[Neil Ostroff]

Anyone have large success with Smashwords? I've sold a few dozen through them but nowhere near the numbers of Amazon Kindle.

 

[alawston]

I've sold 9 copies of my book through Smashwords, most of which were actually through iTunes via their expanded distribution. I can see the potential, but it's not really worked for me.

 

[edmjill]

I have had zero luck with Smashwords.  I think two copies only after several months, so I removed the books from there.  It was too annoying (and disheartening) to login to check and see... nothing...

 

[WynneChanning]

My sales with Smashwords (including its distribution points: B&N, Sony, etc.) are low in comparison to Amazon. However, I love Smashwords for being able to provide free books for reviewers, prizes, etc.

 

[ChristopherDavidPetersen]

I like Smashwords for no other reason than to give Amazon competition. I sell only a fraction of what I sell on Amazon,  but I still love seeing the sales coming  through other vendors.

 

[Accord64]

I've sold only a couple copies directly through Smashwords, but I didn't expect to sell much through them to begin with.  I use them to get out to the other retailers.  In fact, somewhere in the FAQ's, they actually say not to expect too many sales through them directly.  They focus on sales through their distribution channels.

I hope they consider upgrading their website, because I think they actually could make more direct sales now that they have more visibility. 

 

[TheSFReader]

I hope they consider upgrading their website, because I think they actually could make more direct sales now that they have more visibility.

They do... It seems to be planned for 2013.

 

[John H. Carroll]

Smashwords is a long term plan.  If you want to have maximum exposure throughout all platforms over the next ten years, it's a great way to go, especially if you want to distribute to numerous channels.  However, you won't sell much through them directly.

If you want instant success (always a good thing)  KDP Select is your best shot to get your name out there and sell a lot of books fast.

Either way, there's no guarantee and the landscape is changing all the time.

 

[Kia Zi Shiru]

I feel like a fake to comment here since I've only had 10 sales total, but until a few days ago my Amazon.com and my Smashwords sales were equal (4 each). I don't know, maybe it depends on the type of books you write or if you market to places where there are a lot of people who don't use Amazon as much.

 

[Speaker-To-Animals]

You will usually sell a tiny smattering on Smash when it first comes out. The only real reason to put something up there is to get it into the iTunes store. (Or the B&N store if your'e not a US based author.)

 

[Kia Zi Shiru]

You will usually sell a tiny smattering on Smash when it first comes out. The only real reason to put something up there is to get it into the iTunes store. (Or the B&N store if your'e not a US based author.)

I mainly use it to get into their sales and to market to people I know don't have/aren't able to get a kindle.

 

[philvan]

I sold more on amazon at first, but the last few months sales through smashwords (on B&N, Kobo, iStore, and Sony) have grown, while amazon sales have dropped. This month amazon.com is down to just 12 sold so far, +627 free, of which 4 were on the first day of the month. If the trend on B&N continues there should be at least 5 times as many sold there alone.

 

[AdriannaWhite]

My sales on smashwords are about 5:1 over my sales on Amazon, of course that includes both Apple and B&N which are my two biggest venues.

 

[_Sheila_]

I don't use Smashwords for B&N.  My plan was to have the income from Smashwords pay for editing and formatting, the income from B&N pay for my taxes and my real income come from Amazon.

Right now, B&N is paying for formatting and editing, Smashwords more than pays the taxes and Amazon is still in first place (but not by as much as it used to be)

I'm very grateful that Heather (@Cyberwitchpress) talked me into putting my books up on Smashwords. 

Sheila

 

[katherinef]

I don't sell much on Smashwords itself, but I get 70% of my sales through Smashwords, mainly from B&N and Apple. Amazon is falling down every month, so it might be even less than 30% of my income right now, but I need to get those B&N numbers from Smashwords first.

 

[Bilinda Ní Siodacaín]

I've sold a couple of thousand books directly through smashwords and thousands more through its distribution channels but its taken time and dedication to get to this point. In the beginning I was lucky to sell one or two books there in total.

 

[Patty Jansen]

In September, Amazon fell off its mighty pedestal of being my main selling venue, and has been a bottom dweller ever since.

Kobo is first these days, followed by B&N (if only Smashwords would report their sales!). Apple is growing, too. B&N and Apple are through Smashwords. It's worth being on Smashwords, but you may need to have been on the platsform for a fair while (like, a year or more) before sales steadily increase.

 

[James Bruno]

Amazon: 10's of 1000's. B&N: <10. SW: 0.

 

[Hildred]

Smashwords (direct) is my second largest income base after Amazon. My sales at kobo and B&N are pretty much nonexistent, but I always get steady streams of sales at Amazon. I also write erotic romance, though, and erotic works tend to do a lot better SW than other titles.

 

[swolf]

Smashwords has been very, very good to me.