It's my career. It's how I pay my bills. So, I put a different price value on my work (so does my publisher LOL) than someone who just really wants to tell a tale and not care how much money they make (i.e. my sister's autobiography about being a minister's wife in "outport" communities). Neither is right nor wrong...just how we approach things.


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

Krista D. Ball said:


> I don't think you're being a snob. I believe it was Zoe Winters who did the blog interview and post about how she did not want to appeal to the "gotta have a bargain" folks. Now, $0.99 is ok for short fiction or for special events (i.e. you're doing a blog tour to promote book #2 of a series, so you drop book #1 to 0.99 to get people hooked, etc).
> 
> For me, I write for a living. It's my career. It's how I pay my bills. So, I put a different price value on my work (so does my publisher LOL) than someone who just really wants to tell a tale and not care how much money they make (i.e. my sister's autobiography about being a minister's wife in "outport" communities). Neither is right nor wrong...just how we approach things.


 I remember that interview, I just couldn't remember the name of the author.


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## Jon Olson (Dec 10, 2010)

frankh said:


> I recoil in horror, run to the bed, and draw the covers over my quivering body.
> 
> After an hour of catatonic misery, my wife brings me a cup of soup and tells me everything will be all right.
> 
> ...


Funny.


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## JustDucky83 (Mar 20, 2011)

I don't judge a book based on price. When I am looking for a good read I go by what others have said, then I go by the description, if it pulls me in right away I am sold lol I actually prefer a book that is under five dollars because anything to high to me is ridiculous. I found Karen Mcquestion this way and I was very pleased with her book Favorite.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Just some feedback. Most of my 17 book are priced at $ .99 (a few higher, but they're in series). My latest book I rolled out (as an experiment) at $ 2.99. The first few days had great sales from my fans, but then nothing, even with normal levels of promotion. I decided to let this one join its brothers and sisters at $ .99 and this afternoon it came up at that price and I had 2 sales in the first hour. Go figure.  

Edward C. Patterson


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## Will Write for Gruel (Oct 16, 2010)

Russell Brooks said:


> I forgot to mention that. With the preview option, I believe that whether a book is 99 cents or $3.99, the reader should be able to judge the quality of the work and then purchase it based on how well the sample is.


I agree, but I've seen a number of people post that they will impulse-buy books at $0.99 without sampling.


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

Asher MacDonald said:


> I agree, but I've seen a number of people post that they will impulse-buy books at $0.99 without sampling.


 There's no doubt about that. But think about it, I've read about people who impulse-buy and wind up with a huge backlog of eBooks. If one of ours was impulse-bought, how far back in line do you think our books would be before it's read and assuming that it wasn't lost among the clutter? Over ten years experience in sales has taught me that the best business comes from referrals. I'm not saying that authors won't get referals from 99 cent eBooks. But when they're priced a bit higher, it's more likely authors will get a more serious readership. And instead of buying up 10-20 99-cent books at a time, they'll most likely spend more time looking out for your next book. As an author, I'd rather be compared to an undertaker than a Wal-Mart clerk. Why? A Wal-Mart clerk handles more returns/exchanges while an undertaker always has repeat business.


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## Emma Midnight (Feb 19, 2011)

Russell Brooks said:


> There's no doubt about that. But think about it, I've read about people who impulse-buy and wind up with a huge backlog of eBooks. If one of ours was impulse-bought, how far back in line do you think our books would be before it's read and assuming that it wasn't lost among the clutter? Over ten years experience in sales has taught me that the best business comes from referrals. I'm not saying that authors won't get referals from 99 cent eBooks. But when they're priced a bit higher, it's more likely author's will get a more serious readership. And instead of buying up 10-20 99-cent books at a time, they'll most likely spend more time looking out for your next book. As an author, I'd rather be compared to an undertaker than a Wal-Mart clerk. Why? A Wal-Mart clerk handles more returns/exchanges while an undertaker always has repeat business.


If the only reason they were going to buy was due to impulse and they don't because the book isn't priced at their impulse level, you're not even in their TBR list.

There's always buyer psychology at work. Some may devalue a book based on cover price; others may not and may seek out the low-priced books. The price itself has no bearing on the quality of the work. Price is just a number. Price is a reflection of what a seller is willing to sell at and a buyer is willing to pay. That's all it is.

My guess is that as time goes by, more and more readers will understand the $0.99 price for what it is -- writers willing to trade profit-per-book in the hope of increased sales volume and readership. They will realize that, like higher priced books, each $0.99 book needs to be judged on its own merits and not on its price.


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## Mehryinett (Feb 19, 2011)

Russell Brooks said:


> As an author, I'd rather be compared to an undertaker than a Wal-Mart clerk. Why? A Wal-Mart clerk handles more returns/exchanges while an undertaker always has repeat business.


