I think the pricing scenario described below is a mistake in that it will disadvantage the eBooks of Crown authors against more fairly and appropriately priced eBooks from other publishers. The eBook market has already been trained to expect e-editions to be more economically-priced than dead-tree media, and will vote with its dollars. Crown's theory, I assume, is to guard against moderately-priced e-editions cannibalizing dead-tree sales. Previously, Crown has also experimented with delaying e-editions until a period of time well after the dead-tree publication, thus endeavoring to create artificial scarcity and protect higher-priced dead tree sales through brick-and-mortar outlets. Either approach will rebound against Crown and Crown authors.
Crown Digital Embraces eBooks And Interactivity - mediabistro.com: eBookNewser: "Random House's Crown Digital imprint is embracing the digital publishing landscape with interactive digital titles and a push into iPhone apps. Crown is also setting eBook prices equal to print editions. ... For example, if a novel is $24.99, the eBook is $24.99. It is consistent with the lowest price, so if the publisher puts out a paperback version at $12.99, then the eBook will drop to $12.99. ..."
