How to Sell Self-Published Books on Amazon 2024 (Step by Step Beginner Guide)
Traditionally, writers needed to write the book's screenplay; after reading it, a publisher would approve the plot and publish the book. Now, authors do not necessarily need to wait for their screenplay to be formally accepted and seek the help and assistance of a publishing firm.
Readers can now be self-published by writers themselves. Self-publishing a book refers to the act of an author releasing their work independently of a book publisher. When an author does this, they do not have to pay certain additional royalties and are capable of maintaining complete creative control, which would otherwise fall under the power of the publishing team. Books and e-books are only a couple of Amazon's countless products.
Presently, Amazon allows authors to publish their work on the platform. If authors so choose, they can consider selling their books digitally. Self-publishing of e-books is allowed on Amazon by writers. By taking a few easy steps, this is quite simple to do. A part of Amazon, Amazon Kindle, allows authors to digitally sell self-publish their books.
In this manner, authors may make their works available to the millions of customers of this website. If there isn't already a book's digital edition open, authors can create a PDF of its pages and Amazon will handle the rest. Authors may even contact platforms like Fynd Platform if they need extra assistance running their accounts.
Why Should We Sell Books on Amazon?
One of the most straightforward, enjoyable, and profitable side hustles is selling books online. Choosing which books to buy for sale requires little guesswork if you utilize the tools we are about to demonstrate!
Selling a book online through Amazon or another retailer is more straightforward. This article covers the benefits of selling books online, ultimately increasing revenue.
- With a cheap, portable device you can carry with you when you shop, you can find out how much a book is selling for on Amazon. It takes the device less than a second to scan the text and provide you with a price.
- Selling books on Amazon is pretty simple and fun as the seller can immediately close your e-store and reopen it if you get too busy or decide to go on holiday.
- You can make automatic bank withdrawals of your funds (in your account) for two weeks.
- Additionally, specialized software automatically accepts orders, creating charged sticking posting labels.
- By selling books on Amazon, you can pack each book in less than a minute and apply the shipping label; therefore, shipping out books is no longer time-consuming.
- You can drop off your international packages at the postal service without standing in line.
- Books can be listed and shipped anytime, allowing you to shop for them outside regular business hours. And earning $1,000 or $2,000 per month as a side revenue.
How to Sell self-published Books on Amazon in 2024
Step-by-Step Guide
Amazon is a vast marketplace where individuals can buy a broad range of products daily. These days, many people purchase and even read books online because they find it more convenient. Authors who want to increase their work exposure can sell their books on Amazon.
1. The Niche of Book Sold
You need to know the kinds of books you can sell on Amazon if you want to sell any book. This broad platform enables writers to sell hard cover editions, paperback books, or e-books.
However, if the writer chooses to sell books in bulk, it can be problematic as the readers need to be published and delivered on time. So, authors should sell their published books as eBooks on Amazon Kindle.
2. Create a seller account on Amazon
Anyone wishing to sell any product on Amazon must create an Amazon seller account and register as a seller on the platform. For this, sellers have a choice between two selling plans. If a writer wants to sell their book as an eBook, they can register for Kindle Direct Publishing on Amazon.
3. List your Books
Authors can quickly begin listing their works on Amazon once they create a seller account. Since the book has been self-published, an ISBN is not required. Amazon will provide the ASIN number for the book, and the seller can add the SKU number if they want to.
If the book has to be uploaded digitally, writers must add it under the "add new title" tab. The seller must upload the book in digital format. The author may even make a PDF of the script if they don't already have the digital one, and Amazon will handle the rest.
4. Include the Details
The seller must provide all of the book's information when listing the book. Since the keywords are necessary for buyers to find their books on the Amazon website, sellers must choose a suitable category. You must upload a high-quality image of the book's front cover.
Make sure the book's picture is clear because it is the first thing a buyer sees. You must also state the book's description clearly. The author must provide a photo of the book's cover if they want to sell it as an eBook. They can even hire an expert to create one for them if they don't have one.
5. Choose the Cost
When listing items for sale online, sellers must also select a book price. The author must decide between a 35% or 70% royalty if the book is sold as an eBook on Amazon Kindle.
6. Delivery Method
Authors can produce and distribute their books after packing them themselves or use Amazon's services. They might select Merchant Fulfilled Network (MFN) if they wish to keep, package, and send orders independently. If the author wants Amazon to keep the books in a warehouse for them, package the product, and even send them to customers, they may do so.