So, is that why it's called dead tree publishing?


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

Mehryinett said:


> So, is that why it's called dead tree publishing?


lol


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## Christine Kersey (Feb 13, 2011)

I've found that lately I've been buying a lot more .99 cent books. They are definitely impulse buys, but I love to have tons of books available to read for whenever the mood strikes! A lot of times I don't even bother sampling when a book is .99 cents. With a 2.99 book, I almost always sample.


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## Joseph Robert Lewis (Oct 31, 2010)

Emma Midnight said:


> My guess is that as time goes by, more and more readers will understand the $0.99 price for what it is -- writers willing to trade profit-per-book in the hope of increased sales volume and readership. They will realize that, like higher priced books, each $0.99 book needs to be judged on its own merits and not on its price.


I don't think we'll ever nail down an understanding of pricing or buyer habits as though free market economics had sudden become a simple, linear science. I expect authors and publishers will continue to guess what their book is worth, or insist what their book is worth, or play marketing games, and some will succeed and some won't. Hard-and-fast rules are few and far between where people are concerned.


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## Frida Fantastic (Apr 11, 2011)

I'm actually not that price sensitive when it comes to books, as long as it's intriguing enough.

$6.99 and under: I'll sample it. If I like it, I'll buy it. If it's $0.99, I'll probably buy it over the other equally good samples sitting on the Kindle.

Over $6.99: It better have the best premise I've seen in a year.

Over $10.00: Not going to even look at it. If it costs the same as the complete Ernest Hemingway short story collection, then I'll go for Hemingway. Sorry, dead authors and live authors all compete for my attention


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

Frida Fantastic said:


> I'm actually not that price sensitive when it comes to books, as long as it's intriguing enough.
> 
> $6.99 and under: I'll sample it. If I like it, I'll buy it. If it's $0.99, I'll probably buy it over the other equally good samples sitting on the Kindle.
> 
> ...


I've never understood why someone would pay over $10 for an eBook.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Russell Brooks said:


> I've never understood why someone would be over $10 for an eBook.


I have pre-ordered a book now that is listed at $11.99. It's an author I've read -- and really enjoyed every book by him I've read -- and I am confident that the book will be well worth the price.

I'd probably not try a new author at that price.


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## slpierce (Mar 2, 2011)

If the cover is good and there are no typos in the description I'll download a sample.  I don't automatically assume it's bad.


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## libbyfh (Feb 11, 2010)

HAven't read the entire thread, so maybe this was asked before, but here's a question: If you did download 1 or more books by an author at 99 cents and liked the reads, would you buy other books from said author if they were higher priced? Say $4.99?

In other words, as a reader, does loss-leader pricing work for you?


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## medicalhumor (Feb 15, 2011)

As an Author I think it's a good marketing tool. As a reader...what's .99 cents? It's nothing. How many other areas in our lives do we not even blink spending a buck?

Mike Cyra

_--- edited... no self-promotion outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

medicalhumor said:


> As an Author I think it's a good marketing tool. As a reader...what's .99 cents? It's nothing. How many other areas in our lives do we not even blink spending a buck?
> 
> Mike Cyra


I agree. It's great for marketing, but it has a much greater impact in short doses I find.


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## markarayner (Mar 14, 2011)

Frida Fantastic said:


> I'm actually not that price sensitive when it comes to books, as long as it's intriguing enough.
> 
> $6.99 and under: I'll sample it. If I like it, I'll buy it. If it's $0.99, I'll probably buy it over the other equally good samples sitting on the Kindle.
> 
> ...


To add to this: if the Kindle edition costs MORE than the paperback version, then I will NOT buy it (or the DTB).


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

markarayner said:


> To add to this: if the Kindle edition costs MORE than the paperback version, then I will NOT buy it (or the DTB).


I second that.


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## KindleLovinMike (Jan 6, 2011)

99 cent books are fine. It's not always about the money.


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## joanhallhovey (Nov 7, 2010)

In the beginning, I asked myself:  what's wrong with it? It was an immediate reaction, though getting less so because I'm reading some very good books at that price. And that's what's great about being able to download a sample.  The are some wonderful books in the mix, that I would miss if I let the price dictate to me.

Joan


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## Annette Fix (Apr 22, 2011)

As an author who just launched a Kindle edition of my debut indie print book, my hope is that the .99 price point will encourage readers to give an unknown author a chance (for the same $ investment as buying a Snickers at the grocery store checkout).   As a reader, it excites me to know I can scoop up books for that price. The image that immediately comes to mind to explain my excitement is an old Bugs Bunny cartoon. Daffy Duck (me) is in Ali Baba's cave hugging a giant pearl (a book) and proclaiming, "I'm rich! I'm a happy miser!" For a reader who averages 2-3 books per week, paying .99 per book is like winning the lottery!


