Yes, that's why the publishers do it but they get away with it because many people see a hardback book as being more valuable than a paperback one despite the f

Yes, that's why the publishers do it but they get away with it because many people see a hardback book as being more valuable than a paperback one despite the fact that they both cost about the same to make. Sure the only people who regularly but hardbacks are early adopters but they don't see themselves as paying extra because they are early adopters they see themselves as paying extra because their buying a better quality hardback book. This is different from a tech early adopter who knows that they are paying extra for the same thing in order to have it first. Yes it could work if people accepted it but I don't see people accepting it without there being something extra (maybe a forward from the author where the story only version of the book isn't released for a few weeks) that they can justify paying extra for.