Clear pricing
How our pricing works
The price shown on a product page is the price checkout uses. We sometimes run a scheduled public price test on one ordinary print-on-demand or digital title so we can learn which price best supports readers and the cost of keeping books available.
The same public price for everyone
A test price changes only on a pre-set timetable. Everyone visiting at the same time is offered the same USD catalogue price before normal currency conversion. We do not raise or lower a book price because of who you are, your location, your device, your browsing history, your wishlist, or how often you visit.
Your basket price is protected
When you add a book to your basket, that public price is protected for 24 hours. If the public price falls before you pay, checkout gives you the lower price. Checkout always validates the amount again before payment is taken.
What we will not test
We do not run public price tests on signed or collector books, pre-orders, scarce office stock, out-of-stock products, or products in a sale. Only one test may run at a time, the alternative price is limited to 10% above or below the catalogue price, and it must pass a production-cost and margin check that includes the maximum Irving Circle member discount.
How we measure a test
We record a random browser identifier, the public price block, and whether that block led to checkout and a completed order. The pricing test ledger does not store your name, email address, postal address, IP address, or a profile used to set your price. We keep a price history and stop tests manually if customer outcomes or margins worsen.