Comments on: Considering the Economics of Format http://booksquare.com/considering-the-economics-of-format/ Dissecting the publishing industry with love and skepticism Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:52:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Booksquare http://booksquare.com/considering-the-economics-of-format/comment-page-1/#comment-79591 Booksquare Tue, 24 May 2005 15:28:30 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2005/05/23/1350/#comment-79591 I buy all sizes, but prefer paperbacks. I am becoming increasingly convinced that in today's market, the hardcover is more of a vanity/marketing tool, sort of like the motion picture release is the extended trailer for the DVD. However, the economics of publishing are very different from the economics of movies. As always, I'm going to suggest something radical: if the business model isn't working the way it used to, perhaps it's time to revisit the assumptions. They really should pay me for all this brilliant advice, huh? I buy all sizes, but prefer paperbacks. I am becoming increasingly convinced that in today’s market, the hardcover is more of a vanity/marketing tool, sort of like the motion picture release is the extended trailer for the DVD. However, the economics of publishing are very different from the economics of movies.

As always, I’m going to suggest something radical: if the business model isn’t working the way it used to, perhaps it’s time to revisit the assumptions. They really should pay me for all this brilliant advice, huh?

]]> By: Susan Gable http://booksquare.com/considering-the-economics-of-format/comment-page-1/#comment-79550 Susan Gable Tue, 24 May 2005 12:40:01 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2005/05/23/1350/#comment-79550 Let's not forget the new "up-back," which one publisher rep said at a recent meeting is not a lower-priced trade pb but rather an up-scale mmpb or something like that. In other words, it's not a cheap version of the trade pb, it's a more expensive version of the mmpb. She also said that not one of their trial group readers flinched at the higher price. I think that works for the reader who reads one or two books a month, but when it comes to our voracious readers, they WILL flinch at the price. Personally, I rarely buy hardcovers. And when I do, I get them off the remainder racks or, in one case, I went to Sam's to get it because I knew I could buy it cheapest there. I can't afford hardcovers. And actually, I don't really like hardcovers. I grew up immersed in paperbacks. (s) Let’s not forget the new “up-back,” which one publisher rep said at a recent meeting is not a lower-priced trade pb but rather an up-scale mmpb or something like that.

In other words, it’s not a cheap version of the trade pb, it’s a more expensive version of the mmpb.

She also said that not one of their trial group readers flinched at the higher price. I think that works for the reader who reads one or two books a month, but when it comes to our voracious readers, they WILL flinch at the price.

Personally, I rarely buy hardcovers. And when I do, I get them off the remainder racks or, in one case, I went to Sam’s to get it because I knew I could buy it cheapest there. I can’t afford hardcovers. And actually, I don’t really like hardcovers. I grew up immersed in paperbacks. (s)

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