E-Book Vendor Listing

[Carradee]

Want to self-publish, but you aren't sure where to send your e-book? Here's my attempt to remedy that!

This isn't a complete list, but I want it to be! I'll add more information about various e-book vendors as I get it, and I'll update my opinions, too, when necessary.

I think I've missed some of the "US bank account" requirements—I'm in the US, so it isn't an issue for me. Please let me know if you find one that isn't listed as such on the list.

All Romance Ebooks/OmniLit

• Required: EPUB file; can sell other formats, too
  
• Note: All Romance Ebooks sells ANY type of romance, from sweet to spicy. OmniLit sells everything else. I believe they can distribute to iBookstore, if you provide ISBN.
  
• My 2¢: Worth using. E-mail them directly to get a number you can use instead of an ISBN. (They even told me the pattern for mine, so I won't have to ask again.)
  

Amazon

• Required: MOBI/HTM-to-Kindle
  
• Note: $0.99 price minimum for self-publishers at this time (though I've heard this might be changing). Kindle format can't be read on old PowerPC Macs.
  
• My 2¢: Definitely upload to them, but don't use them exclusively. Also, saying "Everyone can get my book here [at Amazon link]!" really annoys those of us who can't use Kindle format.
  
• My 2¢ on Select: Don't pull already-published work to load there. Maybe offer new things through Select for the first 90 days. (Explanation blog post here.)
  

Back My Book

• Required: US bank account.
  
• Note: Confusing interface that ends up having some nice e-store features, and fantastic royalties for anything you might sell. Allows you to add merchandise and "Misc" things to your store, associated with a particular book. Requires $100 US for payout. $1.99 US minimum price for anything.
  
• My 2¢: I really like the ability to link merchandise with a book—I have plans to make copies of a particular bracelet one character is going to wear throughout her series, for example. Even if you are in the US, though, you may find them a waste of time to investigate due to the $100 payout floor.
  

Barnes & Noble

• Required: US bank account.
  
• Note: $0.99 US minimum charge for e-books; distribute to them through Smashwords to release a free title. Cover image must be at least 750 pixels.
  
• My 2¢: If you're in the US, upload to them directly for the better royalty rate. Easy prep for Nook file: make Smashwords file, save a copy with "Nook" replacing "Smashwords" in fine print, replace all page breaks with section (next page) breaks.
  

Books on Board

• Required: E-mail them for a copy of their Publisher's Agreement.
  
• Note: I contacted them months ago according to the instructions on their website, and they haven't responded yet. They presumably support multiple formats, though.
  
• My 2¢: I'll give it when and if I'm actually sent a copy of the Publisher's Agreement.
  

Drive Thru Fiction

• Required: EPUB, PDF, and/or MOBI file.
  
• Note: Must sign up for an exclusive or non-exclusive "Publisher" account. Interface is a bit of a pain to use; all how-to materials are videos.
  
• My 2¢: Make sure to sign up for a non-exclusive account. I also hate video tutorials on principle (slow Internet + my learning style doesn't process them well), so I have no clue how helpful their videos are.
  

Google Books

• Required: PDF (for the library program, at least).
  
• Note: Their ToS allow them to discount your book according to their preferences whenever they want.
  
• My 2¢: DON'T use their bookstore to sell your e-books, but you can include your book in their library search program.
  

iBookstore

• HELP: URL for publishers?
  
• Required: ISBN and Intel Mac computer.
  
• Note: You must buy your own ISBN. I also haven't tried them; I have a PowerPC Mac, so I can't even access the store to view it.
  
• My 2¢: Not worth publishing through directly, when other distributors will even provide ISBNs for you.
  

Kobo

• Required: You must e-mail them for details.
  
• Note: After being ignored by Kobo customer service, my 2 stories have finally appeared in their catalog, 2 months after Smashwords sent them, with DRM added the files, and their documentation claims the e-book form of the stories just came out this month.
  
• My 2¢: Just go with Smashwords and opt-in to Kobo for premium distribution. Then you might end up in their catalog.
  

Lulu

• Required: File already formatted to the page and trim size that you want to appear in the e-book.
  
• Note: Can upload to the iBookstore and offer a free ISBN.
  
• My 2¢: I've only dabbled with them enough to know I don't like their file converter. Considering Smashwords does the same that they do and more, I don't think Lulu's worth it.
  

Smashwords

• Required: DOC file that meets their specific style requirements.
  
