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Wait, Amazon takes %55 of the list price, and has control over the actual price its sold at. Meanwhile, Apple takes %30, and you have total control over pricin

by nirvana 15y ago

Wait, Amazon takes %55 of the list price, and has control over the actual price its sold at. Meanwhile, Apple takes %30, and you have total control over pricing. Yet whenever the iBookstore comes up here, people go on and on about the "Apple tax" and how Apple is trying to drive authors out of business? By taking Less?

mikeash 15y ago
Isn't this comparing physical sales on Amazon's side with electronic sales on Apple's side?
plorkyeran 15y ago
55% of MSRP, which in practice is around 30% of what Amazon actually charges since things seem to be perpetually on sale for 20-30%. More significantly, Amazon stores your stuff in warehouses and covers the costs associated with shipping the product to customers, which is significantly more expensive than storing some files in a data center.
efsavage 15y ago
Both strategies have pros and cons, but you're comparing a marketplace and a retailer here, which function differently in many ways.
chollida1 15y ago
> By taking Less? Of a completely different item. There is a big difference between delivering physical vs digital goods.
SquareWheel 15y ago
Excuse me if I'm incorrect here, but I believe the "Apple tax" refers to the markup on Apple hardware. That is, if you were to buy the same parts separately for a Windows machine it would be far cheaper.
- mahmud 15y ago
  Have you heard of a little cash-calf called the "app store"? that's what is being referred to here.
  - SquareWheel 15y ago
    Yes of course, but I believe the term "Apple tax" refers specifically to markup on Apple hardware. That's all.
Permit 15y ago
I think my biggest gripe with the App Store is that there is no alternative. If I want to develop an app for an iPhone I'm locked in to their system. If I want to publish a book, I have a variety of options, both in the physical and online realm.
- Terretta 15y ago
  Jobs tried to get you to make HTML5 apps for the iPhone. He even gave you nice ways to install them with their own icon and run them offline. But nooooooo, you're having none of it. No HTML5 installable apps with access to native APIs for you. You prefer to insist there's no alternative... http://sixrevisions.com/web-development/html5-iphone-app/ http://sixrevisions.com/web-development/html5-iphone-app/
rplnt 15y ago
> and has control over the actual price its sold at. It does, but the 45% for the author comes from the price that was set by the author. Any discount is taken from the 55% amazon would get.

by nirvana 15y ago

mikeash 15y ago

Isn't this comparing physical sales on Amazon's side with electronic sales on Apple's side?

plorkyeran 15y ago

55% of MSRP, which in practice is around 30% of what Amazon actually charges since things seem to be perpetually on sale for 20-30%. More significantly, Amazon stores your stuff in warehouses and covers the costs associated with shipping the product to customers, which is significantly more expensive than storing some files in a data center.

efsavage 15y ago

Both strategies have pros and cons, but you're comparing a marketplace and a retailer here, which function differently in many ways.

chollida1 15y ago

> By taking Less? Of a completely different item. There is a big difference between delivering physical vs digital goods.

SquareWheel 15y ago

Excuse me if I'm incorrect here, but I believe the "Apple tax" refers to the markup on Apple hardware. That is, if you were to buy the same parts separately for a Windows machine it would be far cheaper.

mahmud 15y ago
Have you heard of a little cash-calf called the "app store"? that's what is being referred to here.
- SquareWheel 15y ago
  Yes of course, but I believe the term "Apple tax" refers specifically to markup on Apple hardware. That's all.

Permit 15y ago

I think my biggest gripe with the App Store is that there is no alternative. If I want to develop an app for an iPhone I'm locked in to their system. If I want to publish a book, I have a variety of options, both in the physical and online realm.

Terretta 15y ago
Jobs tried to get you to make HTML5 apps for the iPhone. He even gave you nice ways to install them with their own icon and run them offline. But nooooooo, you're having none of it. No HTML5 installable apps with access to native APIs for you. You prefer to insist there's no alternative... http://sixrevisions.com/web-development/html5-iphone-app/ http://sixrevisions.com/web-development/html5-iphone-app/

rplnt 15y ago

> and has control over the actual price its sold at. It does, but the 45% for the author comes from the price that was set by the author. Any discount is taken from the 55% amazon would get.