Strange Black Library eBook Pricing

A blog-post about Games Workshop and prices? I know. That probably isn’t going anywhere good.

Still, have a look at one of Games Workshop’s upcoming novel additions – Sandy Mitchell’s ‘The Greater Good’.

Specifically, compare the pre-order price for the actual book with the (get it before the release) eBook version. Presumably, as you can download the book now (at least that’s what it says on the button.. I haven’t tried), you probably pay the premium for the “advance” release.

On the other hand, if you’ve bought yourself an eReader in the hope of saving some money in the long run, better think again… at least if you’re a frequent Black Library customer.

• ‘The Greater Good’ – Physical Copy = GBP 7.99
• ‘The Greater Good’ – eBook = GBP 11.99

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#1 – Black Library vs. Amazon

I also took a look at The Greater Good on Amazon, just to see how much I’d be able to save over the GBP 7.99 of the BL pre-order, as I know Amazon tends to give a bit of a discount.

Sure enough, there is a discount on Amazon. But even the RRP before discount on Amazon is lower, just GBP 6.03 (and odd number though).

What the hell is going on?

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#2 – Caveat Emptor

I am happy some of those books even are still on Amazon these days. More and more Black Library releases are exclusive, direct-only, whathaveyou…

Still, from the old-fashioned book on Amazon, even without Amazon’s discount, to the eBook directly from the BL-website, you are paying slightly over 100% more for the download? The version without shipping things around and giving Amazon itself a slice of the pie?

That strikes me as rather cold towards the “ebook-audience” Black Library has built up by now, who may not double-check prices against the physical copy anymore?

If they don’t, they should!

Z.