Often the hardcover version comes out well in advance of the paperback, so if you want the book as soon as it comes out, you have to pay the premium for the per

Often the hardcover version comes out well in advance of the paperback, so if you want the book as soon as it comes out, you have to pay the premium for the perceived "premium product". Only later does the paperback come out at a lower cost, while the hardcover retains its higher cost -- I'm not sure if it drops a bit when the paperback comes out or not. This is a lot like back in the movie rental days. The VHS cassette for a new release would be $120 or something, and only a few months later could you buy it at the grocery store checkout for $25.