GT40 Uncovered
Discussion
Received my copy of this much anticipated book this morning.
Always been impressed with Porter Press books and this tops all of my previous purchases, fantastic quality, huge size 942cm square) and wonderful content - predominantly reproductions of engineering drawings with the back stories
Only 365 being printed so as well as a great book it will hopefully be a wise investment
Always been impressed with Porter Press books and this tops all of my previous purchases, fantastic quality, huge size 942cm square) and wonderful content - predominantly reproductions of engineering drawings with the back stories
Only 365 being printed so as well as a great book it will hopefully be a wise investment
As a long-standing publisher (now retired - I still have far too much to do in my life, so reluctantly given up - but I did carry on way past retirement) I have to say the recent twist in the marketing of some limited edition books to an EasyJet-style scarcity pricing I find baffling. I'm not the only one who has commented on this.
The book's price rises as it sells (or doesn't, as the case may be) whereby the 'early birds' get to grab a said book at the lowest price, and then the price rises for the remaining run. I'd have thought this was highly counter-productive, but what do I know, I was a small fry one man band with a dream. I managed to survive since 1987, and without ever having a website (that must be a first!). Sold on strength of reviews and word of mouth only.
I recall one of my early titles which was a 1,000 print run. One buyer called me (the book wasn't cheap, if I recall it was expensive
£17.95, your average hardback then was less than even half that) and was intended for the Xmas rush. Being a one-man band I missed the deadline to get to the printers and some quickly modified artwork to the publication date inside was got to the printers and it launched in January at the Racing Car Show.
Fate (I believe strongly in it! LOL) meant it was now a new year title 1989 rather than old 1988 - and it sold so well I had to reprint in April).
That buyer posed me this question: 'How do I know your company has had a thousand copies only printed, for all I know you might have had 3,000 printed?' He was basically thinking about the £17.95 he'd paid when comparable (not really) hardbacks were far cheaper in price.
It got me thinking. So from thereon I started to number our books. It worked in a different way to what I'd thought! I had buyers asking for particular numbers, and not just the low numbers - I even had one buyer who became a future buyer, every time asking for No. 18. I was totally puzzled until someone nothing to do with motoring told me the significance of '18' for this buyer. I'll say no more.
Back to this new 'EasyJet' style of pricing. I know what you will have paid for your 'early' copy, but I think (correct me if wrong) that they are not numbered. If not, why on earth would I buy (should the other copies sell) one of the last batch at almost 3 times the price you have paid?
I was interested in another publisher's car title on a particular marque but missed being an 'early bird' which would have cost me £500.
Very short print run, and these are 'numbered'. Had I got in quick I might have been lucky and got No.1.
The book is still available but would cost me £2,500!!!! For a higher numbered one? Not a chance in hell!
I absolutely loved every single minute of what I did and packed up at just the right time I think. I did the last title during the start of the pandemic when I was told I was mad, I'd never be able to publish it because nobody would print it, let alone will I be able to pick the pallets up etc etc.
Christ, it was great, it got my mind of the virus totally and although I never really had contact with anyone, everything was done online with one person after another being furloughed. The finished books were delivered with social distancing, inc the author who signed copies away from me in the garden etc.
You are correct about investment with certain books. I just looked online and that £17.95 title I did in 89 has current asking prices, secondhand of course, from mid six hundred to mid seven hundred pounds... crackers!
The book's price rises as it sells (or doesn't, as the case may be) whereby the 'early birds' get to grab a said book at the lowest price, and then the price rises for the remaining run. I'd have thought this was highly counter-productive, but what do I know, I was a small fry one man band with a dream. I managed to survive since 1987, and without ever having a website (that must be a first!). Sold on strength of reviews and word of mouth only.
