Are you using that ISBN with another printer, like IngramSpark? What is your trim size? Is your retail list price high enough?

 

I use my own ISBN, and nothing has changed for me. (I don't distribute through IngramSpark.)

 

I have had a similar experience - I use  my own IBN's and when I recently updated my second novel to include a reference to a new one I got the same message about not being eligible for expanded distribution.
I do have all my novels set up with IngramSpark as well as KDP but I only use Ingram to obtain printed author copies (KDP cannot deliver to Australia).
I have written to KDP about this and they have asked me to provide proof that my paperback is not being distributed by Ingram. I have sent them a screenshot of my Ingram page which clearly shows it is not for distribution from that site. Also sent a copy of an email from Ingram confirming that my title is "not in distribution".
I'm still waiting on a reply from KDP.

 

I do have all my novels set up with IngramSpark as well as KDP but I only use Ingram to obtain printed author copies (KDP cannot deliver to Australia).

Why aren't you allowing distribution through IS? IS allows the publisher to set the wholesale discount as low as 30%, as opposed to KDP ED's fixed 60%, so you would earn much more for sales through IS than through KDP ED.

 

Agreed ^ My IngramSpark sales have exploded since the pandemic started and its working out to an extra 2K a month. That would be pennies through ED on KDP. Plus, it's set and forget and it's available everywhere!

 

Why aren't you allowing distribution through IS? IS allows the publisher to set the wholesale discount as low as 30%, as opposed to KDP ED's fixed 60%, so you would earn much more for sales through IS than through KDP ED.

I sell very few, if any, paperbacks. Virtually all my sales are ebooks via KU so I didn't think it would be worth paying the yearly fee to Ingram. However, I do occasionally sell author copies which I can obtain economically and easily through IS. I'm in Australia and KDP seem to be unable to deliver paperbacks here.

 

Hi hobie,
i just contacted kdp last week and they replied to me recently saying it has been solved and now i can do the expanded distribution.
i would recommend contacting them and tell them your book title & isbn and hopefully, they solve it this time.

i have a feeling they got mixed up with the paperback and the ingramspark hardback version.
cheers.

I have had a similar experience - I use my own IBN's and when I recently updated my second novel to include a reference to a new one I got the same message about not being eligible for expanded distribution.
I do have all my novels set up with IngramSpark as well as KDP but I only use Ingram to obtain printed author copies (KDP cannot deliver to Australia).
I have written to KDP about this and they have asked me to provide proof that my paperback is not being distributed by Ingram. I have sent them a screenshot of my Ingram page which clearly shows it is not for distribution from that site. Also sent a copy of an email from Ingram confirming that my title is "not in distribution".
I'm still waiting on a reply from KDP.

 

Background. I use IS for all print distribution except Amazon and KDP for Amazon.  I am in Kindle Select for ebooks.

With bricks and mortar stores largely closed, my IS sales have increased dramatically. Interesting since my only ads are on AMS. There is a narrative that the big players are pushing people to ebooks. This appears to have benefited self-publishers like myself because the big competition seems to have let their guard down on paperbacks and opened the door for smaller players. My paperback sales are better than ebooks, by a wide margin over the last two months. All my AMS ads are geared for ebooks. This tells me their is a hunger for paperbacks that is no longer met through the bricks and mortar stores.

The big publishing houses spend fortunes marketing their titles including "buying" up shelf space. Now they are sitting with all these books in retail stores/inventory that will come back to them at the some point. 

Mark

 

i just contacted kdp last week and they replied to me recently saying it has been solved and now i can do the expanded distribution.
i would recommend contacting them and tell them your book title & isbn and hopefully, they solve it this time.

Hi Blueman,
I have been in contact with KDP and its been an exercise in frustration. I supplied them with screenshots showing that my title had not been released for distribution by IS but the first two replies I got simply quoted their rules about why expanded distribution would not be made available. I finally got them to address my particular issue and, after they had referred it to their "technical team" this is the response I got:

while the book isn't distributed by Ingram the title is tied to your account because it does show listed. In this case, to make your book available for expanded distribution, please contact Ingram to request them to transfer the title to KDP.

I have emailed IS to ask what is involved in "transferring the title to KDP" and am currently waiting on an answer.

 

I've never heard the phrase, either, but I suspect that Ingram is a bit annoyed at your tactic of using them only to provide you with author copies. You can hardly blame them. Nobody's in the business of printing books at cost while the profit goes to a competitor. The more usual way to use IngramSpark in connection with KDP Print is to distribute substantially identical versions through both services, while eschewing Expanded Distribution in the KDP Print edition.

And why take the paltry return (for me it's $1.50 for "Expanded" sales, $4 or more for an Amazon sale) from KDP Print for a book sold by Barnes & Noble or Book Depository when you could be earning more through the Ingram catalog?

 

Virtually all my sales are ebooks via KU so I didn't think it would be worth paying the yearly fee to Ingram.

I've been using IngramSpark for years and have never been charged anything beyond the title setup fee and file revision fees (waived with discount codes). They do not actually charge a yearly distribution fee. So there's really no point in *not* enabling distribution there, since your books are already set up.

 

Thanks Sleeping Cat and NotJohn - looks like I had made the wrong assumption about IS charging a yearly fee. I'll stop expanded distribution on my KDP print titles and use IS instead. From what I'm reading its best to not allow returns and select a 35% discount for retailers.
Just shows the value of this forum, I'm most grateful