Light Novels prices

[Mystes]

I've been wondering, checking gztwkadokawa, why are some novels really expensive and others not. Sometimes, there are four yuans of difference. For example, Kamimemo 5 costs 23 yuans, while Seitokai 7 only 17.90 yuans, and Dantalian 2 17.00 yuans. What normally makes the difference?

PLus, why are the Taiwanese Shana novelslisted at 40.00 yuans?

[larethian]

total pages and number of color pages / illustrations, if I'm not wrong. at least for the original prices. you should check the original prices.

[Mystes]

Is it possible to buy LNs as a 'series'? For example, buy all of Bungaku SHoujo packed up together.

[Doraneko]

I've been wondering, checking gztwkadokawa, why are some novels really expensive and others not. Sometimes, there are four yuans of difference. For example, Kamimemo 5 costs 23 yuans, while Seitokai 7 only 17.90 yuans, and Dantalian 2 17.00 yuans. What normally makes the difference?

PLus, why are the Taiwanese Shana novelslisted at 40.00 yuans?

For the price difference of the same book published in PRC and Taiwan, you have to consider the different price levels. The translators' pay and miscellaneous costs as well as the consuming power of young people are very different on the two sides of the Strait.

As for individual books, pricing is determined largely by the number of pages and coloured illustrations as Lare pointed out.

Also, more popular series tend to be cheaper due to greater demand. To illustrate this you may take a look at the pricing model of Dengeki Bunko. The pricing model of each publishing house is different so this is for reference only.

Spoiler! :

Pages / Price / Price+Tax / Range

200 490 514.5 +0～40
216 490 514.5 +0～180
232 490 514.5 +0～60
248 510 535.5 +0～100
264 510 535.5 +0～160
280 530 556.5 -20～+120
296 550 577.5 -20～+140
312 550 577.5 +0～120
328 570 598.5 +0～100
344 570 598.5 +0～120
360 590 619.5 +0～100
376 590 619.5 -20～+80
392 610 640.5 +0～80
408 630 661.5 +0～80
424 630 661.5 +0～160
440 650 682.5 +0～100
456 650 682.5 -20～+80
472 670 703.5 +20
488 670 703.5 +20～80
504 690 724.5 +60～80
520 690 724.5
536 710 745.5
552 710 745.5 +40～80
568 730 766.5 +60
584 730 766.5
600 750 787.5
616 750 787.5
632 770 808.5
648 770 808.5
664 790 829.5
680 790 829.5
696 810 850.5
712 810 850.5
728 830 871.5
744 830 871.5
760 850 892.5
776 850 892.5 +40
792 870 913.5
808 870 913.5
824 890 934.5
840 890 934.5
856 910 955.5
872 910 955.5
888 930 976.5
904 930 976.5
920 950 997.5
936 950 997.5
952 970 1018.5
968 970 1018.5
984 990 1039.5
1000 1010 1060.5
1016 1010 1060.5
1032 1030 1081.5
1048 1030 1081.5
1064 1050 1102.5
1080 1050 1102.5
1096 1070 1123.5 +120
1112 1070 1123.5

Here is a list of prices (tax included) and pages of the October releases

Spoiler! :

392P　641円　アクセル・ワールド９　－七千年の祈り－
302P　599円　キノの旅XV　the Beautiful World
424P　662円　灼眼のシャナXXII
280P　557円　ロウきゅーぶ！(9)
744P　914円　GENESISシリーズ　境界線上のホライゾンIV<中>
328P　599円　C3 -シーキューブ-XII
360P　620円　はたらく魔王さま！３
312P　662円　アイドライジング！(3)
312P　620円　俺ミーツリトルデビル！２　恋と人魚と露天風呂
296P　599円　ラッキーチャンス！１０
280P　578円　小春原日和の育成日記(4)
296P　620円　竜と勇者（あいつ）と可愛げのない私５
328P　620円　ブラック・ブレット２　VS神算鬼謀の狙撃兵
296P　662円　ハロー、ジーニアス(3)
344P　683円　死想図書館のリヴル・ブランシェIV
312P　620円　三井澄花と四角い悪魔
296P　620円　楠木統十郎の災難な日々　ネギは世界を救う

The price difference can then be calculated to determine the popularity of each series as determined by the publisher.

