Dear American Publishers: Get a Clue

And a new calculator.

I just received my big order of trade paperbacks from Chapters.ca, and I’m very happy. I’m especially happy that I didn’t have to pay the insane Canadian LIST PRICE for many of these books. These are all books that were published within the past year, one just this month. I understand it takes some time for the stronger dollar to be reflected in book cover prices. I also am aware that book publishers (and other American manufacturers) deliberately MARK UP prices to Canadian retailers anywhere from 15-30% just because they’re, well, greedy sometimes.

How greedy? “SHE-HULK: Laws of Attraction” was published in March 2007. American List Price? $19.99 USD

Canadian List Price? $32.00 CAN

SHE-HULK: Planet Without a Hulk, published just last week? Also $32.00 CAN.

FUCK OFF.

Seriously, the Canadian dollar hasn’t been that bad since about 2002 (and that was an all-time low). It’s been getting close to par for the past year, so there’s no excuse for being that out of whack. We’re currently at $1.10 CAN to $1 USD, so SHE-HULK: Planet Without a Hulk should be at least CLOSE to par. Where is Marvel getting their exchange rates? DC’s overpricing their books too, but not as bad: a $2.99 USD Marvel costs $3.75 today while the same priced DC comic costs $3.65 O_o I haven’t checked manga recently, but I recall even a year ago they were dropping closer and closer to par – reflecting the actual exchange rate at that time. Clearly its the individual publisher just making up how much they’re going to scam Canadians, and not tied to the dollar’s worth in any way.

I don’t know what price the publishers sell these books to Canadian retailers for, but I’m sure they’re getting at least somewhat ripped off and have been for years. Now it’s just obvious to everyone, because we know our dollar’s worth more and consumers are complaining about still paying inflated prices. Retailers are having to explain that they don’t actually benefit from the stronger dollar, that it’s (largely American) manufacturers who are refusing to lower their prices to reflect the dollar’s worth. I’m glad I didn’t have to pay the Canadian cover price for these books (which I would have if I’d bought them in a physical store), but I worry about Canadian retailers that are lowering their prices due to public pressure and are likely taking the loss themselves (unlike American corporations like Wal-Mart and K-Mart who were the first to lower their prices but by their usual method of passing the loss down the line to the already underpaid and oppressed sweat shop labourers. Meanwhile, the rich head honchos are still raking in as much as ever, because god forbid the shareholders not make their megaprofits this year.)

Here’s what I purchased:

FRAY (been meaning to get this for literally years, hope I like it)
SUPERGIRL & THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES: Adult Education (skinny!)
SUPERGIRL & THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES: The Dominator War (really skinny!)
MANHUNTER: Trial By Fire and MANHUNTER: Origins (both nice ‘n’ thick!)
SHE-HULK: Laws of Attraction
SHE-HULK: Planet Without a Hulk

and HUNTRESS: The Darknight Daughter (coming in a few days from Amazon.ca)

Lucky I just finished putting together that new bookcase from IKEA ^_^