Comments on: Paperbacks in India http://6ampacific.com/2006/03/18/paperbacks-in-india/ Meandering Musings on Globalization Wed, 09 May 2012 17:39:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Balaji Ramakrishnan http://6ampacific.com/2006/03/18/paperbacks-in-india/comment-page-1/#comment-6600 Balaji Ramakrishnan Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:14:57 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=12#comment-6600 Product pricing is indeed a very interesting concept. It is even more challenging to price an information product as compared to a paperback. Having been in the IT products business for many years, in my experience, pricing is largely a function of the propensity of the market to spend. A product selling at $ 100,000 in Nigeria may be perceived as rightly priced and the same product selling at $ 1,000,000 in U.K may be perceived to be cheap. One can sell the same functionality for the same usage levels at vastly different prices in different markets. The justification lies in the licensing terms - For e.g. - If it is a banking product, I may license on the basis of number of users in one continent and still sell the same functionality at a higher price - licensed on the basis of number of accounts. Product pricing is indeed a very interesting concept. It is even more challenging to price an information product as compared to a paperback. Having been in the IT products business for many years, in my experience, pricing is largely a function of the propensity of the market to spend. A product selling at $ 100,000 in Nigeria may be perceived as rightly priced and the same product selling at $ 1,000,000 in U.K may be perceived to be cheap. One can sell the same functionality for the same usage levels at vastly different prices in different markets. The justification lies in the licensing terms – For e.g. – If it is a banking product, I may license on the basis of number of users in one continent and still sell the same functionality at a higher price – licensed on the basis of number of accounts.

]]> By: saikat das http://6ampacific.com/2006/03/18/paperbacks-in-india/comment-page-1/#comment-38 saikat das Wed, 24 May 2006 06:37:43 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=12#comment-38 Although the thread of Basab's thought was correct the example of "Argumentative Inidan" was a little off mark. This is one book where the hardcover was first launched in India and the paper back subsequently unveiled couple of months later. I couldnt stop myself and bought the hardcover for 450 bucks whereas my frind later bought the paper back for 235 bucks. Guess the phenomena is spreading to India as well, though it is limited to non fiction. Although the thread of Basab’s thought was correct the example of “Argumentative Inidan” was a little off mark. This is one book where the hardcover was first launched in India and the paper back subsequently unveiled couple of months later. I couldnt stop myself and bought the hardcover for 450 bucks whereas my frind later bought the paper back for 235 bucks. Guess the phenomena is spreading to India as well, though it is limited to non fiction.

]]> By: karthik shankar http://6ampacific.com/2006/03/18/paperbacks-in-india/comment-page-1/#comment-37 karthik shankar Tue, 23 May 2006 08:40:20 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=12#comment-37 Since it is practically difficult to reach the holy grail - selling to each customer at the price he is willing to pay, you will have to offer a product line and let users choose the version of the product most appropriate for them. Or do group pricing - as in student discounts. Since it is practically difficult to reach the holy grail – selling to each customer at the price he is willing to pay, you will have to offer a product line and let users choose the version of the product most appropriate for them. Or do group pricing – as in student discounts.

]]> By: milind jadhav http://6ampacific.com/2006/03/18/paperbacks-in-india/comment-page-1/#comment-36 milind jadhav Fri, 28 Apr 2006 10:18:22 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=12#comment-36 I was surprised to know that Basab is so price conscious even after being a ceo of some american firm. I am happy about that. I was surprised to know that Basab is so price conscious even after being a ceo of some american firm. I am happy about that.

]]> By: Gaurav Bisht http://6ampacific.com/2006/03/18/paperbacks-in-india/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Gaurav Bisht Sun, 16 Apr 2006 01:19:43 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=12#comment-35 15 years ago in engineering school in Delhi ..I remember how mercilessly foreign editions sucked our "beer" money dry.It's very different today . Whether its Nai sarak in New delhi or Fort area in Mumbai , the indian editions ( usually paperbacks) are so inexpensive My wife who is doing masters in biotech bought most of her books in india on vacation and also for her collegues !! I think folks like those at Rupa Publications et al need to be congratulated for a job well done -GB 15 years ago in engineering school in Delhi ..I remember how mercilessly foreign editions sucked our “beer” money dry.It’s very different today . Whether its Nai sarak in New delhi or Fort area in Mumbai , the indian editions ( usually paperbacks) are so inexpensive
My wife who is doing masters in biotech bought most of her books in india on vacation and also for her collegues !!

