[Secret Pen Pal]

After four upload attempts for a new box set cover I contacted KDP support. I got a stilted response that said my image was 300 dpi and I have to submit one 72 dpi.

What's mystifying is I've uploaded many covers, including another box set, at 300 dpi.

It does say 72 dpi in these GLs: https://kdp.amazon.com/help?topicId=A2J0TRG6OPX0VM Somewhere in all my reading about ebook covers, I got the impression that limit was outdated.

I did a search and this thread on 3D covers being banned was the closest answer I could find, although of course there are 3D box sets all over Amazon. http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,196299.25.html

As that thread suggests, the answers from KDP support aren't always accurate.

No doubt someone here can tell me whether I have to reduce it to 72 dpi. (I know how, I just wonder if it's necessary. BTW, the file size is less than 2MB and within KDPs size GLs) eReaders have evolved since Amazon set its cover specs. I just want to use the best quality image. The email also gave different pixel dimensions than the ones in the official, probably old, guidelines above. I didn't memorize it, but something like more than 4k on the long side instead of 2500. Does using the larger dimensions improve the image quality? It's still the same ratio. Thanks.

 

[Carol (was Dara)]

Amazon does allow 3D covers (although Apple doesn't) and you should be fine at 300 dpi. I think your culprit is likely something else, like your overall dimensions, but somebody on the other end is confused, so they're bringing up the dpi. Just my guess. Support emails can be hit or miss and sometimes you have to try several times to get a good answer.

 

[Secret Pen Pal]

Thanks, Carol.

That's what I suspected. It just makes no sense that all the other covers went through at 300 dpi and this didn't. I'll take another look at the original tomorrow.

I'm not sure if the submitted resolution makes that much of a difference to the reader, but I'm guessing that on the better eReaders it would.

Even though my box sets are far below the max MB, I've noticed they show short in the thumbnail, but not distorted, as though Amazon resizes it compared to a flat cover. So I may tinker with dimensions. Maybe my high quality settings are giving Amazon indigestion.