The Pricing Trilogy
sachagreif.com
sachagreif.com
By the way, the most expensive ebook I've seen was a $1999 ebook by one of the best high stakes online poker players in the world. Some people complained about the price, but it sold like hotcakes. (and this was back in 2009 iirc!)
But yeah there are some examples of guys I'd consider more reputable selling audio/e-books for 500$-2k (I have payed these amounts and didn't regret it). I think that's easier to pull off in poker where the link between information and the value of said information is pretty direct. Additionally those books sold at a time where many players had a base philosophy of "poker money is not real money" because after all it's just stuff to keep track of the score. Paying directly from your poker account probably doesn't sting as much as paying from the same allotment of money that you have set aside to pay other bills (speculation on my part)
The "poker coaching industry" is an interesting area of research in asymetric information though.
This combined package and the new sales pitch basically results in a new product. One that provides a much better value-justification to the user for the high price.
This is about product repositioning as much as it is about changing pricing.
We have come full circle.
$39 is expensive if your time is cheap and your results aren't worth much. It's also expensive if you expect a lousy book, but Discover Meteor is outstanding so far.
That said, I think that "reasonable" prices are probably those that offer lucrative revenue while still permitting a large portion of prospective users to buy the book. This is where the $39 model ceases to be optimal. Although it might increase revenues, it will ultimately preclude many purchases, and limit the ability of the book to proliferate. This is because most people, despite their interest in the book, simply cannot afford such an inordinate expenditure. This is certainly what occurred with me. Despite the fact that I was quite excited about the book and am optimistic about Meteor as a framework, there is simply no way I can front the money for such an expensive product.
I suppose that if revenues are the only thing that one desires, this is probably the preferable model (and there is certainly nothing unethical about it), but more accessible pricing is better if you want to reach a large audience.