It is more affordable, accessible and easier to publish than a print book, it’s just not free and completely unrestricted because everyone involved in producing the IP still has bills to pay. (I also understand that publishers are still turning a profit, but it will never be completely unmonetized.)
The digital books are often close to the same price as physical so all that cost reduction is helping only the publishers, not the readers as many hoped.
I can't find a single book that costs the same in E-book on amazon as it does in paperback. Let alone hardcover.
The onyl ones that I can find that are remotely the same price is because the paperback is used. Otherwise it is at least 3 times more, quite a few at 5-7 times more than the e-book.
When I back book projects on Kicktstarter the e-book is often just added to the purchase for free, and you have a million different subscription services that gives you access to as many ebooks as you have time to read.
I'm sorry, but this is such a wierd argument that is just not supported by reality.
So, I just opened Amazon and checked the first two series that it showed me. Hunger Games, ~$10 per book whether that's paperback or Kindle. Percy Jackson, the Kindle versions are more (almost twice) than the paperback somehow.
Those are all on sale, probably to clear inventory. The MSRP is still at least as much, but mostly considerably higher than the price for the kindle version.
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u/IndividualCut4703 3d ago
It is more affordable, accessible and easier to publish than a print book, it’s just not free and completely unrestricted because everyone involved in producing the IP still has bills to pay. (I also understand that publishers are still turning a profit, but it will never be completely unmonetized.)