Articles

Counsel on Economics of Book (or Media) Pricing

The following are excerpts from the book "Publishing Ministry."  They contain counsel to the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing houses about economy and book pricing.  Where applicable Sealing Time Ministries strives to adhere to these guidelines in our media sales.  These guidelines insure enough "capital required to keep business moving."  These principles are, according to Ellen G. White sanctioned by God.

Economy and Book Pricing

     "The Lord warns His instrumentalities in Battle Creek and upon the Pacific Coast to economize, economize. Your rivalry in book-making, in so many illustrations, is bringing expense upon the work. You are constantly planning to lower the prices of the books. This is a mistake. Once let down to a low figure, the book price will never recover. This is not the way to do. If you desire to place the work on a paying basis, do not lower the prices by special offers, which are called by my Instructor inducements, bribes. God does not want you to do this. These methods He does not approve. Devise means to create a fund by which books can be placed in families who do not and cannot obtain them for themselves."  --Lt 150, 1899. {PM 213.3}
      "If there are those who are deprived of the books because of the price charged, then let a contribution be taken up for the benefit of those who cannot buy for themselves. Our publishing houses themselves can help in this matter by making gifts for the benefit of those who, unaided, could not procure the books. Let us never, by word or act, cast the reflection upon our publishing houses that they are not reliable. A great principle is involved here."  -Lt 122, 1908   {PM 214.1}

Book Prices and Circulation

     "Some things of grave importance have not been receiving due attention at our offices of publication. Men in responsible positions should have worked up plans whereby our books could be circulated and not lie on the shelves, falling dead from the press. Our people are behind the times and are not following the opening providence of God."   {PM 214.2}
     "Many of our publications have been thrown into the market at so low a figure that the profits are not sufficient to sustain the office and keep good a fund for continual use. And those of our people who have no special burden of the various branches of the work at Battle Creek and Oakland do not become informed in regard to the wants of the cause and the capital required to keep the business moving. They do not understand the liability to losses and the expense every day occurring to such institutions. They seem to think that everything moves off without much care or outlay of means, and therefore they will urge the necessity of the lowest figures on our publications, thus leaving scarcely any margin. And after the prices have been reduced to almost ruinous figures, they manifest but a feeble interest in increasing the sales of the very books on which they have asked such low prices. The object gained, their burden ceases, when they ought to have an earnest interest and a real care to press the sale of the publications, thereby sowing the seeds of truth and bringing means into the offices to invest in other publications."  {PM 214.3}
      "There has been a very great neglect of duty on the part of ministers in not interesting the churches in the localities where they labor, in regard to this matter. When once the prices of books are reduced, it is a very difficult matter to get them again upon a paying basis, as men of narrow minds will cry, Speculation, not discerning that no one man is benefited, and that God's instrumentalities must not be crippled for want of capital. Books that ought to be widely circulated are lying useless in our offices of publication because there is not interest enough manifested to get them circulated."  -4T 388, 389. {PM 214.4}