Digital books should be cheaper than printed: perceived price fairness effects on intention to purchase and willingness to buy
(R2020-84890)

AUTHORS

Gedas Ku?inskas, ISM University of Management and Economics; Indrė Pikturnienė, ISM university of management and economics

KEYWORDS

Fairness; Digital; Price

ABSTRACT

Publishers use different pricing tactics for physical and digital books: although the most common tactic is to offer digital book slightly cheaper than physical, equal prices or even more expensive digital books prevail. The article explores how consumers perceive different price fairness when physical and digital books are priced equally or not, and what are value attributes for digital form of the book. The studies demonstrate perceived outcome price fairness mediates willingness to pay and intention to buy, whereas procedural fairness - not. Cheaper digital books than their printed counterparts induce more fairness for consumers.