Selling the prologue early?

[XXX]

Does anyone else think that the precedent set by RJ and TOR some books back to milk every last bit of money from the books by selling the prologue couple months earlier than the book is a really cheap business ploy?

[Suttree]

Not at all, you are paying a very small amount to get the prologue months early. It's not as if they are making you buy something. If you don't want to read it early don't pay for it. They release a fair amount of free content as well.

[YourNewDragonAndGod]

No its just paying extra to get something earlier than everyone else. And so what if it is a cheap business ploy in your eyes. What do you care if someone decided to spend their money on it. It doesn't affect you in the long run.

[claireducky]

Does anyone else think that the precedent set by RJ and TOR some books back to milk every last bit of money from the books by selling the prologue couple months earlier than the book is a really cheap business ploy?

 

No. First of all, if they didn't release the prologue early, you wouldn't get anything until the release date. It's not like the book is ready to go to the presses right this second and they're just holding onto it until January for giggles.

 

People had to *work* to get the prologue ready early. It had to be completely proofed, edited, and made ready for ebook release. That means checked and tested across multiple platforms. They also deal with providing the support for cases where it doesn't work correctly on somebody's reader. The extra work they went through to do that deserves some compensation, which is why it's not free.

 

It's an additional service, which they have no obligation to provide at all, let alone for free.

[Durinax]

no its not, it is actually a genious way to get the fans pulled back into the series, enticing them to get back into the world (potentially damaging their books with rereads and searching so they may have to buy a new one) and all in all getting the hype up

[Sid]

This prologue didn't look completely proofed, edited, or ready to me...

 

It is a good way to make a few bucks and give people a fix to keep them interested. But they're not forcing it on anyone either.

[yoniy0]

Does anyone else think that the precedent set by RJ and TOR some books back to milk every last bit of money from the books by selling the prologue couple months earlier than the book is a really cheap business ploy?

Well... yes.

 

Yes, they have full right to charge whatever they want for whatever product they're offering, and no, it's none of anyone's business what other people decide to spend their money on. And even... yes, it's worth just as much to me as my morning coffee, so I'd pay for it every time (and indeed I have).

 

However, why would any of that mean that it's not a cheap ploy? Of course it is, it's a mean for wrestling more money out of a product. This, I think, is evident by their choice of product to charge for: why not charge for the first Mat PoV? Or either of the first couple of chapters, which they've also released with previous installments? Because, I have to conclude, this is the one piece of excerpt people would fear to skip if they intend to consume all others, and because the longer the wait until the release date, the fewer people who'd decide to wait for it.

 

But they don't stop there -- they're actually offering it up for pre-ordering. Think about that for a minute; what's the point of pre-ordering an item? It's to insure availability upon release, and be among the first to get it. That is purely irrelevant with electronic media: the moment I get time to read after the release day, that's the moment I can press a button and get it on my favorite device in a matter of seconds.

 

That's not all; the elevated price tag is another example, and I could go on and on. Instead, let me just summarize: is everything they do legitimate? Of course. Do the discrepancies smack me as unfair and greedy nonetheless? Of course. Do I mind other customers enjoying all Tor offers and gladly paying for it? Not at all. Do I like the fact that some of those happy customers are bound to mind what I've just said here and object to my voicing this opinion? Not at all.

[XXX]

Does anyone else think that the precedent set by RJ and TOR some books back to milk every last bit of money from the books by selling the prologue couple months earlier than the book is a really cheap business ploy?

Well... yes.

 

Yes, they have full right to charge whatever they want for whatever product they're offering, and no, it's none of anyone's business what other people decide to spend their money on. And even... yes, it's worth just as much to me as my morning coffee, so I'd pay for it every time (and indeed I have).

 

However, why would any of that mean that it's not a cheap ploy? Of course it is, it's a mean for wrestling more money out of a product. This, I think, is evident by their choice of product to charge for: why not charge for the first Mat PoV? Or either of the first couple of chapters, which they've also released with previous installments? Because, I have to conclude, this is the one piece of excerpt people would fear to skip if they intend to consume all others, and because the longer the wait until the release date, the fewer people who'd decide to wait for it.

 

But they don't stop there -- they're actually offering it up for pre-ordering. Think about that for a minute; what's the point of pre-ordering an item? It's to insure availability upon release, and be among the first to get it. That is purely irrelevant with electronic media: the moment I get time to read after the release day, that's the moment I can press a button and get it on my favorite device in a matter of seconds.

