The Wall Street Journal reported on September 4 that sales of e-books have slumped for publishers who negotiated deals with Amazon to set the retail price for their books. There is debate as to whether the slump is due to higher prices or lackluster new titles.
My opinion is that buying a book is like placing a bet: you put your money down in hope of getting rewarded with a good read. Inexpensive e-books make it more likely that people will make those bets. I agree with the analysts who assert that when the price of an e-book is more than $10, people are going to slow down on taking a gamble on a good book.
And if e-books become as expensive as the hardcover edition of a book, keep a look out for the return of the used paperback pile in the office breakroom.
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