I recall one of my early titles which was a 1,000 print run. One buyer called me (the book wasn't cheap, if I recall it was expensive
£17.95, your average hardback then was less than even half that) and was intended for the Xmas rush. Being a one-man band I missed the deadline to get to the printers and some quickly modified artwork to the publication date inside was got to the printers and it launched in January at the Racing Car Show. Fate (I believe strongly in it! LOL) meant it was now a new year title 1989 rather than old 1988 - and it sold so well I had to reprint in April).
That buyer posed me this question: 'How do I know your company has had a thousand copies only printed, for all I know you might have had 3,000 printed?' He was basically thinking about the £17.95 he'd paid when comparable (not really) hardbacks were far cheaper in price.
It got me thinking. So from thereon I started to number our books. It worked in a different way to what I'd thought! I had buyers asking for particular numbers, and not just the low numbers - I even had one buyer who became a future buyer, every time asking for No. 18. I was totally puzzled until someone nothing to do with motoring told me the significance of '18' for this buyer. I'll say no more.
Back to this new 'EasyJet' style of pricing. I know what you will have paid for your 'early' copy, but I think (correct me if wrong) that they are not numbered. If not, why on earth would I buy (should the other copies sell) one of the last batch at almost 3 times the price you have paid?
I was interested in another publisher's car title on a particular marque but missed being an 'early bird' which would have cost me £500.
Very short print run, and these are 'numbered'. Had I got in quick I might have been lucky and got No.1.
The book is still available but would cost me £2,500!!!! For a higher numbered one? Not a chance in hell!
I absolutely loved every single minute of what I did and packed up at just the right time I think. I did the last title during the start of the pandemic when I was told I was mad, I'd never be able to publish it because nobody would print it, let alone will I be able to pick the pallets up etc etc.
Christ, it was great, it got my mind of the virus totally and although I never really had contact with anyone, everything was done online with one person after another being furloughed. The finished books were delivered with social distancing, inc the author who signed copies away from me in the garden etc.
You are correct about investment with certain books. I just looked online and that £17.95 title I did in 89 has current asking prices, secondhand of course, from mid six hundred to mid seven hundred pounds... crackers!
The Porter Press pricing model does bemuse me a little, for example the recent "BRM Racing for Britain" book varies from £120 for the standard edition up to £2500 for their super special 17 book only edition
https://porterpress.co.uk/collections/brm-books
https://porterpress.co.uk/collections/brm-books
dandarez said:
As a long-standing publisher (now retired - I still have far too much to do in my life, so reluctantly given up - but I did carry on way past retirement) I have to say the recent twist in the marketing of some limited edition books to an EasyJet-style scarcity pricing I find baffling. I'm not the only one who has commented on this.
The book's price rises as it sells (or doesn't, as the case may be) whereby the 'early birds' get to grab a said book at the lowest price, and then the price rises for the remaining run. I'd have thought this was highly counter-productive, but what do I know, I was a small fry one man band with a dream. I managed to survive since 1987, and without ever having a website (that must be a first!). Sold on strength of reviews and word of mouth only.
I recall one of my early titles which was a 1,000 print run. One buyer called me (the book wasn't cheap, if I recall it was expensive £17.95, your average hardback then was less than even half that) and was intended for the Xmas rush. Being a one-man band I missed the deadline to get to the printers and some quickly modified artwork to the publication date inside was got to the printers and it launched in January at the Racing Car Show.
Fate (I believe strongly in it! LOL) meant it was now a new year title 1989 rather than old 1988 - and it sold so well I had to reprint in April).
That buyer posed me this question: 'How do I know your company has had a thousand copies only printed, for all I know you might have had 3,000 printed?' He was basically thinking about the £17.95 he'd paid when comparable (not really) hardbacks were far cheaper in price.
It got me thinking. So from thereon I started to number our books. It worked in a different way to what I'd thought! I had buyers asking for particular numbers, and not just the low numbers - I even had one buyer who became a future buyer, every time asking for No. 18. I was totally puzzled until someone nothing to do with motoring told me the significance of '18' for this buyer. I'll say no more.
