[MQ]

I am trying to put the first book in a series perma-free on Amazon.  Normally, Amazon will match whatever price is on BN.  Unfortunately, I can't upload directly to BN so I go through Smashwords.  SW is taking too long to approve the book in their premium catalogue. Plus, once approved it will be another couple of weeks before the book shows up in BN.

Is there another/quicker way to have Amazon change the price to perma-free

 

[BrianKittrell]

The Select program is the only other way to go free, and I know you don't want to do that. Price matching requires a price to match, so you're stuck for a bit.

ETA: And I am rapidly consuming caffeine, so now I see "perma-free" in the subject line instead of just "free".

 

[Amanda Brice]

Apple (either through Smashwords or direct -- it is currently taking a day or two to get to Apple)

Kobo direct

 

[Greer]

Could you put your book in Kobo? That way you can upload to Kobo directly, and change your price a lot quicker.

 

[L.M. Pfalz]

I can vouch for the fact that you don't need to be listed on B&N in order to get your book price-matched. I have my book free on Kobo (used Draft2Digital.com to distribute it there, my book was up on Kobo within 24 hrs), and Amazon price-matched it in about a week's time (I think I may have gotten really lucky with the turn around time...YMMV). The "Make It Free" thread here at the KB is a huge help as well: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,78571.0.html

 

[SBJones]

While it does suck that it can take Smashwords a week or two to approve a title, followed by a week or two to get pushed to other sites, you have to remember that price matching to Amazon is really outside your control.  There are several examples where it has taken weeks, months and a few cases of never getting price matched.

Going forward if you are releasing a book with some sort of timetable, taking these delays into account will save your sanity.  Unreliable distribution is one of the prices we pay to be able to do it ourselves as self publishers.  Even a month of delay is better than a years delay by a traditional publisher.

 

[TexasGirl]

What he said ^

Amazon price matching is out of your control. It seems to matter a lot how the book was selling before it went free elsewhere. Slow-moving books are not a priority for anything.

 

[MQ]

I can vouch for the fact that you don't need to be listed on B&N in order to get your book price-matched. I have my book free on Kobo (used Draft2Digital.com to distribute it there, my book was up on Kobo within 24 hrs), and Amazon price-matched it in about a week's time (I think I may have gotten really lucky with the turn around time...YMMV). The "Make It Free" thread here at the KB is a huge help as well: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,78571.0.html

Thanks for the link!

 

[gljones]

I am trying to put the first book in a series perma-free on Amazon. Normally, Amazon will match whatever price is on BN. Unfortunately, I can't upload directly to BN so I go through Smashwords. SW is taking too long to approve the book in their premium catalogue. Plus, once approved it will be another couple of weeks before the book shows up in BN.

Is there another/quicker way to have Amazon change the price to perma-free

when I see stuff like this, I use it to justify my decision to work with only one fulfillment shop. Stuff like this would probably make me lose whatever is left of my mind.