>citing studies showing that only 60% of books bought electronically are ever begun, and completion rates that can fall as low as 20% for some titles.

Well, how about the completion rates of physical books? I am sure most people would rather read smaller, to the point books if they could. Moreover, there are also social brownie points associated with buying thick books. If everyone is talking about it, buying that popular book in physical form will increase the aesthetic look of my "home library" and then when people come over, I can show off how well read I am.

Also the top comment on the article page importantly notes:

"AAARRRGGGGHHH!!!

Count the words, not the pages!!!! Some simple typesetting changes can increase or decrease a books page count significantly.

A bigger book may look more intimidating, but it may also look like better value for money, and if production/material costs have gone down over the last 15 years, I wouldn't be at all surprised if a publisher bumps up the paragraph spacing and brings in the page margins to make a book appear longer than it is."