annethology
  • Home
    • About Annethology
    • About me >
      • A little more about me
    • About my books
    • Author talks
    • Contact me
    • Forthcoming events
    • World Mental Health Day
    • Privacy
    • Sign up for my newsletter
  • Sugar and Snails
    • Acknowledgements
    • Blog tour, Q&A's and feature articles >
      • Birthday blog tour
      • S&S on tour 2022
    • Early endorsements
    • Events >
      • Launch photos
      • Launch party videos
    • in pictures
    • Media
    • If you've read the book
    • Polari
    • Reading group questions
    • Reviews
    • In the media
  • Underneath
    • Endorsements and reviews
    • Launch party and events
    • Pictures
    • Questions for book groups
    • The stories underneath the novel
  • Matilda Windsor series
    • Matilda Windsor >
      • What readers say
      • For book groups
      • Interviews, articles and features
      • Matty on the move
      • Who were you in 1990?
      • Asylum lit
      • Matilda Windsor media
    • Stolen Summers >
      • Stolen Summers reviews
  • Short stories
    • Somebody’s Daughter
    • Becoming Someone (anthology) >
      • Becoming Someone (video readings)
      • Becoming Someone reviews
      • Becoming Someone online book chat
    • Print and downloads
    • Read it online
    • Quick reads
  • Free ebook
  • Annecdotal
    • Annecdotal blog
    • Annecdotal Press
    • Articles >
      • Print journalism
      • Where psychology meets fiction
    • Fictional therapists
    • Reading and reviews >
      • Reviews A to H
      • Reviews I to M
      • Reviews N to Z
      • Nonfiction
      • Themed quotes
      • Reading around the world
  • Shop
    • Inspired Quill (my publisher)
    • Bookshop.org (affiliate link)
    • Amazon UK
    • Amazon US
    • books2read

About the author and blogger ...

Anne Goodwin’s drive to understand what makes people tick led to a career in clinical psychology. That same curiosity now powers her fiction.
A prize-winning short-story writer, she has published three novels and a short story collection with small independent press, Inspired Quill. Her debut novel, Sugar and Snails, was shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize.
Away from her desk, Anne guides book-loving walkers through the Derbyshire landscape that inspired Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.
Subscribers to her newsletter can download a free e-book of award-winning short stories.

TELL ME MORE

On book pricing: a cautionary tale

12/10/2015

7 Comments

 
Picture
One of the things I was careful to check before signing up with my publisher, was the proposed retail price of my book. I’d come across other small presses where the paperbacks were the price of a hardback from one of the Big Five. While I appreciate that small print runs contribute to the higher unit costs for the independent publisher, most readers wouldn’t understand. Why should they pick up a paperback from an unknown author and publisher when they could get a discounted hardback from a household name and half a dozen fancy bookmarks for the same price? How could I entice friends and family to support my launch if they had a sneaking suspicion they were being ripped off?

So I was delighted when debut novel, Sugar and Snails, came out priced at the lower end of the scale. With its beautiful cover and quality printing, people queued for signed copies, a few buying an extra one or two for friends. They were happy, I was happy, my publisher was happy – until I spoke to some booksellers.

We all know that the giant online retailer beginning with the letter A has made life especially difficult for the independent bookshops we love. So the twenty-five percent profit I was told they’d get from the retail price seemed a generous gesture. Not so! The word came back, from librarians as well as booksellers, that 35-40% was the industry standard. But, when printing costs amounted to almost 50% per book, this left under £1 to be shared between author (me), publisher and the youth charity we’d chosen to support. Given the mammoth task authors have in getting their books into bookshops, it hardly seemed worth the effort.

Yet people were asking where they could buy my book, and the enthusiastic reviews convinced me they were unlikely to be disappointed if they did. While a couple of places had agreed to take it at the lower level, I thought my book’s chances would be vastly improved if we could give bookshops the cut they needed. To make this possible, as of last week, we increased the price in the UK from £7.99 to £8.99, the norm for literary novels published in paperback. This still represents a miniscule profit on bookshop sales for me and the publisher, but at least it might cover the administration costs.

With some press features still quoting the original price, and a misunderstanding leading to me emailing several bookshops before the new price had officially gone through, the transition is rather messy. Frankly, I’m embarrassed and I still might not get my book into shops. But I think it was the correct decision. While it will probably be frustrating for readers aware of the price change, it’s certainly not overpriced. One bonus is that, when at events I sell it at the original price, those readers will appreciate receiving a discount.