 

That's not all; the elevated price tag is another example, and I could go on and on. Instead, let me just summarize: is everything they do legitimate? Of course. Do the discrepancies smack me as unfair and greedy nonetheless? Of course. Do I mind other customers enjoying all Tor offers and gladly paying for it? Not at all. Do I like the fact that some of those happy customers are bound to mind what I've just said here and object to my voicing this opinion? Not at all.

 

Thank you. I wonder why RJ and TOR did not go further. Another 3 bucks to sell the second chapter. And you will have people here defending that telling ofcourse you do not have to buy it. Yes sure I do not have to buy it, that does not mean it is not a cheap tactic to suck the last few dollars out of the fandom.

[XXX]

no its not, it is actually a genious way to get the fans pulled back into the series, enticing them to get back into the world (potentially damaging their books with rereads and searching so they may have to buy a new one) and all in all getting the hype up

 

Ok, if it was only sold for this book I can understand the need to build up buzz for the last book in a 20 year series. However RJ and TOR started selling the prologue few books back.

[Luckers]

Does anyone else think that the precedent set by RJ and TOR some books back to milk every last bit of money from the books by selling the prologue couple months earlier than the book is a really cheap business ploy?

 

A business ploy? Yes, certainly. Cheap? Well, it's only $2.99.

 

So yes, I would say it's a cheap business ploy. Quite a fair one, all things considered.

[XXX]

Does anyone else think that the precedent set by RJ and TOR some books back to milk every last bit of money from the books by selling the prologue couple months earlier than the book is a really cheap business ploy?

 

A business ploy? Yes, certainly. Cheap? Well, it's only $2.99.

 

So yes, I would say it's a cheap business ploy. Quite a fair one, all things considered.

 

Would you have have liked the second chapter for another 2,99? And then the third for another 2.99?

[UncleButcher1980]

Does anyone else think that the precedent set by RJ and TOR some books back to milk every last bit of money from the books by selling the prologue couple months earlier than the book is a really cheap business ploy?

 

A business ploy? Yes, certainly. Cheap? Well, it's only $2.99.

 

So yes, I would say it's a cheap business ploy. Quite a fair one, all things considered.

 

Would you have have liked the second chapter for another 2,99? And then the third for another 2.99?

 

 

Why are you even asking that? They haven't offered to sell extra chapters, in fact they've released parts of Chapter 1 and 11 for free. How does that fit in to your belief that they're milking everyone last penney?

[Suttree]

Does anyone else think that the precedent set by RJ and TOR some books back to milk every last bit of money from the books by selling the prologue couple months earlier than the book is a really cheap business ploy?

 

A business ploy? Yes, certainly. Cheap? Well, it's only $2.99.

 

So yes, I would say it's a cheap business ploy. Quite a fair one, all things considered.

 

Would you have have liked the second chapter for another 2,99? And then the third for another 2.99?

 

 

Why are you even asking that? They haven't offered to sell extra chapters, in fact they've released parts of Chapter 1 and 11 for free. How does that fit in to your belief that they're milking everyone last penney?

 

Xxx already did a fine job of disproving this belief with his own post above and....

 

Thank you. I wonder why RJ and TOR did not go further. Another 3 bucks to sell the second chapter. And you will have people here defending that telling ofcourse you do not have to buy it. Yes sure I do not have to buy it, that does not mean it is not a cheap tactic to suck the last few dollars out of the fandom.

 

If they were doing as you say they quite obviously wouldn't have stopped.

[Luckers]

Does anyone else think that the precedent set by RJ and TOR some books back to milk every last bit of money from the books by selling the prologue couple months earlier than the book is a really cheap business ploy?

 

A business ploy? Yes, certainly. Cheap? Well, it's only $2.99.

 

So yes, I would say it's a cheap business ploy. Quite a fair one, all things considered.

 

Would you have have liked the second chapter for another 2,99? And then the third for another 2.99?

 

Had I not liked it, there is a simple recourse.

[Hagazussa]

Not at all, you are paying a very small amount to get the prologue months early. It's not as if they are making you buy something. If you don't want to read it early don't pay for it. They release a fair amount of free content as well.

 

I agree with this. Now off course it is a way to earn money and I see nothing wrong with that, the WoT series are popular books and if some is willing to pay to read the prologue before the book is released I see no problem with offering that up for sale. I will not be buying the prologue for the simple reason that these books is rather addictive so when I sit down to read it I want to read a complete book and that I am planning on rereading the entire series before reading the last book and there is no reason to get the prologue before I am done with that, and because I really do not like reading things on a screen. However I see no problem with this text being sold, people can buy it if they want and save their money if they do not want to buy it. Really I do not see the problem here.

[XXX]

Just because you can sell it does not mean it is not a really cheap business ploy to make more money. Each book is now worth 20,99 + the 2,99 for the prologue. This fits into a lot of people's thinking that RJ stretched the series out as much as possible to make as much money as possible.