They will have to pick Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) to do this. Amazon will handle all customer care if the author opts to use FBA. When a book is sold digitally on Amazon Kindle, it is published as soon as all the necessary information has been provided, including the book's description, cover image, royalty rate, and other preferences. Moreover, the author will be required to wait around two days for Amazon to review the book. The book is immediately published upon completion of all of these.
7. Payments
Once the book has been released, readers may easily purchase it. Amazon deposits all the money into the sellers' account if they choose FBA or Fulfillment by Amazon. It takes around ten business days to complete this process. If the author has sold the book as an eBook, it will be accessible to everyone after completing the review process.
Amazon pays the sellers 60 days after the last day of the month in which the seller authenticated the sale. Additionally, the seller will have to wait up to 10 business days before the payments are deposited directly into their bank accounts.
8. Advertise your Books
People seriously underestimate the value of advertising. Once their work is available for sale on Amazon, authors should attempt to market it; this is a valuable strategy for increasing exposure.
The author can even advertise their works using the different services offered by Amazon. The writer could also contact Fynd Platform for assistance in running their account and selling processes.
How to sell your book on the Amazon Kindle
Independent authors can sell e-books and print-on-demand books on Amazon using the free Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing platform. You can sell ebooks on Amazon for free by signing up for KDP, and you will receive a royalty payment every time one is sold, which ranges from 35 to 70 percent of the book's retail price.
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) on Amazon is open to all authors. Each time a book sells, you are paid. Opening an Amazon KDP account, listing books, and selling books on Amazon are all free. Amazon and other marketplaces are both options for selling as a KDP author.
Alternatively, you can sign up for some or all of your titles for KDP Select, Amazon's exclusive sales program. KDP Select titles receive added promotions in exchange for exclusivity, which limits their sale to Amazon.com.
KDP authors can choose to list all, none, or only a small number of their books in KDP Select, giving them total control over where and how their books are made available for purchase on Amazon. You just need to look at these four simple steps to start with KDP and sell ebooks on Amazon.
Create a Free Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) Account
Register at Amazon KDP. To access KDP's wealth of beneficial tools and publishing tutorials, it's a good idea to create your Amazon KDP account before you have a book ready to access KDP's wealth of practical tools and publishing tutorials.
Select whether to move forward as a person or a company. Access the dashboard for your account now. From your KDP dashboard, you can manage, price, track, and upload all of your Amazon book titles from your KDP dashboard.
Create a page for yourself in Amazon's Author Central
Create your Author Page on Amazon's Author Central after setting up your KDP account. Your titles are all gathered on this page. Amazon will link any published books to your page once you create an author account and verify your identity.
Establish Your Amazon KDP Book Listing
You must create a list before uploading your book to Amazon KDP and making it accessible from Amazon. To do that, navigate to your bookshelf, click on the category of book you want to publish, and then choose Kindle e-book.
Setting up your book details, uploading your ebook content and cover files, and setting your price are all done through a three-screen process that KDP guides you through.
- Book information
- Content of e-books
- Book costing
The price range for Kindle Direct Publishing ebooks on Amazon is $0.99 to $200. Amazon does not permit books to have perpetually low prices. Only titles that are a part of KDP Select are eligible for free pricing. Your pricing affects the royalty rate you choose, which affects your profit potential. The 70% royalty rate applies to books with a list price of $2.99.
You can sell a book for less than $2.99, but your royalty is only 35% at that price. Within 72 hours, your e-book listing will become active in Amazon's Kindle marketplace, and KDP will send you an email to let you know. That is how you will sell your book on Amazon Kindle!
Is Amazon's Kindle still profitable in 2024?
For those skilled at identifying untapped markets and topics and writing high-caliber books about them, Kindle direct publishing is still profitable in 2024 and will remain so. Only the caliber of the books that are sold has changed. It's no longer possible to publish subpar books and e-books on KDP and still make a ton of money.
As the number of self-published people grows daily, it becomes increasingly difficult for spammers to make money off of their poor-quality books. In light of this, if you want to profit from Kindle publishing, you should be more than willing to limit your output to books that add value for readers. The success of Kindle publishing is due to a variety of factors.
