[khughes]

I have my first novel on Smashwords and Amazon, and am getting ready to release the sequel in a few months. It will certainly be on Amazon, but I'm pondering not using Smashwords to distribute it to their premium catalog, at last not to B&N. My reason for this is there are so many delays associated between SW and the other distributors, in both changes I make and money coming back.

If I were to go direct I would have greater control on the pricing, descriptions, etc. that appear in the site. I am especially thinking this would be good for Barnes & Noble, and perhaps for Kobo. I might still use Smashwords for Sony, iBook, etc.

What do you think? Have you tried this, and is it worth the extra effort?

 

[Amanda Brice]

I use Smashwords to distribute to Kobo, Apple, Sony, and Diesel, but I submit directly to B&N trhough PubIt.

As long as your're pricing at $2.99 or higher, then you get a higher royalty rate through PubIt. Also, it's much faster than waiting for Smashwords to distribute it for you. It takes somewhere between 10-4 days to get approved for the premium catalog, then it could take another week or two to see it up on B&N...assuming it gets approved right away.

Meanwhile, it's been close to a month or more and you've missed out on all those sales.

 

[Tara Maya]

I think having the book available through Smashwords can have other advantages besides direct sales. They have a good coupon method, so I use to give out gift and review copies.

 

[Amanda Brice]

I agree with Tara. The Smashwords coupon codes are wonderful.

 

[Carol (was Dara)]

I only use SmashWords for the distribution to Apple, Kobo, etc. I've only sold a lonely 2 copies on SmashWords, compared to coming up on 2,000 copies via Amazon and B&N. I don't know if that's typical but it seems like I'm hearing a lot of others say their sales with SW are pretty low too. So far I don't think I'm selling much in the stores SW has distributed me to either but maybe I just need to give it more time. It's hard to keep track of those sales without live stats like I get on Amazon and PubIt.