What do you think about book pricing? Has anything surprised you the way it did for me?
Thanks for reading. I'd love to know what you think. If you've enjoyed this post, you might like to sign up via the sidebar for regular email updates and/or my quarterly Newsletter.
7 Comments
Charli Mills
13/10/2015 04:42:21 pm

First thing that came to mind with the online giant retailer was the scarlet letter A! When I worked in the natural and organic food industry, I worked on the side of cooperatives. I know full well what it is to be up against "big box retailers" like the scarlet letter W in the US. I know the UK has terrifically strong grocery cooperatives, but not so in the US. Ours struggle against those big retailers that play market games like "low price leaders" to get customers. That the book industry suffers from similar margins in the retail setting is no surprise, but now I understand the pricing struggle better. Communication is best when changing prices, and you are doing that and being what is called "transparent" in business. Amazon and Walmart -- oops! I spoke them out loud -- change prices daily with no explanation. This further expounds that book writing is a craft; book selling a business. Thanks for sharing your experiences and insights!

Reply
Annecdotist
14/10/2015 09:36:52 am

Thanks, Charli, I'm learning as I go along, but I hadn't thought of the parallels with food retail. We do have some similar issues over here, especially around the supermarket price of milk, which is lower than it costs farmers to produce it. And the problem is that we get used to low prices so when we come across what is more of a fair price it seems overly expensive.
Another thing with Amazon is how they push down the prices of e-books to a level that doesn't reflect the blood and sweat that's gone into creating them. I imagine mine will at some point be offered at a promotional discount, but now I'm happy with mine retailing at a little under half the price of print.

Reply
sarah link
13/10/2015 08:38:22 pm

Thanks for sharing all this, Anne. Will pass it on.

Reply
Annecdotist
14/10/2015 09:38:00 am

Thanks, Sarah – like you, missing the LIKE button here!

Reply
Norah Colvin link
14/10/2015 12:36:49 pm

This pricing issue is very interesting, Anne. It's disappointing that, when you have done all hard work, and the publisher has put their faith in your book, that you are the ones that miss out on the "reward". How many books do you need to sell to make at least a semblance of a return for your efforts?
I have been thinking about pricing for my (planned) website too and am favouring a subscription model. Deciding on a price that is "just right" is difficult.
For sales of products on my Teachers Pay Teachers, the site takes a 15% commission. It would take much more if I didn't pay the approximately $70 premium membership fee. So far my sales have covered that cost (just).
Yesterday I was approached by another similar site. It promises me 100% royalty if I pay the $5 per month for platinum membership, 80% if I don't. When I read their small print I discover that they add a 20% surcharge to my price. So I get the total of the price I charge but they charge the customer more.
This creates a dilemma in deciding on the price. Should the items be the same price in each store? Does it matter if they are dearer in one store than the other? If it does matter then it would be difficult to work out my exact price and would end up with "messy" amounts.
I guess at my level it's hardly worth thinking about and I'll probably just make my price the same and see what happens, if anything.
I think your transparency re pricing is fine and I don't think anyone should worry about the small additional cost. I wouldn't. As hub said, we are all used to being charged different prices in different stores anyway.

Reply
Annecdotist
15/10/2015 01:30:55 pm

Thanks, Norah, and interest in that I'm not the only one grappling with these issues.
I don't know how many books we need to sell to break even but I do have a vested interest in the publisher staying in business! Fortunately they're are not yet taking a wage from this and, as a social enterprise, they are wanting to plough profits into the company itself and "good deeds". For me, it's a matter of doing whatever I can to make it accessible to readers – at the moment, it seems to be that online and direct sales are the most effective, but lots of people DO want to support their local independent bookshops, so wanting to do my bit for that if I can!

Reply
Lisa Reiter link
2/11/2015 12:40:48 pm

Really interesting to understand some of the dynamics around book pricing, Anne. A cautionary take for all would-be authors. Thanks for sharing. Lisa xx

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Free ebook: click the image to claim yours.
    Picture
    OUT NOW: The poignant prequel to Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home
    Picture
    Find a review
    Picture
    Fictional therapists
    Picture
    Picture
    About Anne Goodwin
    Picture
    My published books
    entertaining fiction about identity, mental health and social justice
    Picture
    My latest novel, published May 2021
    Picture
    My debut novel shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize
    Picture
    Picture
    My second novel published May 2017.
    Picture
    Short stories on the theme of identity published 2018
    Anne Goodwin's books on Goodreads
    Sugar and Snails Sugar and Snails
    reviews: 32
    ratings: 52 (avg rating 4.21)

    Underneath Underneath
    reviews: 24
    ratings: 60 (avg rating 3.17)

    Becoming Someone Becoming Someone
    reviews: 8
    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.56)

    GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator, Issue 4 GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator, Issue 4
    reviews: 4
    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.44)

    The Best of Fiction on the Web The Best of Fiction on the Web
    reviews: 3
    ratings: 3 (avg rating 4.67)

    2022 Reading Challenge

    2022 Reading Challenge
    Anne has read 2 books toward their goal of 100 books.
    hide
    2 of 100 (2%)
    view books
    Picture
    Annecdotal is where real life brushes up against the fictional.  
    Picture
    Annecdotist is the blogging persona of Anne Goodwin: 
    reader, writer,

    slug-slayer, tramper of moors, 
    recovering psychologist, 
    struggling soprano, 
    author of three fiction books.