+00　アクセル、キノ、シャナ、ロウきゅ、ホライゾン、C3、魔王さま
+20　ラキチャ、小春原、ブラブレ
+40　リトデビ、竜と勇者、三井澄花、楠木統十郎
+60　
+80　アイドラ、ジーニアス、リヴル

+00 is the vanilla standard price, applied to award winners and bestsellers. Among the October releases, Accel, Kino, Shana, Rokyuubu, Horizon, C3, and Maousama is priced at +00. This is no surprise considering all except Maousama have or will have anime adaptations, while Maousama is the best performer in the sales department among all the award winners in the 2011 Dengeki novel award.

The larger is the +XX, in general the worse the series is expected to perform in terms of sales (forcing the publisher to push up the price to maintain profit). +80 is sometimes casually referred to as the "discontinuation line" since titles priced at this level have good chance to end (read: discontinued) very soon.

Idolizing!, one of the top 10s in the このラノ 2012 ranking, unfortunately has the +80 price for its latest release due to the poor sales of its earlier releases. In fact was widely expected to be discontinued. This is echoed by the fact that only three out of the entire online voting public voted for it. Of course with its outstanding achievement in the ranking it will not only be saved from discontinuation, but may also have stable future releases priced at +20 or even +00.

Other factors, such as an abnormally large amount of coloured illustrations, may also pull the price of a book farther away from the standard price.

Is it possible to buy LNs as a 'series'? For example, buy all of Bungaku SHoujo packed up together.

It all depends on the publisher. If you are talking about the Japanese release of Bungaku Shoujo, then no. No one prevents you from making a batch order and have the entire series delivered to your doorsteps, however.

[Doraneko]

Is it possible to buy LNs as a 'series'? For example, buy all of Bungaku SHoujo packed up together.

It all depends on the publisher. If you are talking about the Japanese release of Bungaku Shoujo, then no. No one prevents you from making a batch order and have the entire series delivered to your doorsteps, however.

Update: recently a certain shop is selling all Horizon volumes as a single pack...

[YoakeNoHikari]

Yeah, I saw that.

Probably harder to carry it home than finish reading it.

[joay_b]

Where is that picture from? Book Off? BK1? Some store that sells second-hand stuff?

[Doraneko]

Where is that picture from? Book Off? BK1? Some store that sells second-hand stuff?

Those are first-hand stuff from a store in Machida. It is rare to see second-hand book stores wrapping books individually (look at the Mashiro manga tankoubons) or having 7+ copies of the same book anyway.

And does Bk1 ever has a brick-and-motar store?

[Mystes]

Update: recently a certain shop is selling all Horizon volumes as a single pack...

Is that a bargain???

[Doraneko]

Is that a bargain???

No. After all it is common practice in Japan that publishers will take up the unsold books if there are too many of them lying around. Flexible pricing will only result in getting your shop blacklisted by all major publishers.

[Mystes]

Argh...

Is there places where novels cost less than others?

[larethian]

Argh...

Is there places where novels cost less than others?

if Kinokuniya Japan works the same way as Kinokuniya Singapore, then members get 10% off the marked price, and 20% on special occasions or during special promotions.

[Doraneko]

if Kinokuniya Japan works the same way as Kinokuniya Singapore, then members get 10% off the marked price, and 20% on special occasions or during special promotions.

In Japan, you get a point card from the book shop you frequent to. Your purchases will accumulate as points and the points can then be used as cash during your next purchase.

The rate is pretty bad though when compared to outright discounts common in other countries. Kinokuniya for example gives 1 point(yen) for each 100 yen purchase.

The only place where you can get discounts for books is from stores run by university student councils. They are legally protected to be not bounded by the retarded price monopoly system dictated by the publishers.

[larethian]

that sucks. for me, utilizing the 20% discount here beats bk1 shipping.

[lchigo93]

I've been wondering, checking gztwkadokawa, why are some novels really expensive and others not. Sometimes, there are four yuans of difference. For example, Kamimemo 5 costs 23 yuans, while Seitokai 7 only 17.90 yuans, and Dantalian 2 17.00 yuans. What normally makes the difference?

PLus, why are the Taiwanese Shana novelslisted at 40.00 yuans?

kira, did you actually buy any of these light novels off of the website??? I wonder if it actually ships them here to America. If so I'd be considering buying a few series.