Distribution of Paperback KDP Expanded Distribution vs IngramSpark

[Tolkien]

Does the KDP Expanded Distribution offer the same distribution for paperbacks as Ingram Spark does? If not how do they differ?

 

[ThinkerX]

I went with Draft2Digital myself. My tales (one so far) appear on multiple platforms, including Amazon, though there is a checklist that must be completed before that happens (it took me most of a week and a couple emails to figure that out,) That's the E-book side.

I also went with 'Print on Demand,' which also appears on Amazon (I think). Thus far, this category accounts for my solitary sale. (I have yet to delve into the advertising end of things, so hopefully that'll change)

 

[Tolkien]

I went with Draft2Digital myself. My tales (one so far) appear on multiple platforms, including Amazon, though there is a checklist that must be completed before that happens (it took me most of a week and a couple emails to figure that out,) That's the E-book side.

I also went with 'Print on Demand,' which also appears on Amazon (I think). Thus far, this category accounts for my solitary sale. (I have yet to delve into the advertising end of things, so hopefully that'll change)

I have considered D2d but you must try to get on a waiting list for paperbacks. I never heard back from them.

 

[ThinkerX]

I have considered D2d but you must try to get on a waiting list for paperbacks. I never heard back from them.

I ordered pile of author copies a couple weeks back. They just got delivered (according to USPS)

 

[ThinkerX]

Yep, they made it in. Time to do a bit of distributing over the next several days...then finish getting Book II ready to publish. (And get started on the FB/Amazon marketing campaigns)

 

[Tolkien]

Yep, they made it in. Time to do a bit of distributing over the next several days...then finish getting Book II ready to publish. (And get started on the FB/Amazon marketing campaigns)

congrats. How is the print quality?

 

[ThinkerX]

Looked pretty good to me. My main gripe is that my made in color maps came out in shades of gray. Secondary gripe - print for the blurb on the back cover is tiny and doesn't show up that great - but that's because of the covers color.

Went with the 5.5 x 8.5 inch size, because 'Chaosium' books are that size (publishers of older Lovecraft tales, and my story has strong Lovecraftian elements.)

Gave away five of the fifteen copies today (sold two the *only* nearby bookstore, handed one over to the closer library (the remoter library made things difficult), mailed one to a friend and gave the last to an old buddy of mine.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

I just did Amazon and B&N with their own PBs and used Ingram for HC. Ingram does a fine job of getting hardcovers out, but again, just because they are available doesn't mean anybody is going to get them. My books didn't show up on Target.com until after winning a couple of contests, as an example.

Unrelated but I'll use "distribution" as an excuse to gripe... I did, however, get a couple of Google Alerts today letting me know that Eve of Snows is being pirated... again. This time announced straight up on Twitter. The digital world can be a pain in the ass.

 

[ThinkerX]

I just did Amazon and B&N with their own PBs and used Ingram for HC. Ingram does a fine job of getting hardcovers out, but again, just because they are available doesn't mean anybody is going to get them. My books didn't show up on Target.com until after winning a couple of contests, as an example.

Unrelated but I'll use "distribution" as an excuse to gripe... I did, however, get a couple of Google Alerts today letting me know that Eve of Snows is being pirated... again. This time announced straight up on Twitter. The digital world can be a pain in the ass.

at least your work is deemed worth stealing

 

[Demesnedenoir]

Oh, EoS is all over the damned place pirated. Although, as far as I know, they are all laden with viruses, heh heh. This one seems legit, and I can get it pulled, in theory, but I have to jump through hoops and hope for the best.

My favorite, which I mentioned before, was when some pirate site had Whispers of Ghosts offered up BEFORE I was finished with the book. I really wanted a copy, that would've saved me a lot of time.

at least your work is deemed worth stealing

 

[ThinkerX]

My favorite, which I mentioned before, was when some pirate site had Whispers of Ghosts offered up BEFORE I was finished with the book. I really wanted a copy, that would've saved me a lot of time.

either time travel, fraud, or somebody snagged an early draft

 

[Demesnedenoir]

I prefer time travel.

either time travel, fraud, or somebody snagged an early draft

 

[Prince of Spires]

Does the KDP Expanded Distribution offer the same distribution for paperbacks as Ingram Spark does? If not how do they differ?

KDP Expanded Distribution = Ingram Spark

When you select expanded distribution you tell Amazon to send your book details to Ingram to distribute it everywhere they distribute. They add it to Ingram's catalogue and Ingram prints it when a copy is sold. It should be noted that this is also exactly what Draft2Digital (D2D) does. As in, both operate in the same way, so there's not difference in the distribution or printing between the two.

When you go directly to Ingram, you have more control over the discount percentage, so you can get a higher royalty per book. You can also allow returns, which you can't do when you go through either Amazon or D2D. Most people will tell you that in order to get into actual physical book stores you have to set the discount percentage as high as it goes (I think 60%), and you have to allow returns.

Two issues with that: returns can be a nightmare. I've seen plenty of stories where a bookstore made an error when ordering and ordered 100 or 1000 copies instead of 1, and subsequently they returned all but 1 copy (read, they destroyed them). In this case you get a bill for those returned copies, with nothing in return for it. It can put you $1.000 in the red. So think very, very carefully before you even consider allowing them.

And, even with the discount % as high as possible there is no guarantee that bookstores will actually order your book and put it on shelves. You're competing for limited space against the likes of Brandon Sanderson, Tolkien, and Stephen King, and all the other traditionally published books. Don't count on getting there, ever. Think of the bookstore and who they'll put on the shelves. You (or me for that matter) or some other unknown author, but one who is traditionally published and their representative from Tor tells them is the next big thing?

With a high discount % your books become either very expensive or you make no money on them at all. So, my advice (and from most other authors I've seen) is to set it lower, don't allow returns, and accept that you can only be ordered at bookstores.

 

[Tolkien]

KDP Expanded Distribution = Ingram Spark

When you select expanded distribution you tell Amazon to send your book details to Ingram to distribute it everywhere they distribute. They add it to Ingram's catalogue and Ingram prints it when a copy is sold. It should be noted that this is also exactly what Draft2Digital (D2D) does. As in, both operate in the same way, so there's not difference in the distribution or printing between the two.

When you go directly to Ingram, you have more control over the discount percentage, so you can get a higher royalty per book. You can also allow returns, which you can't do when you go through either Amazon or D2D. Most people will tell you that in order to get into actual physical book stores you have to set the discount percentage as high as it goes (I think 60%), and you have to allow returns.

Two issues with that: returns can be a nightmare. I've seen plenty of stories where a bookstore made an error when ordering and ordered 100 or 1000 copies instead of 1, and subsequently they returned all but 1 copy (read, they destroyed them). In this case you get a bill for those returned copies, with nothing in return for it. It can put you $1.000 in the red. So think very, very carefully before you even consider allowing them.

And, even with the discount % as high as possible there is no guarantee that bookstores will actually order your book and put it on shelves. You're competing for limited space against the likes of Brandon Sanderson, Tolkien, and Stephen King, and all the other traditionally published books. Don't count on getting there, ever. Think of the bookstore and who they'll put on the shelves. You (or me for that matter) or some other unknown author, but one who is traditionally published and their representative from Tor tells them is the next big thing?

With a high discount % your books become either very expensive or you make no money on them at all. So, my advice (and from most other authors I've seen) is to set it lower, don't allow returns, and accept that you can only be ordered at bookstores.

Great info and advice, thank you. This is what I was looking for.