    LATEST POSTS HERE
    I don't post to a schedule, but average  around ten reviews a month (see here for an alphabetical list), 
    some linked to a weekly flash fiction, plus posts on my WIPs and published books.  

    Your comments are welcome any time any where.

    Get new posts direct to your inbox ...

    Enter your email address:

    or click here …

    RSS Feed


    Picture

    Tweets by @Annecdotist
    Picture
    New short story, “My Dirty Weekend”
    Picture
    Let’s keep in touch – subscribe to my newsletter
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Popular posts

    • Compassion: something we all need
    • Do spoilers spoil?
    • How to create a convincing fictional therapist
    • Instructions for a novel
    • Looking at difference, embracing diversity
    • Never let me go: the dilemma of lending books
    • On loving, hating and writers’ block
      On Pop, Pirates and Plagiarism
    • READIN' for HER reviews
    • Relishing the cuts
    • The fast first draft
    • The tragedy of obedience
    • Writers and therapy: a love-hate relationship?

    Categories/Tags

    All
    Animals
    Annecdotist Hosts
    Annecdotist On Tour
    Articles
    Attachment Theory
    Author Interviews
    Becoming Someone
    Being A Writer
    Blogging
    Bodies
    Body
    Bookbirthday
    Books For Writers
    Bookshops
    CB Book Group
    Character
    Childhood
    Christmas
    Classics
    Climate Crisis
    Coming Of Age
    Counsellors Cafe
    Creative Writing Industry
    Creativity
    Cumbria
    Debut Novels
    Disability
    Editing
    Emotion
    Ethics
    Ethis
    Family
    Feedback And Critiques
    Fictional Psychologists & Therapists
    Food
    Friendship
    Futuristic
    Gender
    Genre
    Getting Published
    Giveaways
    Good Enough
    Grammar
    Gratitude
    Group/organisational Dynamics
    Hero’s Journey
    History
    Humour
    Identity
    Illness
    Independent Presses
    Institutions
    International Commemorative Day
    Jane Eyre
    Kidney Disease
    Language
    LGBTQ
    Libraries
    Live Events
    Lyrics For The Loved Ones
    Marketing
    Matilda Windsor
    Memoir
    Memory
    Mental Health
    Microfiction
    Motivation
    Music
    MW Prequel
    Names
    Narrative Voice
    Nature / Gardening
    Networking
    Newcastle
    Nonfiction
    Nottingham
    Novels
    Pandemic
    Peak District
    Perfect Match
    Poetry
    Point Of View
    Politics
    Politics Current Affairs
    Presentation
    Privacy
    Prizes
    Psychoanalytic Theory
    Psychology
    Psycholoists Write
    Psychotherapy
    Race
    Racism
    Rants
    Reading
    Real Vs Imaginary
    Religion
    Repetitive Strain Injury
    Research
    Reviewing
    Romance
    Satire
    Second Novels
    Settings
    Sex
    Shakespeare
    Short Stories General
    Short Stories My Published
    Short Stories Others'
    Siblings
    Snowflake
    Somebody's Daughter
    Stolen Summers
    Storytelling
    Structure
    Sugar And Snails
    Technology
    The
    The Guestlist
    Therapy
    TikTok
    TNTB
    Toiletday
    Tourism
    Toxic Positivity
    Transfiction
    Translation
    Trauma
    Unconscious
    Unconscious, The
    Underneath
    Voice Recognition Software
    War
    WaSBihC
    Weather
    Work
    Writing Process
    Writing Technique

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Picture
    BLOGGING COMMUNITIES
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from havens.michael34, romana klee, mrsdkrebs, Kyle Taylor, Dream It. Do It., adam & lucy, dluders, Joybot, Hammer51012, jorgempf, Sherif Salama, eyspahn, raniel diaz, E. E. Piphanies, scaredofbabies, Nomadic Lass, paulternate, Tony Fischer Photography, archer10 (Dennis), slightly everything, impbox, jonwick04, country_boy_shane, dok1, Out.of.Focus, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region, Elvert Barnes, guillenperez, Richard Perry, jamesnaruke, Juan Carlos Arniz Sanz, El Tuerto, kona99, maveric2003, !anaughty!, Patrick Denker, David Davies, hamilcar_south, idleformat, Dave Goodman, Sharon Mollerus, photosteve101, La Citta Vita, A Girl With Tea, striatic, carlosfpardo, Damork, Elvert Barnes, UNE Photos, jurvetson, quinn.anya, BChristensen93, Joelk75, ashesmonroe, albertogp123, >littleyiye<, mudgalbharat, Swami Stream, Dicemanic, lovelihood, anyjazz65, Tjeerd, albastrica mititica, jimmiehomeschoolmom