Back to this new 'EasyJet' style of pricing. I know what you will have paid for your 'early' copy, but I think (correct me if wrong) that they are not numbered. If not, why on earth would I buy (should the other copies sell) one of the last batch at almost 3 times the price you have paid?
I was interested in another publisher's car title on a particular marque but missed being an 'early bird' which would have cost me £500.
Very short print run, and these are 'numbered'. Had I got in quick I might have been lucky and got No.1.
The book is still available but would cost me £2,500!!!! For a higher numbered one? Not a chance in hell!
I absolutely loved every single minute of what I did and packed up at just the right time I think. I did the last title during the start of the pandemic when I was told I was mad, I'd never be able to publish it because nobody would print it, let alone will I be able to pick the pallets up etc etc.
Christ, it was great, it got my mind of the virus totally and although I never really had contact with anyone, everything was done online with one person after another being furloughed. The finished books were delivered with social distancing, inc the author who signed copies away from me in the garden etc.
You are correct about investment with certain books. I just looked online and that £17.95 title I did in 89 has current asking prices, secondhand of course, from mid six hundred to mid seven hundred pounds... crackers!
Very interesting comments.The book's price rises as it sells (or doesn't, as the case may be) whereby the 'early birds' get to grab a said book at the lowest price, and then the price rises for the remaining run. I'd have thought this was highly counter-productive, but what do I know, I was a small fry one man band with a dream. I managed to survive since 1987, and without ever having a website (that must be a first!). Sold on strength of reviews and word of mouth only.
I recall one of my early titles which was a 1,000 print run. One buyer called me (the book wasn't cheap, if I recall it was expensive
£17.95, your average hardback then was less than even half that) and was intended for the Xmas rush. Being a one-man band I missed the deadline to get to the printers and some quickly modified artwork to the publication date inside was got to the printers and it launched in January at the Racing Car Show. Fate (I believe strongly in it! LOL) meant it was now a new year title 1989 rather than old 1988 - and it sold so well I had to reprint in April).
That buyer posed me this question: 'How do I know your company has had a thousand copies only printed, for all I know you might have had 3,000 printed?' He was basically thinking about the £17.95 he'd paid when comparable (not really) hardbacks were far cheaper in price.
It got me thinking. So from thereon I started to number our books. It worked in a different way to what I'd thought! I had buyers asking for particular numbers, and not just the low numbers - I even had one buyer who became a future buyer, every time asking for No. 18. I was totally puzzled until someone nothing to do with motoring told me the significance of '18' for this buyer. I'll say no more.
Back to this new 'EasyJet' style of pricing. I know what you will have paid for your 'early' copy, but I think (correct me if wrong) that they are not numbered. If not, why on earth would I buy (should the other copies sell) one of the last batch at almost 3 times the price you have paid?
I was interested in another publisher's car title on a particular marque but missed being an 'early bird' which would have cost me £500.
Very short print run, and these are 'numbered'. Had I got in quick I might have been lucky and got No.1.
The book is still available but would cost me £2,500!!!! For a higher numbered one? Not a chance in hell!
I absolutely loved every single minute of what I did and packed up at just the right time I think. I did the last title during the start of the pandemic when I was told I was mad, I'd never be able to publish it because nobody would print it, let alone will I be able to pick the pallets up etc etc.
Christ, it was great, it got my mind of the virus totally and although I never really had contact with anyone, everything was done online with one person after another being furloughed. The finished books were delivered with social distancing, inc the author who signed copies away from me in the garden etc.
You are correct about investment with certain books. I just looked online and that £17.95 title I did in 89 has current asking prices, secondhand of course, from mid six hundred to mid seven hundred pounds... crackers!
I would never buy a book for investment purposes although I have seen a lot of my purchases increase in value, I buy first and foremost on the subject matter being of interest to me.
GT40 Uncovered is a numbered edition, I was allocated number 100, no way would I have bought at either of the 2 higher prices
Gassing Station | Books and Literature | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff