EBooks: changing the publishing industry, PwC

Turning the Page: The Future of eBooks

23

Fig. 12  Willingness to pay for an eBook

up to US$2

US$2–US$3.99

US$4–US$5.99

US$6–US$7.99

US$8–US$9.99

US$10–US$11.99

US$12–US$13.99

US$14 or more

up to £2

£2–£3.99

£4–£5.99

£6–£7.99

≥£8

up to €2

€2–€3.99

€4–€5.99

€6–€7.99

€8–€9.99

≥€10

up to €2

€2–€3.99

€4–€5.99

€6–€7.99

€8–€9.99

≥€10

How much you are willing to pay at most for an eBook if the price of the corresponding paperback is €10/US$14/£8?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

28%

17%

29%

29%

28%

17%

36%

29%

26%

16%

25%

24%

9%

16%

8%

7%

6%

3%

14%

5%

4%

4%

3%

7%

3%

Basis: All respondents

Germany

US

UK

Netherlands

---

PwC

24

Fig. 14  Number of potential eBooks bought per year (at price of paperback)

None

1 to 4

5 to 9

10 to 14

15 to 29

30 or more

How many eBooks would you buy in one year if the price for one eBook is on par with the corresponding paperback? 

0%

10%

20%

30%

60%

50%

40%

53%

34%

42%

26%

33%

29%

27%

53%

13%

14%

18%

16%

1%

1%

5%

3%

3%

9%

4%

1%

8%

1%

0%

6%

Basis: All respondents

Germany

US

UK

Netherlands

Fig. 13  Number of potential eBooks bought per year (acceptable price)

None

1 to 4

5 to 9

10 to 14

15 to 29

30 or more

How many eBooks would you buy in one year for this 

0%

20%

13%

20%

25%

19%

24%

23%

26%

23%

27%

24%

21%

6%

4%

10%

8%

26%

6%

21%

7%

3%

10%

20%

30%

Basis: All respondents

Germany

US

UK

Netherlands

---

Turning the Page: The Future of eBooks

25

1.3 

Purchase Intentions:  

Tablet or eReader?

Would consumers buy an eReader if the 

price was right? Most people in the survey 

would consider this, but only 3% to 8% 

said they intended to buy a device in the 

next six months.

On the other hand, what is the situation 

with regard to tablets such as the iPad? Do 

consumers prefer a multifunction device 

compared with a simple eReader? Does the 

iPad make the eReader device superfluous

or redundant? Or do the two devices 

complement each other? Surprisingly, 

most of the consumers covered by the 

survey prefer a reader, which can be 

used only for displaying books, instead 

of a multifunctional device, provided the 

eReader costs less than a tablet. Survey 

participants would also use a tablet as 

an eReader if they purchased one. More 

than half the people interviewed said they 

would use the tablet for reading mass 

market books, while 29% to 41% would 

also consider using a tablet for reading 

special interest books, and one-fourth to 

one-third would use it to read newspapers 

and magazines. Only respondents from the 

Netherlands stood out in the survey: just 

17% said they would use an iPad or similar 

tablet as an alternative to an eReader for 

mass market titles.

As is the case with eReaders, there is a gap 

between the number of people interested in 

tablets and the number actually planning 

to buy them. The survey shows that 53% 

to 63% of participants are interested in a 

tablet, compared with 56% to 76% who are 

interested in an eReader. However, only 

1% to 5% said they intend to buy a tablet in 

the next six months (Fig. 15).

Fig. 15  Buying interest eReader

I am planning to buy 

an eReader within  

the next 6 months 

I am planning to buy 

an eReader sometime 

I can imagine buying 

an eReader but have 

not made plans yet

Maybe, maybe not

Rather not

No, never

Could you imagine buying an eReader and reading eBooks with it in future? 

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

3%

8%

5%

5%

8%

6%

9%

3%

24%

25%

31%

32%

26%

30%

12%

19%

12%

12%

28%

16%

16%

31%

17%

22%

Basis: Respondents, who do not own an eReader

Germany

US

UK

Netherlands

---