A study on the impact of free ebooks on print sales

[arshield]

This study was mentioned on boingboing.  It is a doctoral student that studied how much effect releasing a free ebook had on print sales.  The study was fairly limited (both in scope and data) but it did seem that there was some increase in print sales when there was a free ebook release.  He noted that a Lawrence Lessig title was the only non-fiction title that did not have an increase in sales.  But his data is wrong because he picked a date when the publisher made a promotion for the free ebook, but Lessig had had the book free on his own website before that point.  Other than that error, it is a mildly interesting short article.  This is the original study:

http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=jep;view=text;rgn=main;idno=3336451.0013.101

[Xopher]

Interesting article. I think it was a little bit limited in what it showed. As an example, "Assassin's Apprentice" by Robin Hobb went out as a free offering (and showed up in the article's list). I took advantage of the free ebook and found that I really like her writing. Since reading the free version, I ended up purchasing several more of her ebooks.

When looking at a book series, or even one author, I think offering the free ebook brings in more sales of additional titles, rather than additional sales of that individual book.

[BTackitt]

I agree Xopher.. I have read ALOT of new books because I was introduced to the authors through a free book.
BTW........... Anyone notice that the Sorcerer's Apprentice is coming out as a movie? I saw a trailer for it last night, it looks great.. My favorite line, Are you CRAZY? and the sorcerer holds up his fingers about an inch apart.

[MarthaT]

Good article

[Mom of 4]

Thanks for the link.  The article was interesting for what it did, but I think the more compelling study would be on the effect on the author's sales on their OTHER books before and after the free offer, as Xopher and BTackitt have already said.

So... who's doing that study?