Guest Column: Book Pricing: Rein in the Aggression
Nonetheless, both publishers and retailers need to keep in mind that people shift their business online for many reasons other than price. The idea that pricing is the runaway driving force behind online book buying—with convenience a distant second—is simply not true.
When asked to pick one reason why they generally buy books online rather than in stores, some 24 percent of respondents chose lower prices. That was the highest total across all factors. But we found it fascinating that 76 percent of online book buyers did not put price at the top of their list. For the heavier book buyers, price ranked first for just 14 percent of respondents, followed by the convenience-related factors of better product selection and 24/7 shopping, each at 12 percent.
- Companies:
- Amazon.com
- Apple
- Places:
- U.S.