Audiobooks and class action

Question for audiobook readers:

We now have the capability of selling audiobooks through the Arkhaven store. We could price them at the same price as a print book, throw in a free copy of the ebook, and do much better than we do on Audible. However, we know that many people on Audible simply acquire audiobooks through free credits rather than actually buying them at the inflated prices there.

So, is there any interest in buying audiobooks directly, which would consist of a series of MP3 files instead of whatever convoluted system Audible uses, or would doing so be pointless? We will still make our audiobooks available at Audioble, we simply won’t choose the exclusive option.

Please advise. One benefit will be that we can offer our audiobooks 2-4 weeks sooner than they appear on Audible. The audio quality will be identical, since the source files are the same.

UPDATE: After doing an amount of research, we’re going to target a base price of $9.99 for a normal audiobook of 6-9 hours. The maximum price will probably be on the order of $24.99 for a monster book like A Throne of Bones, which we anticipate being on the order of 36-40 hours. We will usually include a copy of the ebook with the audio book whenever possible, but keep in mind that we usually release ebooks long before we record the audiobook.

Instructions for original AH:Q backers:

If you are an original Alt-Hero:Q backer who opted out of the class action waiver in October, please email litle32000 AT yahoo DOT com to let him know that you would like to be included in the class action request for arbitration. He will get back to you with the information that is required. If you backed the campaign but did not opt out, please do not email yet, but wait for further instructions that will be provided in the next two weeks.

If you did not opt out, you can still definitely file your own request for arbitration, but that would cost you $250 and will likely prove to be unnecessary, depending upon how things develop going forward. It is our opinion that Indiegogo is not going to insist on standing by that particular Term of Use in light of the obvious alternative that would require them to pay for what could be hundreds of separate arbitrations.

Especially since we have confirmed that the woman who appears to have been primarily responsible for the deplatforming, Kerry J. Barker, left Indiegogo only weeks after Trust & Safety’s retro-cancellation of the AH:Q campaign, for reasons that are as yet undetermined.

UPDATE: Since there appears to be an amount of interest, if you’re interested in testing the audiobooks from our store, we have made two small ones available, both for $3.99. Our plan is to keep the prices low, roughly half the price of Audible, and keep the audio files DRM-free.