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## Christopher Hunter (Apr 11, 2011)

.99 is a very good price to take a chance on something. That's less than the cost of a candy bar for goodness sakes. If it doesn't work out, why bother going through the hassle of getting back a dollar. Live and learn.  If the book is good quality for the price, then sure, I'll check out other titles by that author at higher costs. Most times it is used as a marketing tool. A "check me out" type of thing. I've discovered some great gems that way.


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## MarkPaulJacobs (Jan 21, 2011)

I think the quality of the cover and the lure of the blurb mean more than the price.


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## Alaskan (Dec 31, 2010)

I love .99 books.  I have read many great .99 books, and I browse either the free or .99 books first when shopping.  I would never assume a book is bad just because it is priced at .99.  I have a hard time paying over $2.99 for a book now, after reading great books for .99.

Keep the .99 books coming!!!


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## Elizabeth Black (Apr 8, 2011)

The price doesn't concern me unless it's too expensive. I look at the blurb, title, and cover art (sometimes). If all three grab me, I'll likely buy the book depending on the price. I'm more likely to buy a .99 book than one that is overpriced. 

That said, I see .99 books as a marketing gimmick to get readers to buy. If I can buy five books for the price of one book, and all are good, I'm game.


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## DickStanley (Jun 7, 2010)

Ninety-nine cents is an impulse purchase. If I like the subject, the cover, and the reviews, I'll buy it. Sometimes I go with the sample first, sometimes not. It should be noted that some very good books are selling for 99 cents these days on the theory that they'll get lots more sales at that price.


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## rayhensley (Apr 16, 2011)

DickStanley said:


> Ninety-nine cents is an impulse purchase. If I like the subject, the cover, and the reviews, I'll buy it. Sometimes I go with the sample first, sometimes not. It should be noted that some very good books are selling for 99 cents these days on the theory that they'll get lots more sales at that price.


I agree.

99 cents, why not? I might enjoy it. And if I do, I'll buy said author's more "expensive" books.


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## jongoff (Mar 31, 2011)

I admit, I don't look at them. It may be a great book, and I may be missing out on a lot of great titles, but my experience has been you have to sift through a lot of garbage to get anything good.  I figure if a book is priced for more, it's probably been through a more thorough vetting process.  The quality of the cover, the blurb, and reviews factor in as well, but I pretty much stay out of the "bargain bin."


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## jabeard (Apr 22, 2011)

I'm willing to take a chance on a sub-dollar book. To be honest, it doesn't even necessarily have to fantastic for me to feel like I've received my money's worth.

However, I'll also note that I don't feel as compelled to immediately read a $.99 book, so some may sit on my virtual shelf for a lot longer than a $9.99 paperback.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Cheap! Cheap!!


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*DrDln* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> Cheap! Cheap!!


Inexpensive! Inexpensive!!  

ecp


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## Keair (Apr 18, 2011)

If I saw a book for .99 on Amazon I would think, 'There is a new writer trying to boost sales.' I actually recently dropped my list price on my self-published book from $1.99 to .99 because I kept hearing time and again that this is the best way to sale your book when you are starting out and if you are self-publishing because you need exposure (because I think many writers like me are trying to break into the Amazon top 100 to catch the eye of agents or publishers) than anything that will help boost sales, you will pretty much try it. I have yet to actually purchase a Kindle book because I never read one until after I published there and the ones I have I got for free. I can tell you that many of the books I have started that I paid nothing for have turned out to be great books. So I don't think a person should feel that a cheap book is a bad book. It is just a new book by a new author trying to make a mark. Of course, there are probably some that are not that great. But I have seen books listed at $25.00 that were not good so my line of thinking is that I would rather be disapppointed for .99 than over twenty bucks.


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## pickin_grinnin (Apr 28, 2011)

I will take a risk on a 99 cent ebook.

I won't pay anything more than $1.99 on an ebook unless I have read a sample chapter and really, really liked it.


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

After having read several replies from both sides in this thread, I've decided to try out both my thriller novel and my new short-story anthology (from the same literary universe) at 99 cents each as a promotion to see if I have a spike in sales.


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## julieannfelicity (Jun 28, 2010)

There are books out there that are selling for $3.99 or higher that are absolutely horrid (no editing what-so-ever), so $.99 books don't faze me. I am a sample reader. If the sample intrigues me enough to purchase, I will. I will not pay $9.99 for an ebook. I just won't. Why should I pay more (or the same amount) for a book that I can get in paperback? I understand where costs come from, but still feel ebooks should be relatively cheaper than their paperbacks.


