RAND Lowers e-Book Prices

sirbruce · 06-02-2009, 05:17 PM

Quote:

By Lynn Andriani -- Publishers Weekly, 6/1/2009 2:30:00 PM

With the price of e-books still a hot topic, the nonprofit research organization RAND Corp. has changed the retail price on all of its e-books to $9.95 each. The director of publications and creative services, Jane Ryan, said RAND’s production, distribution and freight costs are lower for e-books, and “we want to pass these savings on to the public. Given the timeliness of our research, we want to make our work quickly available on multiple platforms, including smart phones.” RAND had previously based its e-book pricing on the retail price of print editions.

Marketing director John Warren said, “The economics of e-book distribution are different than print, where the cost of printing, distribution and returns factor into the price paid by consumers. Color charts and a greater number of pages, for example, drive up the cost of print-on-demand, but are not a factor in electronic books.”

RAND Publications has partnerships with Amazon, Books 24x7, EBL/ebooks.com, ebrary, Ingram Digital/ MyiLibrary, netLibrary and Questia to distribute RAND monographs as e-books. Close to 900 RAND titles are available for Kindle 2, iPhone and iPod Touch. RAND has also recently entered into agreements with Sony to deliver books on the Sony Reader, and with e-book wholesaler Overdrive.

pilotbob · 06-02-2009, 05:20 PM

Excellent news. Good find. This person says what all the other publishers have been telling us isn't true about the cost of marketing ebooks.

BOb

grooks · 06-02-2009, 06:12 PM

Good to see a publisher telling the truth about cost of print book vs. cost of ebook.

jgilliam1955 · 06-02-2009, 06:20 PM

Has anyone used the "REDBOX" for DVD rental or Netflix? How much has changed over the last 10 to 20 years on DVD rentals? A lot of people are looking for what is convenient for them. DVD rental stores will be going away as more people run to the DVD rental machine right down the block or click on the TV to rent a movie instantly from Netflix. This is why the e-book readers will get better & more people will buy one. The publishers are saying a ebook is only 2 to 3 dollars cheaper than a regular hardcover book. Right now they do not want to deal with the coming storm. If an author can bypass the publisher & sell his book cheaper & make more money on the internet, why shouldn't he.
Most of us no longer write checks. How about music? Now it is time for the publishing companies to adapt or die. The Kindle 1 & 2 & Sony e-readers are leading the way.

pilotbob · 06-02-2009, 07:46 PM

I don't know what "REDBOX" is. But I have rented via Unbox (Amazon ON-Demand) which is sent right to my TiVo. Works a treat, and no need to return a DVD.

BOb

sirbruce · 06-02-2009, 08:04 PM

There was one in a McDonald's I was at in December and several people used it during the hour or so we were there that night.

khalleron · 06-02-2009, 08:04 PM

Bob, REDBOX is an automated DVD rental kiosk that can be found at many McDonald's and Wal-Marts (other places? This is the only places I've personally seen them)

Rentals are $1 per day charged to your credit card.

pilotbob · 06-02-2009, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by khalleron

Bob, REDBOX is an automated DVD rental kiosk that can be found at many McDonald's and Wal-Marts (other places? This is the only places I've personally seen them)

Rentals are $1 per day charged to your credit card.

Per day? Is this the machine that cuts the DVD while you wait? I thought those were disposable.

BOb

sassanik · 06-02-2009, 10:13 PM

Does this mean Rand is increasing its pback priced ebooks? Most mass market pbacks are less than $9.99, so while that would be a lower price for hard backs it would be an increase for mass market paperback types?

Amy

Sporadic · 06-02-2009, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Per day? Is this the machine that cuts the DVD while you wait? I thought those were disposable.

BOb

No.

They are normal DVDs basically from a DVD vending machine (you can normally find them at Wal-Mart). You put your credit card in and rent a movie. It charges a dollar a day until the movie is returned.

http://www.redbox.com/

Nate the great · 06-02-2009, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sassanik

Does this mean Rand is increasing its pback priced ebooks? Most mass market pbacks are less than $9.99, so while that would be a lower price for hard backs it would be an increase for mass market paperback types?

