Subscribe to RSS 2.0Christmas pricing
So this is one of those posts that I implore you to comment on so I don't have to make decisions on my own. This is the question: how much do you want to pay for our books?
I know. It's a stupid question because you might say 'Onepence, and not a farthing more.' But I think we are all friends here together, and you understand the commercial pressures this little company faces as well as I.
So what I'm really interested in is figuring out how much to charge for books on our website. See, I really appreciate it when people buy books direct from this site. It is a lovely, intimate way of doing business and leads to friendships. It offers me the chance to build a contacts list. It gives me an idea of who's interested in what, and why: all invaluable information. And it is also a chance for you, the kind purchaser, to show that you support Snowbooks in a direct and meaningful way. So the last thing I want to do is fleece you, our most valuable of customers.
Thing is, at the moment all the prices on the website are the full list price. True, they are free of postage in the UK, but still. I can't help but feel a bit bad about that. So what would you have me do? What sort of discount do you think would make you feel like it was worth your while buying direct from us (without all the one-clicky goodness of Amazon or the browsablility of a large store) - whilst making sure that Snowbooks made a little bit of money too?
Bear in mind that I really want to get some significant volume through the website for our Christmas gift books. I want to offer people a great price, and great service. Service is not a prob, providing the post office manage to stay in business for a few more weeks - but I want the price to be compelling and to reward people who make the effort to buy from us.
(Also, Eoin, if we change our prices I will give you a retrospective discount as you kindly paid full whack plus overseas postage for Cooking with Booze the other day and I would hate for you to be disadvantaged!)
I am all ears.
Comments: 16
I'm happy with full price and free postage, as I'm sure most of the blog readers would be - that bit of extra understanding about how buying direct from you increases your profit per unit gives a pleasing glow when entering my credit card details. Given then that it makes no difference to me personally, how about something like a 10% reduction? A discount is a discount in the end, and few people are going to be cursing your name that it isn't more...
Posted by: Richard Wright on October 27, 2007 05:12 PM
I think you've very well priced at present.
Posted by: Rachel Green on October 27, 2007 05:44 PM
how about a weight discount? the more you buy the better the discount. or a recommendation discount? the more friends who click through and buy following your recommendation, the better the discount you get on your next purchase.
Posted by: dom on October 27, 2007 05:47 PM
Perhaps rather than reducing prices across the board it would be better to encourage people to buy more of your books.
Say, buy 2/3 and get one free. It might encourage readers to try books they might not otherwise have gone for.
It would work for me.
Posted by: Denise on October 27, 2007 08:09 PM
These are all great comments! Keep them coming - they are invaluable. Thanks.
Posted by: Em on October 27, 2007 09:14 PM
Or how about some sort of book club you sign up for - exclusive offers, discounts, coupons by email. Could be another way to build those little interactions beyond payment and delivery of a book. It's the sort of thing you could grow, and mix up the format of from the norm.
Posted by: Richard Wright on October 27, 2007 10:48 PM
That free shipping is a good one. I know it's made a difference to me at times. (Especially as I'm in the states!) I've been known to purchase an extra item when I didn't have to pay some high postage. Amazon does it all the time around the holidays. Free shipping on orders over a certain amount. (Theirs is usually orders over 25 dollars, that's all merchandise of course, not just books.)
Posted by: S.Roit on October 28, 2007 12:52 AM
Our books are also full list price but include free Uk postage with a supplement for overseas shipping. At the moment we're running a scheme where if you buy 3 books we knock a fiver off the total and it seems quite popular. The intention was to organise our mailing list to pre-order our Christmas titles so that I had a bit less to do when we open the shop....
Posted by: Vanessa on October 28, 2007 08:58 AM
I think 3 for 2 would work and maybe an e-newsletter for subscribers, though realise that's more work and might keep some people off the blog. 3 for 2 would encourage people to look through the catalogue, though, and maybe discover writers they wouldn't otherwise have found. Free postage is also a bonus as not offered by Amazon on small orders.
Posted by: Sarah Bower on October 28, 2007 09:43 AM
Multiple buy offers are always tempting. What would also attract me is added value; signed copies for instance, or a free bookmark – I always get a ridiculous little pleasure when I order from the Book Depository and it comes with a free bookmark.
Dee
Posted by: Dee Weaver on October 28, 2007 11:40 AM
Lovely, collectable bookmarks of the month, maybe themed on a particular title, to encourage me to further make every payday a snowbooks day.
I'm getting carried away...
Posted by: Richard Wright on October 28, 2007 03:25 PM
To be honest it's Google Checkout which puts me off. If I could use my PayPal account I would need no further inducement than free postage and relatively speedy delivery...
Posted by: Julie on October 28, 2007 04:11 PM
A free bookmark sounds quite lovely and quaint to me. You could do a bookmark to go with each book. Then, in fifty years' time, they'd be collectors' items. 'Signed first edition, with limited edition bookmark.' *Sigh of bliss* That'd do it for me.
Posted by: Sarah on October 28, 2007 05:25 PM
Three for two AND a bookmark - because I am tight and I am greedy, I collect bookmarks, and three for twos always encourage me to try something I'm not sure on - found a lot of new authors that way.
Posted by: Jenn Ashworth on October 28, 2007 08:00 PM
I think free shipping is very generous. Maybe instead of a percentage, a pound off every book, flat? The other non-price-related incentives mentioned above are good too.
Posted by: KatharineC on October 29, 2007 02:03 PM
I have lots of dollars and pounds waiting in Paypal to be splashed on presents. I couldn't work out how to get Google or Amazon to accept this money. Please don't bankrupt yourselves with 3/for/two but avoiding the returns nightmare must be a bonus.
Posted by: Anne Funnell on October 29, 2007 06:36 PM