Amazon is very good at selling books. If I were you, I'd leap at it.
Lexi
Lexi
Amazon UK promotional opportunity -- is this worth doing? UPDATED WITH RESULTS
I got an email from Amazon UK asking if I wanted my travelogue, The Kindness of Strangers, to be considered for a possible promotion in the UK store. Here is the email:
Hello Michael,
We are considering including your book The Kindness of Strangers: Penniless Across America in an upcoming promotion in the Amazon.co.uk Kindle Book Store. We would offer the books at a discount we determine off of your book's list price for a period of up to one month. Your list price won't change, so that customers see your list price and the discount.
If your books are included, your royalty will be calculated based on our discounted price (not your list price), up to a discount of 90% off of your book's list price. For example, if we sell your book at £1.29, where the 70% royalty option applies, your royalty will be calculated as 70% x (£1.29 - delivery costs and taxes). To be included in this promotion, your book must have a list price between £1.49 and £7.81.
The promotion will begin on a date we determine, which we anticipate to be at some point between 31st December and 30th March 2013.
Here are some other terms:
Not all books made available will be included, so we can't guarantee yours will be, and we may discontinue the promotion at any time.
You must keep your book in the Kindle Store during the promotion and for at least 90 days after the promotion ends; you can't un-publish it or terminate your participation in KDP during that period.
Due to system latencies, the exact start and end times of promotions are approximate and can take from a few minutes to several hours, but in some cases this period may be longer.
If you agree to participate, this email and the KDP Terms and Conditions will be the entire binding agreement between you and Amazon EU S.à.r.l. with regard to the promotion.
Except as provided in this email, the KDP Terms and Conditions apply to your book and this promotion.
If you represent a Publisher other than yourself, by agreeing to participate you also confirm that you are authorized to agree on behalf of the Publisher.
In order for us to comply with advertising rules, the list price from the date of submission cannot be modified until at least 7 days after the end of the promotion.
If you would like to participate in this promotion and agree to the terms above, please respond to this email stating: "I would like to participate and I agree to these terms."
All the best,
Does anyone here have any experience with this promo? Is it worth pursuing?
About 15% of my sales for that book come from the UK. It's listed at £3.22. If they discounted it 90%, it would sell for 32 pence; so I would get 22 pence per copy, or about 33 cents. During the promo, I'd need to sell 10 times as many books to break even. That strikes me as a big ask, but maybe these promos yield more exposure than I'm imagining. Any thoughts?
Hello Michael,
We are considering including your book The Kindness of Strangers: Penniless Across America in an upcoming promotion in the Amazon.co.uk Kindle Book Store. We would offer the books at a discount we determine off of your book's list price for a period of up to one month. Your list price won't change, so that customers see your list price and the discount.
If your books are included, your royalty will be calculated based on our discounted price (not your list price), up to a discount of 90% off of your book's list price. For example, if we sell your book at £1.29, where the 70% royalty option applies, your royalty will be calculated as 70% x (£1.29 - delivery costs and taxes). To be included in this promotion, your book must have a list price between £1.49 and £7.81.
The promotion will begin on a date we determine, which we anticipate to be at some point between 31st December and 30th March 2013.
Here are some other terms:
Not all books made available will be included, so we can't guarantee yours will be, and we may discontinue the promotion at any time.
You must keep your book in the Kindle Store during the promotion and for at least 90 days after the promotion ends; you can't un-publish it or terminate your participation in KDP during that period.
Due to system latencies, the exact start and end times of promotions are approximate and can take from a few minutes to several hours, but in some cases this period may be longer.
If you agree to participate, this email and the KDP Terms and Conditions will be the entire binding agreement between you and Amazon EU S.à.r.l. with regard to the promotion.
Except as provided in this email, the KDP Terms and Conditions apply to your book and this promotion.
If you represent a Publisher other than yourself, by agreeing to participate you also confirm that you are authorized to agree on behalf of the Publisher.
In order for us to comply with advertising rules, the list price from the date of submission cannot be modified until at least 7 days after the end of the promotion.
If you would like to participate in this promotion and agree to the terms above, please respond to this email stating: "I would like to participate and I agree to these terms."
All the best,
Does anyone here have any experience with this promo? Is it worth pursuing?
About 15% of my sales for that book come from the UK. It's listed at £3.22. If they discounted it 90%, it would sell for 32 pence; so I would get 22 pence per copy, or about 33 cents. During the promo, I'd need to sell 10 times as many books to break even. That strikes me as a big ask, but maybe these promos yield more exposure than I'm imagining. Any thoughts?
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
Lexi is right.
It sounds as if Amazon will promote this offer - BINGO - your book in front of potential buyers.
I'd give it a go in a heartbeat.
It sounds as if Amazon will promote this offer - BINGO - your book in front of potential buyers.
I'd give it a go in a heartbeat.
I think so, too.Lexi Revellian said:Amazon is very good at selling books. If I were you, I'd leap at it.
Lexi
Thanx u 4! I shall leap and let u know!
Wow, I'm the only one going "er..." to this?