Amy

This is a publisher of nonfiction reference works. I just looked on Amazon, and only a handful of over 1k titles were less than $10 for the pbook edition.

mklynds · 06-02-2009, 10:30 PM

I think this is a great thing. Especially if it leads other publishers to bring down there ebook prices as well. I believe Rand makes a lot of maps don't they? It would be pretty awesome if they were able to format and release maps as ebooks. Talk about convenient.

phenomshel · 06-03-2009, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by khalleron

Bob, REDBOX is an automated DVD rental kiosk that can be found at many McDonald's and Wal-Marts (other places? This is the only places I've personally seen them)

Rentals are $1 per day charged to your credit card.

We have one at the County Market (grocery store) that I work at. They're convenient..when they work. Ours is a giant pain in the neck.

Gideon · 06-03-2009, 03:26 AM

Oooo.. the other publishers are gonna be sooooo mad that Rand told.....

Andybaby · 06-03-2009, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gideon

Oooo.. the other publishers are gonna be sooooo mad that Rand told.....

lol.

like the publishers getting $14 for a $10 ebook? when amazon sells the hard cover for $16 with free shipping over 25.

publishers are full of "horse puckey"

they resist change. and if you don't change, you die.

06-02-2009, 10:13 PM	#9
sassanik Guru Posts: 774 Karma: 1211741 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Oregon Device: EB1150, iPhone, Cool-er Purple, Pocketbook 360, Kindle Fire	raising prices? Does this mean Rand is increasing its pback priced ebooks? Most mass market pbacks are less than $9.99, so while that would be a lower price for hard backs it would be an increase for mass market paperback types? Amy

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06-02-2009, 05:20 PM	#2
pilotbob Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,832 Karma: 11844413 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tampa, FL USA Device: Kindle Touch	Excellent news. Good find. This person says what all the other publishers have been telling us isn't true about the cost of marketing ebooks. BOb

06-02-2009, 06:12 PM	#3
grooks Wizard Posts: 1,326 Karma: 30250 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Fort Myers, FL Device: Pocketbook Era, Kobo Forma	Good to see a publisher telling the truth about cost of print book vs. cost of ebook.

06-02-2009, 06:20 PM	#4
jgilliam1955 Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2009 Device: Kindle 2	Has anyone used the "REDBOX" for DVD rental or Netflix? How much has changed over the last 10 to 20 years on DVD rentals? A lot of people are looking for what is convenient for them. DVD rental stores will be going away as more people run to the DVD rental machine right down the block or click on the TV to rent a movie instantly from Netflix. This is why the e-book readers will get better & more people will buy one. The publishers are saying a ebook is only 2 to 3 dollars cheaper than a regular hardcover book. Right now they do not want to deal with the coming storm. If an author can bypass the publisher & sell his book cheaper & make more money on the internet, why shouldn't he. Most of us no longer write checks. How about music? Now it is time for the publishing companies to adapt or die. The Kindle 1 & 2 & Sony e-readers are leading the way.

06-02-2009, 07:46 PM	#5
pilotbob Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,832 Karma: 11844413 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tampa, FL USA Device: Kindle Touch	I don't know what "REDBOX" is. But I have rented via Unbox (Amazon ON-Demand) which is sent right to my TiVo. Works a treat, and no need to return a DVD. BOb

06-02-2009, 08:04 PM	#6
sirbruce Provocateur Posts: 1,859 Karma: 505847 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, iPhone 3GS	There was one in a McDonald's I was at in December and several people used it during the hour or so we were there that night.

06-02-2009, 08:04 PM	#7
khalleron Kate Posts: 1,700 Karma: 3605799 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oregon, United States Device: MeeBook, Kobo Libra Colour	Bob, REDBOX is an automated DVD rental kiosk that can be found at many McDonald's and Wal-Marts (other places? This is the only places I've personally seen them) Rentals are $1 per day charged to your credit card.

06-02-2009, 10:30 PM	#12
mklynds That guy, no not that guy Posts: 337 Karma: 2846 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: PRS600 Red	I think this is a great thing. Especially if it leads other publishers to bring down there ebook prices as well. I believe Rand makes a lot of maps don't they? It would be pretty awesome if they were able to format and release maps as ebooks. Talk about convenient.

06-03-2009, 03:26 AM	#14
Gideon Wearer of Pants Posts: 1,050 Karma: 7634 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Norman, OK Device: Amazon Kindle DX / iPhone	Oooo.. the other publishers are gonna be sooooo mad that Rand told.....

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