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## Miriam Minger (Nov 27, 2010)

Victorine said:


> I love 99 cent books. I buy them all the time, but I do sample. Just because it's 99 cents doesn't mean it's a poorly written book, IMHO.
> 
> Vicki


I love them, too! And sample, too. Lots of gems out there to be found and enjoyed.

Miriam Minger


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## Richardcrasta (Jul 29, 2010)

Frida Fantastic said:


> I'm actually not that price sensitive when it comes to books, as long as it's intriguing enough.
> 
> $6.99 and under: I'll sample it. If I like it, I'll buy it. If it's $0.99, I'll probably buy it over the other equally good samples sitting on the Kindle.
> 
> ...


Well, that's a fair answer--complex and balanced. Thank you.


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## Will Granger (Apr 12, 2011)

The 99 cent price is just a sign of how different publishing is becoming. It is amazing how 99 cents can be effective, but it is a legitimate price point. It certainly is a different world-different and exciting.


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## Richardcrasta (Jul 29, 2010)

No one should judge a book purely by its cover or by its price--those factors may be outside the writer's control. For example, my Indian publishers, HarperCollins India, have priced my book (“The Revised Kama Sutra”) at Rs. 395/- which is high for many Indians--is that my fault? I can’t dictate the price to them. Does it make the writing any different?

Admittedly, the above is an ideal, and none of us is perfect.

However, please factor in this consideration. I would consider quality, and who was setting the price, and why, before I rejected or bought a book. 

If it was a book by a rich author and a multinational company, and it was purely profit-minded exploitation, I might hesitate. But who am I to condemn the author who is struggling to make a living (as I am, living from week to week), and who has a limited audience for what he/she writes? If an author has a potential audience of just 1000 for a book that took him/her 3 years to write, I think it is fair to price it at $9.99, even higher. After all, it may never make paperback. That potential audience may never be reached, because we are not perfect at marketing. 

A poor author is going to differentially price his/her books depending on what he/she thinks they can get. If there is no price elasticity, meaning the sales won't differ significantly by lowering the price, they will maybe stay with the higher price. Can't blame them. 

Do you see my point?

When I say "poor" author above, I mean, temporarily in financial difficulties--fortunes in writing can change overnight, and sometimes, the greatest writers get recognition only after their deaths. Therefore "poor writer" is not at all a comment on literary quality.


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## Writer (Apr 15, 2011)

I find if I come across a book which is the first in a series or a trilogy that sounds interesting, but maybe I'm not familar with the author and I see its priced at $0.99 then I would probably buy it. And if I end up not liking it then its no great loss. 

And if I do like it then I think I've made a great bargain on being introduced to an exciiting new series which ultimately saves me money as well.

Also pricing a first book in a new series book at $0.99 is a nice way for Authors to say  thank you to their loyal fans. And I appreciate that.


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## Kimberly Van Meter (Apr 22, 2011)

This is an interesting question. I have one novella priced at $2.99 (THE RECKONING) only because I just released it; but my other novella (A RED HOT MESS) I dropped to .99 and my sales did in fact go up. However, the vampire novella is moving at a far brisker pace than my hot contemporary so I don't know which is the right way to go. The price war is an ever-fluctuating issue facing writers in this biz.

Kimberly V.


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## Tamara Rose Blodgett (Apr 1, 2011)

I [almost] exclusively buy books priced under $5...or, even better in the .99 to 2.99 price-range. My thoughts are:

If it is in the genre that I like, with good reviews, I buy it. I read 3-5 books per week and I can get so much more if I'm willing to plow through the new book releases. Typically, if a book has a good review and a great price, there's no reason not to.

I have a few fave authors that have mainstream pub prices: J.R. Ward, Stephen King, Laurell K. Hamilton, etc...and I will splurge...but more often than not I find myself waiting until the book is older, and I can purchase it for a more reasonable $7.99. I kept that in mind when pricing my own novel...it just makes more sense.


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## Erin Zarro (Apr 30, 2011)

I have no problem with .99 cents.  I think it's great, especially if it's a new author to me and to me it's worth the risk. 

As for ebooks being priced higher (say anywhere from $5.00 to over $10.00)...it depends on the author.  If it's one of my favorites, and I absolutely cannot wait for it to come out or can't get out to buy it, I'll spend the extra money.  Been trying to get ebooks now b/c I'm simply running out of space in my office.  And these are books I can't get part with.

Anyone I don't know, I'll read a sample first, and then go from there.


Cheers,
E.


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## lpking (Feb 12, 2011)

Thanks to everyone who explained their rationale for buying or not buying $0.99 ebooks. The original read through this thread a couple of weeks ago was fascinating, and I just updated now. Also thanks to the OP for getting a great conversation going.

