Do you know how Amazon’s Expanded Distribution works?
Are you planning to publish your ebook as a paperback? Then get prepared to answer a whole different set of book distributions questions during your title set up in Amazon KDP.
Whereas for your ebook you had a choice of different retailers and distributors (aggregators) to publish your book through, for your paperback distribution the list of available companies to partner is smaller. The two I work with are Amazon to reach the Amazon universe and IngramSpark to reach and expanded distribution.
Expanded Distribution through Amazon KDP
If you want to keep your paperback publishing options simple you can choose to only sell your print on demand paperback through Amazon KDP, and click the option “Expanded Distribution”.
Expanded Distribution will help you reach more readers through bookstores, online retailers, libraries, and academic institutions.
Online retailers and bookstores source books through relationships with large distributors (like IngramSpark). If your book is listed with these distributors, the retailers they partner with can buy your book. Through Expanded Distribution, you can distribute and make your book available to a wider selection of online retailers, bookstores, and distributors.
Is every author eligible for Expanded Distribution?
You need to set up your book via Amazon KDP and meet these requirements:
- Your paperback can have an ISBN you purchased or one assigned by KDP.
- Your book’s ISBN must not have been submitted for distribution through another service.
- Your book must be one of these trim size, ink and paper types:
What royalty rate will I receive from Amazon?
When you select Expanded Distribution, the royalty rate is:
- 40% of the book’s list price effective in the distribution channel at the time of purchase
- minus printing costs
- minus applicable taxes
- minus any withholding.
To find out the estimated royalty for a paperback:
- Go to your paperback listing on your Bookshelf
Navigate to the PAPERBACK ACTIONS menu - Select Edit Paperback Rights & Pricing.
Select the territories for which you hold distribution rights.
Enter a list price and see how the pricing grid automatically updates the printing cost and estimated royalty
How long will it take for my book to be available in all channels?
It can take up to six to eight weeks for your book to become available in Expanded Distribution channels.
Who prints my book?
Books sold through the Expanded Distribution channels might be manufactured by third parties. There may be minor differences in manufacturing (e.g., paper thickness, color shade, etc.).
It won’t always be Amazon KDP who prints your book. When you select expanded distribution through Amazon, you are giving them permission to send your book details and files to other distributors. One of their main distributors is IngramSpark, and you book could be printed by them — it all depends on where the customer shipping point is. If it’s in a territory that Amazon has a cheaper distribution network, Amazon will print your book. If it’s in a territory where IngramSpark has a cheaper distribution network, they (or one of their agents) will print and distribute your book.
Should I choose expanded distribution through Amazon KDP?
If you want to keep your paperback distribution network simple, and only work with one distributor, you should choose the expanded distribution option through Amazon KDP. But, you will receive less royalties that if you go direct with IngramSpark.
The most financially lucrative distribution set up is:
- Amazon distribution through Amazon (NOT expanded distribution).
- Expanded distribution through IngramSpark (using one of their promo offers to waive the set up fees)
With this option you will need to set up and maintain two book distributors, but if you’re looking at your author career as a long-game plan, then the effort it takes to work with two distributors, is worth the effort. You’ll end up with increased royalties (as long as your book sell!)
Can I back out of expanded distribution?
After you have submitted your book to expanded distribution (which is after you’ve hit the publish button) you can change your mind and un-click the expanded distribution option in your Amazon KDP set up, but at that point your book records (and ISBN) have been sent to IngramSpark. So if you decide you want to distribute direct through IngramSpark, you will have to file a form to IngramSpark, taking back ownership of your book from Amazon, so they can update their records and allow you to use your ISBN directly with them.
Additional Resources
Here’s what IngramSpark has to say about their relationship with Amazon:
Even though this articles talks about their relationship with CreateSpace, it’s relevant for KDP now that all CreateSpace books are moving to KDP.
I want to make it clear that Ingram and Amazon enjoy a very collaborative relationship where human beings on both sides work tirelessly to improve the experience for our collective publisher and author content providers. The people who work on both sides are not adversarial as is often assumed in online posts; nor is there any evidence that Amazon is intentionally targeting and depressing the availability of IngramSpark books on the Amazon site.