• Note: Offers a free ISBN. Lets you create coupons that you can use for such things as offering discounts or free copies to specific individuals, like book reviewers. Produces DRM-free file formats. Can distribute your e-book to B&N, Sony, Kobo, Apple, Diesel, and Scrollmotion.
  
• My 2¢: Use them for everything unless you're in the US, in which case I recommend uploading to B&N yourself. Also: opt out of Amazon distribution; it currently doesn't work, and apparently the two companies have been trying to work out file compatibility issues for over a year.
  

Writers Out

• Required: E-book price of free or $2+.
  
• Note: Charges $1.50 for any e-book sold at profit through them. They have a bad reputation over on KindleBoards.
  
• My 2¢: Avoid. Their Terms & Conditions could easily be used to rip off authors, even if Writers Out doesn't intend them that way.
  

XinXii

• Required: Formatted e-book file.
  
• Note: When you try to set your book price, the currency may randomly change to euros. Go to the main page for all your products, and on the lower right there will be a drop-down menu to select your preferred currency. Tiny vendor at this time, but evidently doesn't add the EU fees onto author prices like Amazon does. Can sell multiple e-book formats, but each one will have a separate record.
  
• My 2¢: Very easy to use and navigate. I suggest you upload at least 2 files: EPUB & MOBI.
  

[mfstrnad]

Thank you Carradee, this is very informative.

[Mark Neumayer]

Excellent work! Links and all.

[djmills]

Thanks for the list.

From Australia, I find it is easier to use Smashwords and patiently wait for access to Amazon and other new startups as they appear.

However, if Amazon link does not work soon, I may have to disconnect Amazon link at Smashwords and upload to Amazon manually, and accept the 35% of sales instead of 70% of sales offered for purchases outside UK and US, and just rely on Smashwords selling my books outside UK and US.

[lvcabbie]

If you're in Australia, you can answer a question for me.
Does Kindle sell there?
Any other North American publishers?

The reason I'm asking is that I've just signed a contract with a Canadian publisher for one of my novels and submitted another for their consideration.

Today, I just received an email from a publisher in New Zealand telling me they're still considering the novel I just submitted to my publisher.
I'm asking if I signed away the North American rights and asked if I could still sign with another somewhere else in the world.

[djmills]

Does Kindle sell there?

I am sure there are Australians who own a Kindle, but I do not. I use Kindle for PC on my laptop to read ebooks in the Kindle format. I own a Palm Pilot I use to check another format of my own ebooks on Smashwords, but do not use it to read the ebooks. I use my laptop to read all my ebooks.

I do know that Borders were selling their readers in Australia before they all closed their doors, and it was easy to download the ebooks, not like the Kindle experience.

There is a problem with purchasing ebooks from Kindle site. If we do not have a US IP address we are stopped from purchasing most ebooks, because (I am guessing) the author did not select worldwide rights or something like that). It could also tie in with UK owning print book distribution rights to Australia, some archaic law stopping a level playing field in publishing, but it should not relate to ebooks. My opinion only. :-)

However, I can purchase the ebooks from Smashwords in the Kindle format, without any problems as to IP addresses.

Also, from what I understand, the author only gets 35% of the sale price for purchases from Australia via Kindle store.

Any other North American publishers? Do you mean publishers of ebooks? Or print books?

I purchase print books from Amazon when allowed, again, it relates to rights to sell to Australia. I purchase a lot (read most) of print books from the Book Depository which is UK based, so I assume the rights exist for sales of the books in Australia, including US authors.

As for you publishing in NZ, etc, I think it is just another foreign rights sale. You publisher could answer the question on foreign rights.

I do know that a lot of Australian readers (including me) are fed up with waiting a year or two after publication of books in US or UK to become available in Australia, and also fed up with paying double or more of the recommended sale price for a print book, whether hard cover or paperback, and are turning to ebooks. :-)


Sorry I can't be more helpful. And hope I did not confuse you too much.

[lvcabbie]

Thanks for responding
The two publishers I'm working with are Blue Leaf Publishing in New Zealand and Writer's Exchange Publishing in Australia.

[Carradee]

Update: I just discovered today 2 things:

1. Kobo has added my books to their catalog, finally. (2 months late, and they've ignored my customer service e-mails in these 2 months.)

2. Writers Out is another e-book vendor. As you can see in my notes added to the list, I do not recommend them.

[ravi]

i ravi and my company provide the digital content transformation into many format like e-pub, xml. mobi, kindle, latex, tex so if you have any project then sir you can mail me at [e-mail]

[Carradee]

Updates:

1. Added my thoughts on the Kindle Select program.

2. Added Drive Thru Fiction as a vendor.