(I got a fun blog post out of the whole thing!)


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Not too favorably. Why not give it free for a while. If idea is have more people read it.


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

*DrDln* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> Not too favorably. Why not give it free for a while. If idea is have more people read it.


Been there. Done that. Still do thatr. Very effective.

Edward C. Patterson
PS: It's not "give it free" - it's "offer it free" - because you casn give with no takers. However, there's a difference when it's offered for free and taken.


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## Commander Pants (Mar 3, 2011)

I actually wanted to give away my novel, Whom God Would Destroy for free (to create a buzz), but Kindle would not allow it (I think that this is a very short-sighted policy on their part). I have set the price at $.99, not because it is inferior, but because I want people to read it. It's like the tree in the forest bit...does a book "exist" if no one reads it?? 
It's a wee bit sacrilegious and more than a bit off-kilter. Thus far the book has been very well reviewed but sales are not keeping up on accolades. This has got me wondering if the price has people thinking that it must be "lacking" in some way? From what I read on this board, I fear that this might be the case. How sad.

_--- edited... no self-promotion outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._


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## ThatGurlthatlife (May 10, 2011)

I don't think readers can complain about getting a "bad" 99 cent priced book when the option for free sampling is there. Sure it takes a few extra minutes of your time, but well worth the change you spend to get the book. 99 cents is not just 99 cents anymore, so be frugal, check the sample, enjoy the read!


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## TiffanyLovering (Jul 1, 2011)

I have found some great books at .99 and I think it's a great marketing strategy for new authors and for the first book in a series.


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## SSantore (Jun 28, 2011)

Depends. There are some very good .99 books out there.  I am a new Kindle owner and I already have hundreds of books on my Kindle.  I downloaded many old free classics that I want to reread or have not yet read, as well as many limited time free offers by authors.  Even if the book is free, I don't automatically download it. First I look at the story line to see if it interests me.  If I read that there's hot torrid sex in the book, or extreme violence, I'll pass it by, even if it's well written.  Then I read the reviews. Even the so-called "bogus" reviews can tell a reader a lot about a book. Sometimes something a low review says about a book will lead me to read it because I may have a different viewpoint than that reviewer.  On the flip side, I won't buy an ebook over 5.00--or at least I haven't yet!


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## Dr. Laurence Brown (Jun 23, 2011)

I try not to let the price be the deciding factor. It's great to pick up 0.99 books to find new authors, at least that's what I use it for.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I do not think that it is cheap. I jump on them as fast as I can.  I love it.  I have discovered some great new writers thanks to them putting their books on sale for 99 cents.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Edward C. Patterson said:


> Been there. Done that. Still do thatr. Very effective.
> Edward C. Patterson
> PS: It's not "give it free" - it's "offer it free" - because you casn give with no takers. However, there's a difference when it's offered for free and taken.


Perhaps offer is a better word. Thanks. I was thinking more like giving it away when it is free. I didn't think critically as you didn't for spelling casn or thatr in above sentences. But both of us conveyed the message. Appreciate pointing it out.


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## SArthurMartin (Jul 1, 2011)

This has been a fascinating read, as I'm currently in a war of wages in my own head about the pricing of my first book. I'd settled on $2.99, but the arguments for $0.99 are causing the war to begin anew.

The direction I've been going in as I read all these comments was to price my first book at $2.99, and as subsequent books come out, I'd lower the price of previous books to the $0.99. Do you guys think that sounds like a fair investment for Kindle book buyers in a new fantasy author?


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## ScottLCollins (Dec 7, 2009)

I buy what I think I'll like. I've had a few turn out bad, but for the most part I've been just as happy with books I've downloaded for free as I have with books I've spent $30 for the hardbacks. That said, I've been buying a lot more books in the lower price ranges.


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## Lursa (aka 9MMare) (Jun 23, 2011)

Ray Rhamey said:


> If it's that cheap, it's probably no good.
> At that price, it's worth taking a chance. I'll check it out.
> I've bought other 99-cent books that I liked, I'll see what it's about.
> I expect the writing and editing to be lower in quality.
> ...


2nd and 6th bullets for me.


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## Lursa (aka 9MMare) (Jun 23, 2011)

Dr. Laurence Brown said:


> I try not to let the price be the deciding factor. It's great to pick up 0.99 books to find new authors, at least that's what I use it for.


Same here.


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## David Alastair Hayden (Mar 19, 2011)

I hesitate on novel-length work priced as $.99. Unless it's the first book in a series or looks like it's just at a promotional price point for the moment. First of all, it makes me think the quality is suspect and the author desperate. Second, I'd rather not support a ridiculously low price point that pays too little royalty to authors. Driving market prices down isn't good for those of us who'd like to one day make a living publishing books.

