Damon J Courtney said:
Once you hit the download page, BookFunnel automatically detects your device and walks the reader through the process based on that device. You probably only saw what was there for the one device you're browsing on. We support dozens of device and app manufacturers and hundreds of devices and apps, and our support team is trained on all of them to be able to help any reader.
Thanks, Damon for clearing the delivery process air. And to Al Stevens and the several skeptics for raising issues and asking questions. Like Al and Damon, my background is in software, where one needs to begin the design process with the user's needs and "buyer's objections", then make a product or service that deals with each one.
The greatest strength of Damon's approach is the emphasis on after-sale customer support. But having been in his industry I'll add another strength he modestly failed to emphasize. BookFunnel evolves. Having started their business model-design at the end of the process, they've committed their company to the never-ending process of keeping current with end-user reader technology. Now they've "backwards-extended" their scope to include the selling process. I'm launching a business that will sell books all over the globe, and being able to satisfy every buyer's needs is a fundamental requirement.
Will there be issues with one device or another over time? Naturally; that's the nature of networked interaction technology. Will anyone other than BookFunnel be likely to solve the issue as speedily as Damon's team? My long experience in the industry says no.
I have a mantra stuck to one of my PC displays that reads "MOPA". It means "My Own Private Amazon", and serves to remind every day that I'm not simply trying to patch together services like BookFunnel and Woo Commerce. I'm creating a full "customer experience" to use the current jargon. My little platform doesn't simply sell books. It has to incorporate the entire process of marketing, discovery, sales admin, and customer support.
Sales tax collection and filing is another part of this process, and, like the reader technology, taxes on Internet sales are messy now and will get messier still for online booksellers. Having correct, up to date info is the first step to coping with your potential liability, and my previous comment in this thread tells where to get it for free. EG, you'll see that there are just two US states that do not collect sales taxes, not "five". You'll also fathom the complexity of "nexus".
Obviously, building an economically viable direct selling platform is not a realistic option for the vast majority of Indie author/publishers. First one has to understand that we're in a trade which, like so many others, roughly adheres to the Pareto principle, where the 20% effort to create a commercially marketable book leads to the 80% effort of production, promotion, sale, delivery, and post-sale reader base/community building. One needs a saleable catalog. One needs a large, qualified list to drive buyers to the selling site/landing page.
A well-thought-through direct selling platform can make this daunting challenge manageable. You may decide you're not a candidate now to build your own selling channel. But be aware that, thanks to BookFunnel's gritty commitment to service and Damon's integration with WooCommerce and other selling solutions, the single messiest part of the direct selling process is solved. We're at the point IMO where direct selling has become viable for a much larger number of Indies than it was just six months ago.