Images19

Harper Collins’ takes a different approach from its competitors in its quest to ripoff Aussie readers.  Rather than massively overcharging Australians to prop up their foreign operations, they have gone for a more mixed, global price hike strategy.  This does, of course, involve over-charging Australians.  But hey, why not take a global stance by overcharging everyone.  Not that this should surprise anyone given HarperCollins is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s communications empire.

 

The price samples below come from an Amazon advanced ebook search by entering Voyager and eliminating the odd (not relevant titles) and books that did not have both Australian and US pricing.

 

Here’s a summary of the publishing samples I’ve looked at so far:

 

Publisher

AUS

FOREIGN

RIPOFF

HarperCollins

$ 10.38

$      9.36

111%

Hachette

$ 13.82

$      8.42

164%

MacMillan

$ 16.42

$      8.66

190%

 

See Hachette is Australian For Ripoff

 

And

 

Macmillan is Australian For Even Bigger Ripoff

 

The ripoff ratio from HarperCollins is lower from an Australian viewpoint, that being only 111%. However, if you compare the foreign pricing, you will see that on average Murdoch’s titles are 111% price-hiked compared to Hachette’s and 108% compared to Macmillan’s.

 

Browsing the price comparison, you may notice that there appears to be a trend upwards, books coming later are priced higher.  As others have already surmised, prices are trending upwards.

 

A couple of examples:

 

George R. R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones is currently $5.08 in Australia and $8.99 in the USA,. Similarly, Raymond E. Feist’s A Kingdom Besieged is $5.08 here and $14.99 in the USA.

 

What makes little sense is that two of the bigger ripoffs in Australia are Sara Douglass and Karen Miller, both Australian authors with books generally at $11.19 here and $7.99 in the USA.  The trend isn’t consistent by author origin, though, as Tansy Rayner Roberts has an upcoming book, Reign of Beasts, that is priced $11.19 here and $13.99 in the USA, another example of the price creep.

 

In the case of HarperCollins, rather than nearly every title being more expensive in Australia only 73% of the books in the sample are more expensive compared to the USA.  So for HarperCollins books, USA readers might want to take a proxy, VPN and address changing look at the prices in other countries to find better deals, if so inclined.

 

It is probably due to the considerably greater presence of Australian authors in the Voyager agglomeration that the percentage of books available for free at a cursory glance is only 85%.

 

You may have come across articles suggesting that all these large publishers aren’t likely to survive.  Given this particular evidence it would seem that HarperCollins might be the favorite for first to fall or be eaten.  These after all are the geniuses that had a Year’s Best Science Fiction volume with an ebook price of $14 and print price of $8 (which had always been a mass market paperback for a decade and a half) not so long ago.

 

To finish, here are some more SF publishing efforts who provide good value books :-

 

Phoenix Pick

 

Phoenix Pick are putting together a growing range of reprints of science fiction from all eras.   They have a monthly special, so it’s worth signing up for their mailing list.  You can buy direct as well as via the usual big fat outlets.

 

Closed Circle

 

Some books by C. J. Cherryh, Jane Fancher and Lynn Abbey.

 

 

 

Harper Voyager Book sample

$ 10.38

$   9.36

 

 

 