There's a ton of IFs in there:
They can't tell you what your book will cost
They can't tell you if you'll be picked
They can't tell you when the change would happen
They can't tell you if you'll stay above the 70% royalty range
They can't tell you if they DO change your price if you'll be included
So they could knock you down to $.99, making you a 35% royalty, not tell you when it starts, not include you in the program and not allow you to make any changes until 7 days after the program they won't tell you the dates for ends....
I know I'm cautious, but that seems like a lot to consider.
BUT, if it goes well, I assume it would go REALLY well... more to consider.
There's a ton of IFs in there:
They can't tell you what your book will cost
They can't tell you if you'll be picked
They can't tell you when the change would happen
They can't tell you if you'll stay above the 70% royalty range
They can't tell you if they DO change your price if you'll be included
So they could knock you down to $.99, making you a 35% royalty, not tell you when it starts, not include you in the program and not allow you to make any changes until 7 days after the program they won't tell you the dates for ends....
I know I'm cautious, but that seems like a lot to consider.
BUT, if it goes well, I assume it would go REALLY well... more to consider.
I received that same email for my Fifth Avenue Series boxed set today, Michael. Do it! I did.
It's an Amazon opportunity. Take it!!!
If only they did this for erotica, I'd be all over it...
Let us know how it turns out!
Let us know how it turns out!
Ok, obviously I"m the only one who saw all those ifs and maybes and buts and was made nervous by them. Someone explain to me why this is a no-brainer to everyone else. What am I missing?
Cause when Amazon knocks you answer the door
This sounds like the 100 Books for $3.99 or Less thing. I know some KB authors have been included in that before; maybe they can confirm. Here's the link to the UK store version.
I mean, I'm not positive it's that, it just seems to be a match.
This sounds like the 100 Books for $3.99 or Less thing. I know some KB authors have been included in that before; maybe they can confirm. Here's the link to the UK store version.
I mean, I'm not positive it's that, it just seems to be a match.
Maybe because of the rumors about the super-secret-upon-threat-of-lawsuit contract their publishing branch supposedly has...
Maybe it's because Amazon has never shown us they're out for anyone but themselves...
Maybe because I'd never sign (in my business life) a contract that not only has that many loopholes, but is brash enough to say, I'm so sure of myself and you have so little I'll tell you what the loopholes are...
I just... it makes me nervous. I must be the only one.
I'm not saying I wouldn't do it... I'm just saying, all that would give me pause. I'm surprise by what an auto-yes it seems to be for everyone else.
Maybe it's because Amazon has never shown us they're out for anyone but themselves...
Maybe because I'd never sign (in my business life) a contract that not only has that many loopholes, but is brash enough to say, I'm so sure of myself and you have so little I'll tell you what the loopholes are...
I just... it makes me nervous. I must be the only one.
I'm not saying I wouldn't do it... I'm just saying, all that would give me pause. I'm surprise by what an auto-yes it seems to be for everyone else.
How many are you selling now in uk? Is this money you can afford to lose for a short while?
think of this as a free promotion, but with the added exposure that Amazon is giving you. you'll get more exposure but at the cost of royalties, is that a gamble you can afford to make? and also more exposure means more eyeballs looking at your backlist. You'll definitely shoot up the ranks.
think of this as a free promotion, but with the added exposure that Amazon is giving you. you'll get more exposure but at the cost of royalties, is that a gamble you can afford to make? and also more exposure means more eyeballs looking at your backlist. You'll definitely shoot up the ranks.
I would never personally turn down an email like that in the hope that it will bring more readers in via the promotion and once you're in Amazon's arms - they'll keep coming back 
Brian,
This is a no-brainer - go for it.
P.S. You might want to redact that guys email address from your post. I doubt it's supposed to be made public...
This is a no-brainer - go for it.
P.S. You might want to redact that guys email address from your post. I doubt it's supposed to be made public...
I understand your caution. There are quite a few questions left unanswered here, and I'd probably like a few more certainties before committing.Caitie Quinn said:Ok, obviously I"m the only one who saw all those ifs and maybes and buts and was made nervous by them. Someone explain to me why this is a no-brainer to everyone else. What am I missing?
HOWEVER, as other people have said, Amazon are Kings of selling! With the data, people, and resources they have, the ability for them to shoot you up the charts shouldn't be ignored. I'd jump at it to be honest. Part of me is saying ask questions, but the other is saying go for it, see what happens, and evaluate later.
This could be BIG. Brian, I hope it works out for you - if you choose to go ahead, of course
Matthew
Yeah, that might get someone in trouble... aka get you in the bad books.dgaughran said:P.S. You might want to redact that guys email address from your post. I doubt it's supposed to be made public...
Ain't no "ers" about it. They're making me a grand a day on The Home and all I had to do was ...nothing.
Yes, when Amazon sends such an email with such an offer, you take them up on it. Period.Lexi Revellian said:Amazon is very good at selling books. If I were you, I'd leap at it.
Lexi
Oh, and Caitie...that was basically the identical email from Amazon.com I got about 2 weeks before my book was part of the 80-book Kindle Daily Deal on Dec 21. They write it vaguely to cover their butts in the event that something happens and your book somehow didn't make it in when the promo went live. If they reduce your price, you're in. And pretty much, if you accept the deal, it happens.
Unless it doesn't, but they have to give themselves an out because sometimes things go wrong.
1 - 20 of 31 Posts
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