Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all price for ebooks and no perfect price that guarantees great results for every book. Ultimately the price of your book will be your choice, however, there are some best practices that will help you make an informed decision.
Factors that you should think about when selecting a price for your book include:
1. Royalty percentages
Amazon is the most controlling when it comes to pricing ebooks. They (as well as other ebook retailers) offer different royalty percentages based on the price you choose for your book. Most ebooks are priced in the range of $2.99 to $9.99 because this range offers the highest percentage payout from Amazon and some other retailers. The chart below shows the royalty you can expect to be paid to you based on different prices:
Note: This list is for example only. Other factors like delivery costs and the country or territory an ebook is purchased in also affect your actual royalties.
2. Your ebook’s length and perceived quality
As a general rule, readers expect shorter books to be priced cheaper than longer books. Long books that have more content can generally be priced higher.
Books with higher perceived value can also demand a higher price point. For example, a book written by a popular author with a track-record of best selling content might be able to charge more because readers expect that they will get great content. Books that are endorsed by popular people or celebrities might fall into this category as well. Books by notable experts in a field of study might also be able to charge more. Unknown, or first time authors can also create this kind of “Perceived Quality” by getting good reviews, great design (especially the cover), awards etc…
3. The prices of other books in your genre.
Here is where you should ALWAYS do a little research. Find out what your competitors are charging. This can be a good way to determine how you “fit” in the market. Does your book have more or less perceived value? Does it have as much content?