AUS

US

Free

Ripoff

A Kingdom Besieged

$   5.08

$ 14.99

Yes

0.34

A Game of Thrones

$   5.08

$   8.99

Yes

0.57

The Chaos Crystal

$   9.15

$ 14.99

Yes

0.61

Hounded

$   5.08

$   7.99

Yes

0.64

Sailing to Sarantium

$   9.15

$ 12.99

Yes

0.70

The Last Light of the Sun

$   9.15

$ 12.99

Yes

0.70

The Last Theorem

$   9.15

$ 11.99

Yes

0.76

Kill the Dead

$   6.10

$   7.99

Yes

0.76

Revenant

$ 11.19

$ 13.99

Not Yet

0.80

Reign of Beasts

$ 11.19

$ 13.99

Not Yet

0.80

Coldheart Canyon

$   8.14

$   9.99

Yes

0.81

The Taken Celestial Blues

$   8.27

$   9.99

Not Yet

0.83

The Spell of Rosette

$   9.15

$ 10.99

Yes

0.83

The Prodigal Sun

$   9.15

$ 10.99

Yes

0.83

Book of Dreams

$   9.15

$ 10.99

Not Yet

0.83

Ghostwriting Tales of the Supernatural

$   9.15

$ 10.99

Not Yet

0.83

The Alchemist’s Key

$   9.15

$ 10.99

Not Yet

0.83

The Black Madonna

$   9.15

$ 10.99

Not Yet

0.83

Twilight’s Dawn

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Yes

0.86

The Awakening

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Not Yet

0.86

The First Weapon

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Not Yet

0.86

The Way of Purity

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Not Yet

0.86

The Risen Queen

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Not Yet

0.86

The Wounded Guardian

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Not Yet

0.86

Lord of Emperors

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Yes

0.86

Ysabel

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Yes

0.86

A Blight of Mages

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Yes

0.86

Arrows of Time

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Yes

0.86

The Daughters of Moab

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Not Yet

0.86

The Gene Thieves

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Not Yet

0.86

Samiha’s Song

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Not Yet

0.86

Tymon’s Flight

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Not Yet

0.86

Across The Face Of The World

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Yes

0.86

Dark Heart

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Yes

0.86

Path Of Revenge

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Yes

0.86

The Right Hand of God

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Yes

0.86

The Demon Horsemen

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Not Yet

0.86

An Echo in Time Atlantis

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Yes

0.86

Being of the Field

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Not Yet

0.86

Gene Of Isis

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Yes

0.86

The Ancient Future The Dark Age

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Yes

0.86

The Dragon Queens

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Not Yet

0.86

Pilgrims

$ 11.19

$ 12.99

Not Yet

0.86

field

$ 12.21

$ 13.99

Not Yet

0.87

The Universe Parallel

$ 12.21

$ 13.99

Not Yet

0.87

Legends of Australian Fantasy

$ 14.24

$ 15.99

Yes

0.89

From the Deep of the Dark

$ 14.24

$ 15.99

Not Yet

0.89

Every Which Way But Dead

$   7.12

$   7.99

Yes

0.89

Abarat

$   8.14

$   8.99

Yes

0.91

Abarat 2 Days of Magic Nights of War

$   8.14

$   8.99

Yes

0.91

The Hellbound Heart

$   8.14

$   8.99

Yes

0.91

The Light of Other Days

$   9.15

$   9.99

Yes

0.92

Odalisque

$   9.15

$   9.99

Yes

0.92

Galileo’s Dream

$ 11.19

$ 11.99

Yes

0.93

Bridge of Dreams

$ 12.21

$ 12.99

Yes

0.94

Crossover

$   9.15

$   9.48

Yes

0.97

Killswitch

$   7.99

$   7.99

Yes

1.00

The Palace Of Impossible Dreams

$   9.15

$   8.99

Yes

1.02

Fool’s Fate

$   9.15

$   8.99

Yes

1.02

The Golden Fool

$   9.15

$   8.99

Yes

1.02

My Soul to Keep

$ 10.17

$   9.99

Yes

1.02

Sacrament

$   8.14

$   7.99

Yes

1.02

Hammered

$   8.14

$   7.99

Yes

1.02

Hexed

$   8.14

$   7.99

Yes

1.02

The Janus Affair

$   8.14

$   7.99

Not Yet

1.02

Neuromancer

$   8.14

$   7.99

Yes

1.02

Sandman Slim

$   1.01

$   0.99

Yes

1.02

Phoenix Rising

$   1.01

$   0.99

Yes

1.02

A Dance With Dragons

$ 16.28

$ 14.99

Yes

1.09

The Wars of Light and Shadow

$ 14.24

$ 12.99

Yes

1.10

A Perfect Blood

$ 14.24

$ 12.99

Yes

1.10

Aloha from Hell

$ 12.21

$ 10.99

Yes

1.11

Archon

$ 12.21

$ 10.99

Not Yet

1.11

Mister B. Gone

$ 11.19

$   9.99

Yes

1.12

Emissary

$ 11.19

$   9.99

Yes

1.12

Goddess

$ 11.19

$   9.99

Yes

1.12

The New Space Opera 2

$ 11.19

$   9.99

Yes

1.12

Under Heaven

$ 11.19

$   9.99

Yes

1.12

A Clash of Kings

$ 10.17

$   8.99

Yes

1.13

A Feast for Crows

$ 10.17

$   8.99

Yes

1.13

A Storm of Swords

$ 10.17

$   8.99

Yes

1.13

Daughter of the Blood

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Dreams Made Flesh

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Heir to the Shadows

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Queen of Darkness

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Tangled Webs A Black Jewels Novel

