Does a printed option make you more likely to buy?

[Cheiromancer]

I am currently considering buying Elements of Magic (Revised), but I am unsure about the print option. If there are new erratta, I can be emailed a patch, but the printed book will be out of date.

If I buy the PDF, I'm afraid I'll end up paying more when I do get the book (after all revisions are in). Or is the price of the PDF deducted if you buy the print version later?

This indecision might actually keep me from buying the book now, I'm afraid.

 

[Abulia]

Would you say that offering traditional book (print) versions of E.N. Publishing products make you more likely to buy them? Or does your level of interest remain unchanged.

A bit of clarification, please. You ask if a print version affects my decision to by an E.N. Publishing product. The poll asks if a print version affects my decision to by an e-publisher's product. I respectfully submit that these are not necessarily the same things.

(A print version can affect my ability to purchase a PDF; it may not affect my desire to make an E.N. Publishing purchase.)

 

[Morrus]

A bit of clarification, please. You ask if a print version affects my decision to by an E.N. Publishing product. The poll asks if a print version affects my decision to by an e-publisher's product. I respectfully submit that these are not necessarily the same things.

(A print version can affect my ability to purchase a PDF; it may not affect my desire to make an E.N. Publishing purchase.)

Ah. I guess that my interest was in e-publishing in general here.

That said, at least as far as ENP products themselves go (they being the only sample I have to work with), sales figures make it pretty clear that a print version seems attractive to only a very, very few. That may be because these particular books are more expensive (seeing as how we're very much small press and can't afford big discounted print runs); or it may not! Suffice it to say that people are, 99% of the time, selecting the PDF option.

 

[Morrus]

I am currently considering buying Elements of Magic (Revised), but I am unsure about the print option. If there are new erratta, I can be emailed a patch, but the printed book will be out of date.

That's a surprising response. The usual chorus when these questions come up is that everyone prefers print books and settle for PDFs grudgingly; e-publishers spend all their time pointing out the benefits that PDFs can have (namely the patches/updates you mention). It's refreshing to see one person who sees it that way too!

 

[Cheiromancer]

I still haven't bought EoM for the reasons I outlined above.

Maybe you could offer a coupon with the purchase of a PDF that would apply to the printed version? There must be some sort of mechanism whereby you could have 1-use coupons. A special number that gets checked off when used.

 

[Laslo Tremaine]

I voted "no" but that's not entirely true.

If a product is under, say, 128 pages, I am perfectly happy with a pdf file. If a product is not a core product (main rules, main setting book, etc.) then I am also happy to have a .pdf.

But for large books, and core books, I want a professional, hardbound copy that will stand up to the abuse that it will get at the gaming table.

 

[HellHound]

I still haven't bought EoM for the reasons I outlined above.

Maybe you could offer a coupon with the purchase of a PDF that would apply to the printed version? There must be some sort of mechanism whereby you could have 1-use coupons. A special number that gets checked off when used.

the RPGNow coupon system doesn't work with PoD products, unfortunately.

 

[RangerWickett]

the RPGNow coupon system doesn't work with PoD products, unfortunately.

Jake, could we theoretically at least give someone a comp copy of another product if they buy both the pdf and POD?

 

[Cheiromancer]

I must admit that I am still curious about EoMR. Any word on the coupon issue?

No hurry; I am in the process of applying for a US credit card after my move, and I don't want to put any more RPGNow payments on my Canadian credit card. But in a week or so things might be different.

 

[Kanegrundar]

I voted no. I tend to buy more pdf's these days since they tend to have a tighter focus and I can get more for my money. About the only print books I pick up are WotC (I refuse to pay print retail for a pdf), select GR books like WHFRP, select Malhavoc books, and the occasional Rifts selection (homebrew ideas...I don't play with the system). Beyond that, it's pdf all the way.

Kane