But YMMV. Just my way of seeing things. It might not be the right way.

Regardless of price, if a book looks intriguing, I'll still take a chance and download the sample. I don't buy anything without reading the sample first.


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## gsjohnston (Jun 29, 2011)

here's the thing - 99 cents is neither here nor there - what is more valuable is the time to read things once you've bought it.  I usually download the sample and check that out first and then decide.  If the text has not been edited professionally, and that is obvious and I'm not talking about typos etc, then I won't buy it at any price.  But if it looks good I'll buy it

I started at 2.99 but there seemed to be so many people saying 99c was better so I did that.  dispite having spent a lot of money on editing, I'd just  like people to read my novel.  And build some kind of a profile


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## Cindy Borgne (Mar 21, 2011)

I've decided that it's best to sample everything regardless of price. If you buy enough .99 cent novels, it can still add up. Next thing you know, you've spent twenty dollars...lol. There are many good .99 cent novels out there. The best way to find them is to sample.


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## Tara Maya (Nov 4, 2010)

The ideal, of course, is to find a book that is normally more expensive on sale for $.99. Then you have the pleasure of a bargain on an expensive item!


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## Meb Bryant (Jun 27, 2011)

$.99 books are great for the reader, but how long can writers produce at that price? I give away the eggs from my pet chickens. Actually, I could make more money selling eggs than books....just thinking.


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## scl (Feb 19, 2011)

I remember 95 cent paperbacks and being horrified when they started showing up on the shelves for a buck twenty five.  So 99 cents seems fine to me as a buyer - I bought a lot of good books for less than that (although I have to admit it was a good 40 years ago or so.)  I'm much more apt to spring for a 99 center from an unknown than for a 2.99 or up number.  As a seller I  think that the 99 center should be a sort of a super sample though to introduce new readers to someones work that's priced higher.  It takes an awful lot of 35 cent net sales to make a living.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

If you like the book go for it. But I will not buy just because it is 99 cents.

Cheaper is not always the best bargain, IMO. In fact, it may be other way around.


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## Guest (Jul 3, 2011)

If I like the sample, I'll probably buy the book, assuming the price isn't too high. I don't think I've ever been put off by a low price.


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## Ben Dobson (Mar 27, 2011)

I think 99 cents is fine as a price and I don't assume there's anything wrong with the book. I sample everything, regardless of price, before buying, and only buy the ones I find well-written and interesting, so it doesn't really affect that.

I also think it can be a good marketing tool and a way to get your foot in the door and get some attention.

However, I _hate_ the perception from some that its necessary, and that it's not worth taking a chance on a new author at a higher price, and so on. Self-pubbed ebooks are _so cheap_. At 2.99, you're still saving a ludicrous amount of money compared to something from a big publisher. But for a full length novel, 99 cents badly devalues the author's work if it's forced on them rather than used as a marketing tool. At 2.99, royalties are about where they ought to be, I think. At 99 cents, they're at a tiny fraction of what the author deserves, assuming a decent length and good writing. It's a shame that 99 cent books have become so common that people can and often do see 3 bucks as overpriced for a full length novel that might have taken years to write.


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## ajbarnett (Apr 11, 2011)

I really don't know how to treat 99C novels. I have 4 of my books at that price - but am I under-selling my work? Without Reproach is $2.99 and sells - just about. Short Moments is 99C and in the UK sells modestly - actually my personal best seller - Everything else is 99c and sells low. So am I under-selling most of them. Maybe I should increase their price to show people the books are actually worth it.

I feel that because authors have made a good killing at 99c I should follow suit - yet I know my work is quite good. I know my work is not dross. I have been published in magazines and international competitions, yet I have to compete - so what do I do? I price my work low because I feel I have to, yet even then my work is not selling. Am I wrong? Am I selling myself short. If I increase will I lose all sales, or will people percieve my work is actually worth reading?


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## Krista D. Ball (Mar 8, 2011)

Ben Dobson said:


> It's a shame that 99 cent books have become so common that people can and often do see 3 bucks as overpriced for a full length novel that might have taken years to write.


The only people I've ever met in this category are here on KB. I'm sure they exist everywhere, but they seem to actually state it here. When I meet people with ereaders, I ask what they've been buying and it's almost always small press (in the $4.99 range) or big press (in the $9.99 range). I'm not sure if it's because of the culture of where I'm meeting these people (Canadian con goers), or that these are just people who have their favourite authors and that's it (ie a family member who only reads certain romance authors and that's it). Either way, I just haven't met anyone who refuses to pay more than $2.99 for a novel (which I've seen often on KB...including from authors themselves).


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## Adam Kisiel (Jun 20, 2011)

I always try to not judge the book by the price - the sample is most important to me.


