The problem is that you can resell hard copy books. I usually spend ~$250/semester on used text books at the beginning of each semester (I'll buy them online),

The problem is that you can resell hard copy books. I usually spend ~$250/semester on used text books at the beginning of each semester (I'll buy them online), and get about $100 from selling them back (usually to the campus book store, although sometimes online if I feel I'm being ripped off too badly). Net, I'm only paying $150/semester for books whose retail price is closer to $500. I don't think that publishers will be willing to price electronic books at 70% off retail like they would need to (since there is no resale of electronic books). Ideally, they should 'rent' me the book for a semester for a huge discount (~80% off retail, say), and I have the option of 'upgrading' my rental to a purchase at the end of the semester (with no penalty over having just bought it outright upfront) if I decide I want to keep it. That's basically what happens now on the secondary market. I get to 'rent' a book for a semester for the cost of the bid/offer spread, with the option to not the rental and just pay the original price.