Online Community for Authors

Here’s the article, paraphrased, from the Book People Archive Bulletin Board. You can read the entire article online at http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/bparchive

Michael Hart wrote:

We have been VERY conservative as per the "price of the average hardback book," stating it was $40+, when it appears it may be pushing $80 by July 4th, 2006, already well past $70, and that is from last year; Warning: Bowker's reported the average hardback price at $72.67 for 1997 and $70.05 for 2001, and this figure was reportedly continually decreasing, so this trend may not hit $80, as previous predictions had indicated; a recent phone call indicated this price is now below $70.  Is the average hardback really $40 now? If you ask Bowker's it's much more! About $70. . .

Total Books:       1997  -  $72.67     2001 final - $70.05     2002 final - $62.84    2003 prelim - $62.94

In 2004, the average suggested retail price for adult hardcovers released by the largest trade houses decreased 10 cents to $27.52; adult fiction hardcovers held steady at $25.08; and adult non-fiction hardcovers decreased 29 cents to $28.49. Adult trade paperbacks increased 11 cents to $15.76;  adult fiction trade paperbacks increased 7 cents to $14.78; adult non-fiction trade paperbacks increased 15 cents to $16.16; and adult mass-market paperbacks increased 14 cents to $7.35. The average list price for juvenile hardcovers increased 26 cents to $16.09.

While this type of information is useful, if you click to the entire article, you will see the historical statistics do not always match up with market reality. When in doubt, go with the market and with your own gut. Remember, you are an independent person and you are in control of your book. No one knows better than you what price you should charge.