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

When I first joined Kindleboards a couple of years ago, there weren't as many indie books as there are now.  And my sales numbers were better.  The number of indie books keeps growing, so I think my dwindling sales can be attributed partly to just getting lost in the ever growing sea of indie work out there.  Sales for me usually don't occur when I bump my thread any more, like it used to.  I lowered my novel, Baling, to 0.99 and haven't seen any change for the better.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

It's new thing. Ebooks have flooded the readers with cheap 99 cent books. When people find out that majority of them are no good then these will go away. Until then enjoy if you can find a good book for 99 cents. Good luck for the search.  I am sure there will be good 99 cents book but will be very few, IMO.


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## LucieSimone (Jun 30, 2011)

Krista D. Ball said:


> The only people I've ever met in this category are here on KB. I'm sure they exist everywhere, but they seem to actually state it here. When I meet people with ereaders, I ask what they've been buying and it's almost always small press (in the $4.99 range) or big press (in the $9.99 range). I'm not sure if it's because of the culture of where I'm meeting these people (Canadian con goers), or that these are just people who have their favourite authors and that's it (ie a family member who only reads certain romance authors and that's it). Either way, I just haven't met anyone who refuses to pay more than $2.99 for a novel (which I've seen often on KB...including from authors themselves).


Yeah, most people I know in real life happily spend real dollars on books. I wouldn't not buy a 99 cent book if it looked like my type of read and I liked the sample. But I don't understand why people would balk at paying $9.99 for a book. I mean, if you get 4-6 hours of pleasure out of reading it, that's still a he'll of a bargain. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm not thrilled when I find an author I love with a bargain book. But, trust me, there are some books I'd pay $100 to read if I had to. Luckily, I don't have to!


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I balk at 9.99 because I read a lot. I am a voracious reader and I cannot afford to pay that much. I read on average 15 books a month so $10 a book would be $150. Not in my budget. I do find a lot of great books in the range of 3-6. There are many smaller publishers out there and other then big 6 larger, that do not charge $10 for a book. 

I found a lot of books recently that are marked down from .99-2.99. Today alone I got 2 for .99. Those are well known authors.
I usually just one click on those as they are a known factor to me.  

Those sales help out a lot with my budget as I still have to pay 7.99 plus tax for books from authors I like that happen to be with the big 6 Agencies. But I wouldn't pay more than that for an ebook.


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## LucieSimone (Jun 30, 2011)

Yeah, I spend several hundred dollars on books each year. But I'm a writer, so I get to write it off as research. Thank goodness!


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## Tessa Apa (Apr 8, 2011)

At first I thought, 'they must be sucky books for that price' - well I was wrong. I have bought eBooks for $13 and for .99 cents - I am now a real fan of .99 cent books. It feels like such a treat. We can all afford .99 cents at least once a week, can't we? And given we can sample them - there's no risk at all


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## originsean (Apr 27, 2011)

I think $.99 is good price point for new authors.  It gives readers a chance to see if they like something without committing a lot of money.


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## gryeates (Feb 28, 2011)

Speaking for myself, it's part of my current marketing plan, which may change depending on how well the books do. As I write short novels, I think .99/70p is a good price point as a newbie because a reader might baulk if they think 2.99 is too much for a short novel.


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## Nina Croft (Jun 16, 2011)

I think it's a great way for readers to try new authors without too much risk.
And a great way for authors to attract new readers. It's a marketing strategy rather than a reflection of the quality of the book.


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## JenniferConner (Jun 25, 2011)

The .99 price is difficult on Amazon, many authors sell their works short when they deserve more. But, there are high quality ebook short stories at 1.99 that are well worth the price for a read.


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## Jenni (Feb 20, 2011)

JenniferConner said:


> The .99 price is difficult on Amazon, many authors sell their works short when they deserve more. But, there are high quality ebook short stories at 1.99 that are well worth the price for a read.


Pricing is a marketing tool and really has nothing to do with selling your work short or deserving more. We have 40 titles published and two are listed at .99. Thing with pricing is to understand why you are setting that price point.


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## Izzy Hammerstein (Jul 6, 2011)

A book is a labor of love whether it cost 9 dollars or 99 cents.


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## Kathy Bennett (Jun 15, 2011)

Hello Readers;

Over the past few months, I've read a number of articles, in various places, about $.99 books.  Some readers feel if a book is priced at $.99 the price reflects on the quality of the book.  This is what I'd like you to consider:  Maybe the author is an unknown...someone you've never heard of.  Perhaps the $.99 price is their enticement to get you to try their book.  Sometimes the book you purchase may be 'less than stellar', in which case you've lost a buck (probably less than you pay for almost anything).  But other times you may find a jewel; and an author who transports you into their world and a story to you will remember for a long time...if not forever.