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Invisible Ring

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Shadow Queen

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Myrren’s Gift

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Wars of Light and Shadow

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Wars of Light and Shadow

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Gods Of Amyrantha

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Conqueror’s Moon

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Fire Dragon

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Red Wyvern

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Spirit Stone

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

A Fistful of Charms

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Dead Witch Walking

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

For A Few Demons More

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Pale Demon

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Good The Bad and The Undead

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

White Witch Black Curse

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Blue Dragon

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Red Phoenix

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Elder Gods

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Redemption of Althalus

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Rivan Codex

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Extinction Agenda

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Desert Spear

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

At the Gates of Darkness

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Krondor Tear of the Gods

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Krondor The Assassins

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Krondor The Betrayal

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Assassin’s Apprentice

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Assassin’s Quest

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Fool’s Errand

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Forest Mage

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Renegade’s Magic

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Royal Assassin

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Ship of Destiny

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Ship of Magic

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Mad Ship

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Rain Wild Chronicles

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

Beyond the Hanging Wall

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The High Lord

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Magician’ s Guild

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Novice

$   9.15

$   7.99

Yes

1.15

The Wars of Light and Shadow

$   8.14

$   6.99

Yes

1.16

Prince of Thorns

$ 15.26

$ 12.99

Yes

1.17

The Devil’s Diadem

$ 15.26

$ 12.99

Yes

1.17

Breakaway

$ 11.19

$   9.48

Yes

1.18

Spellbound

$ 14.24

$ 11.99

Yes

1.19

Songs of the Dying Earth

$ 12.21

$   9.99

Yes

1.22

Sinner

$ 11.19

$   8.99

Yes

1.24

Secrets of the Fire Sea

$ 11.19

$   8.99

Yes

1.24

The Omen Machine

$ 16.23

$ 12.99

Yes

1.25

Books of Abarat

$ 16.28

$ 12.99

Yes

1.25

To Protect I Robot

$ 15.26

$ 11.99

Not Yet

1.27

Jack Cloudie

$ 15.26

$ 11.99

Not Yet

1.27

Prospero’s Children

$   9.15

$   6.99

Yes

1.31

Charmer

$   9.15

$   6.99

Yes

1.31

The Wars of Light and Shadow

$   9.15

$   6.99

Yes

1.31

The Wars of Light and Shadow

$   9.15

$   6.99

Yes

1.31

The Wars of Light and Shadow

$   9.15

$   6.99

Yes

1.31

The Wars of Light and Shadow

$   9.15

$   6.99

Yes

1.31

The Wars of Light and Shadow

$   9.15

$   6.99

Yes

1.31

To Ride Hell’s Chasm

$   9.15

$   6.99

Yes

1.31

Threshold

$   9.15

$   6.99

Yes

1.31

Metallic Love

$   9.15

$   6.99

Not Yet

1.31

The Rain Wild Chronicles

$ 17.30

$ 12.99

Yes

1.33

Jumper

$   8.14

$   5.99

Yes

1.36

Belladonna

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Pillars Of The World

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Sebastian

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Shadows and Light

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Shalador’s Lady

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

The House of Gaian

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Spellwright

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Ancient Blades Trilogy

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Ancient Blades Trilogy

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Not Yet

1.40

Tyrant’s Blood

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Hunter’s Run

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Stormlord Rising

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Eye of the Labyrinth

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Lion of Senet

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Lord of the Shadows

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

The Immortal Prince

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Warrior The Hythrun Chronicles

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Sorcerer’s Moon

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

The Griffin’s Flight

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

The Griffin’s War Fallen Moon

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Not Yet

1.40

Witches Incorporated

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Empress Of Mijak

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

The Prodigal Mage

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

The Reluctant Mage

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

The Riven Kingdom

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Empire of Ivory Bk. 4

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Throne of Jade

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Victory of Eagles

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Crusader

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Darkwitch Rising

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Druid’s Sword

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Enchanter

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Hades’ Daughter

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Pilgrim

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

StarMan

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

The Crippled Angel

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

The Infinity Gate

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

The Nameless Day

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

The Serpent Bride

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

The Twisted Citadel

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

Sacrificial Magic

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Not Yet

1.40

Last of the Wilds

$ 11.19

$   7.99

Yes

1.40

The Inheritance

$ 15.26

$   9.99

Yes

1.53

King’s Wrath Valisar

$ 12.21

$   7.99

Yes

1.53

Stormlord’s Exile Watergivers

$ 12.21

$   7.99

Yes

1.53

The Demon King

$ 11.19

$   6.99

Yes

1.60

The Wounded Hawk

$ 11.19

$   6.99

Yes

1.60

The Rise of the Iron Moon

$ 11.19

$   6.99

Yes

1.60

The Great Bazaar and Brayan’s Gold

$   8.14

$   4.99

Yes

1.63

The Gray Wolf Throne

$ 15.26

$   9.00

Yes

1.70

Wizard Squared

$ 14.24

$   7.99

Yes

1.78

Halfhead

$ 11.19

$   5.99

Yes

1.87

Downside Ghosts

$ 11.19

$   4.99

Yes

2.24

The Exiled Queen

$ 15.26

$   6.29

Yes

2.43

 

 

AUS TOT

US TOT

RIP OFF RATIO

$ 2,128.70

$             1,918.24

111%

 

 

AVAILABLE FREE

174

205

85%

 

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