[Hagazussa]

I disagree, first off all the series is not stretched out to make as much money as possible, the story is just that long. I have read some book series that are just stretched out because they are popular and the WoT books are not like that, just because a series is long do not mean it is stenched out, in fact to me it at times feel like the material is cut short in some places and I would have loved some scenes to go on longer for even bigger books or more books.

 

Now as for this prologue, if you had to buy it to buy the book then that would be a cheap marketing ploy, but as it is you can ignore it and then just pick up the physical book or the ebook when it is published or wait for the paperback, it is not money you have to pay at all, and you know exactly what you pay for so I really do not see the problem.

 

Now as for earning money, off course both the author and the publisher want to earn money, both because it cost to produce such a book but also because the publisher is a company making money is what the do, and I have no problem with that, when I see a high quality product, if I can afford it I have no problem with those who have made it earning money off it as long as I know what I am getting for the cash I use on it.

[Suttree]

Just because you can sell it does not mean it is not a really cheap business ploy to make more money. Each book is now worth 20,99 + the 2,99 for the prologue. This fits into a lot of people's thinking that RJ stretched the series out as much as possible to make as much money as possible.

 

That is false. You don't have to read it early if you don't want, hence the book does not cost that much. I always laugh when people complain that Tor is making you "pay twice" for that content. In addition quite clearly if they were trying to "squeeze every last dollar" out of us as you claim above they would make us pay for everything. There would be no free content.

[yoniy0]

C'mon Suttree, you know the preview material boosts sales. Which is fine, it just doesn't mean Tor *isn't* trying to maximize profit. Personally, though, I don't think this discussion is going anywhere.

[Suttree]

C'mon Suttree, you know the preview material boosts sales. Which is fine, it just doesn't mean Tor *isn't* trying to maximize profit. Personally, though, I don't think this discussion is going anywhere.

 

Agreed, but there is a difference between maximizing profits and this being " a cheap tactic to suck the last few dollars out of the fandom."

[Knivy]

So... When will the book be available for Pre-order? :D

[TommyRocker]

Just because you can sell it does not mean it is not a really cheap business ploy to make more money. Each book is now worth 20,99 + the 2,99 for the prologue. This fits into a lot of people's thinking that RJ stretched the series out as much as possible to make as much money as possible.

 

This statement would only be true if the final release did not include the prologue. If that was the case, I would be disgusted, but since this early release prologue is simply an extra head start for the people who are interested enough to pay extra, there is no issue. If you are too cheap or not interested enough to get the prologue early, you absolutely don't have to, and you won't be missing anything if you only read the final release.

[Hagazussa]

This statement would only be true if the final release did not include the prologue. If that was the case, I would be disgusted, but since this early release prologue is simply an extra head start for the people who are interested enough to pay extra, there is no issue. If you are too cheap or not interested enough to get the prologue early, you absolutely don't have to, and you won't be missing anything if you only read the final release.

 

This really say it all. You do not have to buy the prologue. Now what is a cheap marketing ploy is for example the newest Castlevania game on Playstation when you play through the game and at the end you learn that if you want the true ending you need to buy some downloadable content, that is cheap because you have bought the product not knowing about the extra cost and then you play through the game and spend allot of time on it not knowing the extra cost and then when you are done with the game the extra cost is dumped in your lap and you can either then have wasted the money and time you have already spent or pay up, that is a cheap ploy to squeeze money out of people. Saying ok here you can buy this tiny first portion of a book for a few bucks if you want to, but then including the material in the finished book that is just making an offer that fans can either accept or not, and that is just doing business, and no one is being fooled about what they are spending money on, I do not really see why so many are angry over this.

[yoniy0]

Agreed, but there is a difference between maximizing profits and this being " a cheap tactic to suck the last few dollars out of the fandom."

One of semantics, not essence. I would have, however, phrased it as the former rather than the latter, myself.

 

So... When will the book be available for Pre-order? :D

It already is. And in that case I take no issue with that -- not only would some stores be sold out on release day, but some vendors will make sure the book is delivered on release day rather than simply being shipped then. That's almost the text-book definition of when pre-ordering serves a purpose.

 

(Fear not, though, I'm sure the ebook will also be up for pre-order, in a few months.)

[shortkut]

are people seriously arguing that this is not a ploy because they are ok with it and/or tor isn't LITERALLY trying to get every dollar? Neither of those reasons preclude it from being a ploy. in fact that line of reasoning only shows that the ploy is working. we all either fall for business/marketing ploys or choose them all the time, but that does not stop something from being a ploy