Economic perspective/value

Questions

1. Sharing of value and information how is this done by books?
2. How do books (or knowledge) offer power to readers?
3. Price difference of books around the world?
4. How much influence do books and perspective have on the economy of countries?
5. How many copies are sold of a book in average book?

Discussion

Sharing of value and information how is this done by books?

How do books (or knowledge) offer power to readers?

Price difference of books around the world?

Average book prices in the US as of 2002

• Adult hardcover book $27.52
• Adult fiction $25.05
• Adult non-fiction $28.60
• Adult paperbacks $15.77
• Adult mass market $7.30
• Juvenile hardcover book $15.93
• University press hardcover $51.09

Price wars in the UK

Independent bookshops are complaining about the fact that large supermarkets are selling books at a discount because they are bulk buyers. Eventually this would lead to:

• Independent bookshops would disappear
• Only a limited range of books would be available

Price differents on the UK market for 2006

For example the non-fiction paperback, Why Don't Penguins' Feet Freeze?

At Oldfield Park Bookshop in Bath, for instance, it is on sale at its recommended retail price of £7.99. At Foyles it can be bought for £5.99, and at the Peak Bookshop in Chesterfield for £4.39. Meanwhile, outside the independent sector there are greater savings at Amazon £3.99 and Tesco £3.89.

How much influence do books and perspective have on the economy of countries?

How many copies are sold of a book in average book?

References

• More Books, More Publishers, Higher Prices, Publishers weekly, june 2, 2003
• Price wars come at a cost