A Reasonable Price Point

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Tom
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A Reasonable Price Point

#1 Post by Tom »

Hello, everyone. It's been a while since I've updated my progress on the book. I first announced I'd be making it two years ago, but I haven't really done much work on it until this last month or so. Now things are quickly moving along. I have everything formatted (I'm using Microsoft Publisher to put the book together). However, I have reached an important decision, and I think it would be best to get some feedback from the readers.

First of all, I've gone with color pages. I think I should get that out of the way.

Price is a serious factor in publishing this first book. The fact of the matter is, full-color books are expensive. Where black and white books can be printed for 2 cents per page, color books are 11 cents per page, a huge increase in cost on top of materials.

So here's been my dilemma for the last few days: the book needs enough pages so that the buyer feels like they've got their money's worth. However, the more pages are put in, the more expensive the book gets. So how do I decide how many pages go in and how much to charge the readers?

I've finally settles on a price point that I think might be reasonable, but I'd like your opinion, since some of you readers will probably be interesting in buying a copy. I've decided to charge $19.99 for the book, which will contain 88 6x9 color pages. It will contain the first three chapters, a 2-page spread, a glossary, and a minicomic series.

It's the cheapest I've managed to go while still making a profit, but here was my other options: I could have charged 16 USD for 60 pages, or 25 USD for 120 pages. Let me know what you think about these prices. Unfortunately, I can only go so low with the costs, but I think 20 USD seems like a reasonable price point, or at least the most reasonable I can manage.
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Yash
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#2 Post by Yash »

Personally, I would choose the 25$ option. On top of being very low price for high quality art, most if not all people who have 16$ would have 25$ to purchase it.
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#3 Post by Tuna »

I like the $20 option - 120 pages in the heavy paper stock used for color pages would be pretty unwieldy, and totally thrash the spine...
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#4 Post by Kiraeden »

$20 sounds good, not too thin, not too thick.
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#5 Post by Ashpool »

20$ USD sounds reasonable to me.
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#6 Post by jdog16 »

20 is fine, but I prefer the 25; 1/4 extra cost for 1/3 more content works fine for me.

It'd be more content for a better deal, I think.
Tuna wrote:I like the $20 option - 120 pages in the heavy paper stock used for color pages would be pretty unwieldy, and totally thrash the spine...
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Heh, for the last 2 weeks, I've be carrying around a 1160 page copy of Atlas Shrugged for reading during my free time at school. Weight's not an issue for me.

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#7 Post by Tetsuya Kintame »

I think that $20 USD is very reasonable. I'm sure that everyone can agree that it is a good price to settle with.
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#8 Post by Scalfin2000 »

Sorry for the late input, but I must insist that you find a way to lower the price, not because I'm stingy (though I am a little), but because it would never sell. The most expensive webcomic not considerably larger than yours was $15 for 80 pages (though you might be counting both sides as one page while they count each side as a page or vice-versa) and $15.80 for an unknown number. Inverloch started at $14.99 for 160, and there are ones as large for under $10.

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#9 Post by one strange cat »

hmm interesting 20 is reasonable but 15 would sell more i think but would it be worth it??
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#10 Post by Koi »

I'm afraid I won't be buying the book. :( I don't have enough for $10 manga, let alone $20 comic books these days.

I honestly don't think it will sell at $20. I'm sorry Tom, but you have two things going against you. One is that it's already online and you can read the series for free. Two is that the price is higher than other black and white comic books which are just as good. I feel TwoKinds needs to be in colour, but there has to be a cheaper printing alternative.

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#11 Post by one strange cat »

yeah although some webcomics still sell i just dunnu
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#12 Post by Ashpool »

Koi, you'd be surprised at the number of people who want a hard copy of stuff like this. A lot of people would like to be able to read the comic on the road, or without using a computer screen. Some people can't stare at a computer screen for as long as others, and would like a book to read.
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#13 Post by Fatalcrash »

Delusional Kangaroo wrote:Koi, you'd be surprised at the number of people who want a hard copy of stuff like this. A lot of people would like to be able to read the comic on the road, or without using a computer screen. Some people can't stare at a computer screen for as long as others, and would like a book to read.
I'd buy it, but I'm in Singapore.
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#14 Post by Tetsuya Kintame »

Delusional Kangaroo wrote:Koi, you'd be surprised at the number of people who want a hard copy of stuff like this. A lot of people would like to be able to read the comic on the road, or without using a computer screen. Some people can't stare at a computer screen for as long as others, and would like a book to read.
I'm with Del Kang on this one.
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#15 Post by Fatalcrash »

You forgot buying it just to support Tom...
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