Nathan Bransford - The Forums

So, I don't really understand the ins and outs of this, and I thought I'd consult my fellow forumites for your thoughts.

My question is about who sets the price on books.

My understanding is that previously the booksellers set their own prices. Then the publishers fought Amazon, because Amazon was making e-books too attractive by pricing e-books too low, and the new model, the agency model was developed. This is where the publisher sets the prices.

At the same time, some independent publishers are allowing the author to set the price.

Is this all correct?

And what do people think about it? Who should set the price? Booksellers, publishers or authors? I'm curious what people think.....

Mira wrote:Who should set the price? Booksellers, publishers or authors? I'm curious what people think.....

The person or entity who's paying the cost of production. It would be ridiculous to have a publishing house (indie or traditional) shell out thousands of dollars and have a bookseller (trying to kill its competitors) or author (afraid people won't buy a book priced appropriate to its production cost) with no skin in the game say they only want the book to sell for half the production cost.

If a bookseller wants total control, they should pull an Amazon and see what happens.

If an author wants total control, they should pony up the money and the labor to produce the book themselves.

It's the publishers. They give the booksellers a set price to charge and each party gets a certain amount from the proceeds. I worked at a bookstore last summer. Occasionally if my supervisor(the one ordering the books) got a really good deal on a shipment she'd immediately put them on sale. She rarely raised the price above what the publishers set if the books were expensive for the store.

Ultimately the bookseller sets the cost to the buyer. The bookseller can charge the full publisher's suggested retail, or discount it. Or, theoretically, charge a premium.

All of the above, and more. Booksellers, publishers, authors, readers etc, set book prices by bargaining and dealing, or doing nothing, directly or indirectly. Nobody has total control. Everybody has SOME control.

The above does not apply to books written by J. T. Shea, of course. They will be priced solely by J. T. Shea, starting at $100 each. Immediate purchase will be compulsory for all humans on Earth or elsewhere.

Eeek! I just abandoned this thread - I'm so sorry. Thanks everyone for your answers.

I continue to be abit confused, though. But that's okay.