I think folks like those at Rupa Publications et al need to be congratulated for a job well done

-GB

]]> By: apoorv http://6ampacific.com/2006/03/18/paperbacks-in-india/comment-page-1/#comment-34 apoorv Fri, 31 Mar 2006 11:26:14 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=12#comment-34 Digital product pricing is an interesting topic. As you write, the incremental cost of production is negligible. The typical Price Vs Quantity curve for digital products is flatter as compared to a "U" shaped one for physical products. This is because prices increase after a particular quantity has been reached due to inefficiencies in supply chain. The biggies (Microsoft, Google etc) can afford to have a curve that is "more" flat than smallish companies and hence they are gobbled up very fast. Digital product pricing is an interesting topic. As you write, the incremental cost of production is negligible. The typical Price Vs Quantity curve for digital products is flatter as compared to a “U” shaped one for physical products. This is because prices increase after a particular quantity has been reached due to inefficiencies in supply chain.
The biggies (Microsoft, Google etc) can afford to have a curve that is “more” flat than smallish companies and hence they are gobbled up very fast.

]]> By: Geeta http://6ampacific.com/2006/03/18/paperbacks-in-india/comment-page-1/#comment-33 Geeta Thu, 23 Mar 2006 14:59:41 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=12#comment-33 A public library system may not be there, but there sure are scores of lending libraries doing very good business. For an insignificant membership fee, you get to borrow any number of books, the price for reading being directly proportionate to the newness of the release. You must see the student crowds at these libraries which have an excellent stock of fiction. More interesting is the availability of the paperbacks (true, they have all the pages these days!) on pushcarts. You can pick up the paperback Da Vinci Code for Rs.50 and you certainly don't feel like bargaining. Almost all the popular books are on display here. Pricing info products? Just see that they are not pirated! Well, that's an author's point of view, of course! A public library system may not be there, but there sure are scores of lending libraries doing very good business. For an insignificant membership fee, you get to borrow any number of books, the price for reading being directly proportionate to the newness of the release. You must see the student crowds at these libraries which have an excellent stock of fiction.
More interesting is the availability of the paperbacks (true, they have all the pages these days!) on pushcarts. You can pick up the paperback Da Vinci Code for Rs.50 and you certainly don’t feel like bargaining. Almost all the popular books are on display here. Pricing info products? Just see that they are not pirated! Well, that’s an author’s point of view, of course!

]]> By: B V Harish Kumar http://6ampacific.com/2006/03/18/paperbacks-in-india/comment-page-1/#comment-32 B V Harish Kumar Mon, 20 Mar 2006 08:00:23 +0000 http://sixampacific.com/?p=12#comment-32 The lack of a public library system is also responsible for this.If you are a voracious reader, you will end up building a library of your own and will have to buy all your books.In that case,one tends to buy hardcover editions of the really 'must-haves' and buy the paperbacks of the rest.Most would actually buy the pirated ones when you are looking forward to a 'read and throw' book.Of course nowadays the pirated ones are actually complete. Earlier, you would keep wondering why some new characters popped up during the climax of a story- you wouldn't know them because those pages were missing from the book. The lack of a public library system is also responsible for this.If you are a voracious reader, you will end up building a library of your own and will have to buy all your books.In that case,one tends to buy hardcover editions of the really ‘must-haves’ and buy the paperbacks of the rest.Most would actually buy the pirated ones when you are looking forward to a ‘read and throw’ book.Of course nowadays the pirated ones are actually complete. Earlier, you would keep wondering why some new characters popped up during the climax of a story- you wouldn’t know them because those pages were missing from the book.

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