I went to Google Play to buy a recent release ebook and found that it was going to cost $32… I then checked Kindle and found that they were selling it for $12. However I couldn’t buy it through the Kindle app or via the internet on my tablet as Google have banned Kindle from selling books through the app. Apparently Google wants a cut of every sale.
The only way to buy the book from Kindle was to do it on a computer.
I have concerns about Google creating a monopoly and then hiking up their prices.
Hi @maryjanef, welcome to the community.
I am unsure whether your view that Google has blocked or banned Kindle from making book purchases from their platform to maximise their own profits is correct, as there is information to the contrary.
Information online suggests that Kindle/Amazon has disabled the ability to purchase books as a feature in its Android App. There are various views why Amazon took this step, including they didn’t want to support Google Play payment services through their app. It is also possible that took this step to try and maximise the sale of Kindle devices.
As you have indicated, it is possible to purchase books by logging into Amazon/Kindle on a Kindle or desktop computer. I haven’t tried, but it may be worth seeing if the same can be done by logging into Amazon using a Android browser App (possibly set to Desktop mode). Books purchased can still be read using the Kindle Android app or other methods to read Kindle/Amazon purchase books.
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I had also tried getting the book by going to the website on google on my Android but no luck. My beef is that Google have hiked up the price by so much.
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Even on Appleverse it is the same when using the KIndle app on the iPhone. It states that the product cannot be purchased via the app. The products can be purchased through a browser on the phone though.
@maryjanef I do agree that it is a very big price hike. If you like, you can name the book and possibly others here may be able to assist you with finding a copy.
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I wonder what authors think of this. Given that they get a percentage of sales, do they support the price hike?
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Have Google hiked the price or is it normal price and it is Amazon which is cheap.
You raise and interesting question about whether authors support the higher book price. It will never be known as the financial arrangements between the author, publisher and seller won’t be known. The royalties an author gets could be fixed per book sold, a percentage of value of books sold etc. I know of an author who regularly criticises selling of books cheaply as it doesn’t show the worth or effort to write and publish. They also get significantly lower income on the publisher agreement they have. If an author gets a better return for books sold at a higher price, then I would be very surprised if they weren’t generally in support of higher retail prices.
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Would be interesting to know what apple is selling for…
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I’ve been buying ebooks on google for several years and the price has been $12-15 until now. Book prices are now $20 - 30.
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Please give an example. I’m not seeing huge price hikes in the Apple Books store.
The picture bride Lee gum yi, corporal Hitler’s pistol Tom keneally, the tilt Chris hammer
I wasn’t doubting your claims but just providing a comparison to their cost using the Apple Books store. It is a big hike in price via Google for a similar digital book. Thank you for supplying the examples as it much easier to do the check on cost.
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The price on Google Play appears to be around the standard retail price.
Likewise for Corporal Hitler’s Pistol.
Like any products, it is worth shopping around to see if a retailer has discounted the book or has a special offer.
They are looking at an eBook rather than a paper print. Usually eBooks have a lower price than a real printed book.
Yes, it’s an ebook on google play.
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I was looking at eBooks.
An example being Audible, which is also owned by Amazon has it as a one off buy for USD25.51 (~AUD38). Google Play price is AUD32.99. Likewise Kobo where the eBook is usually AUD32.99, but currently on special at AUD28.99.
Google Play price for Corporal Hitler’s Pistol is AUD14.99 which is not dissimilar to other eBooks.
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Audible is a bit different in that the book is in a spoken version. They typically are more costly than the non spoken versions. Sometimes the verbal version can be purchased for a few dollars more but the disparity between the Google price for “The Picture Bride” and Apples price is quite large.
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I realise that, Kobo has the same RRP as Google Play for the Picture Bride.
The other comment to make is that publishers onsell their eBooks on Google Play and would be setting the retail price. They may chose to have varying prices on different platforms they advertise their publications based on their own business decisions. One can’t blame Google for the pricing on Google Play - it will be the publisher. This link explains how partners can sell books on Google Play,
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Ok. So you don’t think Google play are taking advantage of kindle not being able to sell books via the app?
I’ve found a way to get around it. I went to google search, logged out, went incognito mode, went to Amazon and was able to purchase an ebook - Chris hammer, the tilt which was $23 on google and $15 on amazon