There are many authors out there who've been honing their craft for many years, and couldn't quite get the 'golden ticket' to traditional publication - not because their product is inferior, but because in traditional publishing there are only so many slots to fill.  In recent years, publishers have wanted to go with 'sure things' - not some unknown author. So those new authors never get their chance.  Self-publishing has changed all that.

So I say to you, don't thumb your nose at a $.99 book...read the available samples and give those new authors who interest you a shot.  Maybe you'll come up with a whole treasure chest of jewels.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

If somebody starts publishing $0.99 books that are in the traditional mystery or science fiction genre, I'll be happy to give them a try.

Mike


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## scl (Feb 19, 2011)

I like 99 cent books because I haven't invested a lot in one and if I think it's awful I haven't lost much.  I also find that the ratio of okay reads to awful reads is not that much lower in more expensive books than it is for the 99 cent ones.  And the ration of really great reads to awful reads isn't that much different.

I checked the top 100 science fiction kindle books just now and there were several for 99 cents that sounded like tradition science fiction.  Somebody must think they're okay reads or they wouldn't be on the list.  Number 100 is 2901 overall in the kindle store as of when I just checked.  In the top 100 mystery & thrillers list  there are also several at 99 cents, although it's harder to tell which are traditional mysteries and which are thrillers.

With the multitude of books now on kindle at 99 cents there are bound to some good mysteries and some good science fiction.  The hard part is finding them.


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## KateEllison (Jul 9, 2011)

I love $.99 cent books because they're CHEAP! I will usually buy a book if I'm interested in it regardless of the price (unless they are out of my price range), so if the book looks intriguing and then I discover it's a bargain too, then I'm just extra happy. The great thing about $.99 books is that I can buy 10 of them for the price of a lot of "regular books." Sure, not all of them are amazing, but I've discovered some really awesome stuff too. There are definitely some talented writers out there who are using the low price to build up a readership.


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## ColinJ (Jun 13, 2011)

Kathy Bennett said:


> Sometimes the book you purchase may be 'less than stellar', in which case you've lost a buck (probably less than you pay for almost anything).


Very well-said. Honestly, how many things can you think of right now that only cost a dollar? Let aslone a piece of art that someone has created for your enjoyment.

I know I can't think of any. Especially since I live in Australia and everything is expensive.


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## Tim Ellis (Mar 27, 2011)

Well said, Kathy. I think indie authors price their books at 99c to compete in an already swamped marketplace. In some ways, they're like loss leaders in an attempt to get their name and writing out there. Certainly, people should not make assumptions about the quality of the writing or the story, etc based on the price. All my books are 99c, but people have commented on the quality of my writing.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

jmiked said:


> If somebody starts publishing $0.99 books that are in the traditional mystery or science fiction genre, I'll be happy to give them a try.
> 
> Mike


You might take a look at 
Vicky Tyley Suspense
B.A. Wallace Fatherly Love is very traditional detective fare.

although I think they're both in the $2.99 range.

If you like Sherlockian pastiche, you might enjoy Sherban Young (Fleeting Memory) It was a fun mystery with lots of puzzlers.


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## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

Between 99 cents, sampling and 'one click' it's easy to find unknown gems. 

At such a low price it's also worth the risk. 

I'm happy to buy on a whim when I see something that interests me, but that I might not be prepared to pay ten times that much for. 

Simply, 99 cents is a win for everybody!


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## Sean Cunningham (Jan 11, 2011)

jmiked said:


> If somebody starts publishing $0.99 books that are in the traditional mystery or science fiction genre, I'll be happy to give them a try.


What do you call traditional science fiction?

I've seen it said that one thing that's going to come out of the new paradigm is that genres won't die, or at least not as often. If there's an infinite book shelf, there's room for everything. Westerns spring to mind. There's some discussion about this in the horror thread in this forum too.


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## authorandystraka (May 4, 2011)

My first three novels were all published by Penguin in New York as mass market paperback originals.  They were each priced at $5.99 and won and/or were nominated for several major awards.  My next two novels were hardcovers priced at $25.95.  Now you can buy any of my novels as ebooks for .99, I'm reaching more readers than ever before, and my audience is growing by leaps and bounds every day.  The final judge of quality remains the reader, not outdated pricing models.  The old saying "don't judge a book by its cover" needs to be updated.  Now it should be: "Don't judge a book by its price."


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## Tara Maya (Nov 4, 2010)

If you have a novel selling for $.99 and also a short story, what should the short story cost? Or, say you sell an anthology and also the stories separately? I price the single stories at $.99, but the anthology at $2.99. It doesn't make sense to me to price them the same way. Actually, I think the best way to do it is by word-count.


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