1. Low initial expense
The initial investment required to publish your books through Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is minimal compared to traditional publishing. To begin with Kindle publishing, you don't need a sizable budget. You can get started for nothing if you have the time to handle every aspect of your publishing company, including writing, editing, designing covers, and marketing.
2. No actual inventory
You don't need to maintain inventory if you publish paperbacks because Kindle publishing is a POD (Print On Demand) business. Since FBA sellers must ship their actual merchandise to Amazon's warehouse and pay for storage, sellers must meet these requirements!
KDP publishing is an exception to this.
- E-books are essentially downloadable digital files.
- Books in paperback format are only printed by Amazon when a customer places an order.
- Get started anywhere.
Unlike PC self-publishing, KDP publishing only needs a laptop or PC and an internet connection, which is incredible! It implies that you can carry out this task from any location. Since KDP has taken down the obstacles and made it simple for anyone to self-publish a book on their own, you don't need to go in person to your publisher.
3. More substantial royalties
You can earn up to 70% in e-book royalties with Kindle direct publishing, which is significantly more than you would with a traditional publisher. As a result, you keep more of your earnings when you self-publish a book through KDP. And that's another justification for KDP's continued profitability in 2024.
4. It proceeds swiftly.
It only takes a few days or weeks to publish a book using KDP, and then it will be available for purchase. Instead of waiting months to release your book, as is the case with traditional publishing, you can do it immediately.
After the creation process, all that's left to do is wait for 24 to 72 hours. The upshot is that you can produce more books and earn more money in less time!
Quick tips for selling your books on Amazon
On Amazon, you may sell popular book formats like hardbacks, paperbacks, and e-books. You don't need to look elsewhere if you want to list and sell books from your physical store, sell non-fiction books that you've already read, part with cherished comics, post rare hard cover collectibles, or just get rid of children's books.
Selling books on Amazon is a fantastic idea, whether you're thinking about selling those Jane Austen volumes collecting dust, books the children in your life no longer read, and even your original e-book that is now ready for the world.
With the available seller tools, you may start selling on Amazon.com, a well-known online retailer, in a matter of hours. Our simple instructions in this article will help you position yourself for success whether you're trying to sell new or used volumes, particular titles, or particular genres.
Book reading is prevalent. Thankfully, books are still in demand despite today's alternative entertainment options. Selling books on Amazon can be a straightforward procedure without having to bother about developing a website or an online ordering system. If you use Amazon's seller tools, you may get started quickly and with little expense.
Types of Books to List on Amazon
On Amazon, you may sell popular book formats like hard covers, paperbacks, and e-books. You don't need to search anywhere else if you want to list and sell books from your physical store, sell non-fiction books that you've already read, part with cherished comics, list rare hard cover collectibles, or get rid of children's books.
Don't forget that certain books sell more than others. Finding popular novels by doing some research might be beneficial. You may find hot new books based on sales using the list of in books.
You can sell the following well-liked book types on Amazon:
List New Books on Amazon
Some clients enjoy holding a freshly published book in their hands. New books are usually available from wholesalers, distributors, or publishers. But be aware that you might need to buy new books in quantity if you want to sell them.
List Used Books on Amazon
Used books are typically simpler to find, less expensive to buy, and, if you find excellent offers locally or online, could be more profitable. You can buy used books through local second-hand bookshops or sell them straight off your shelf. Additionally, you can look in internet markets, library sales, and even local yard sales to find books.
List Rare Or Unique Collectible Books
The antiques and retro book market can be an appealing niche for book enthusiasts. It's essential to accurately describe each book's condition because of the nature of older valuable books.
Selling textbooks on Amazon
Do you have any extra room taken up by second-hand college textbooks? If they're in decent shape, you may take them off your shelf and sell them on Amazon to make a little money. Include accurate information regarding the condition of the book. The spring and fall of each year are often the times when textbook sales are at their highest.
Essential steps to start selling books on Amazon
Choose the types of books you want to list on Amazon.
Although there are many ways to locate books, it is typically easiest to start by selling books you already own. Additionally, you can increase your inventory by using the following methods:
1. Local Sources:
Browse yard sales, thrift stores, used book stores, and public library book sales to find used books. Yard sales are another place to look for rare books.
2. Auctions:
Find used or collectible book auctions, yard sales, or farm sales.
3. Wholesale markets:
Buy bulk online or during book closings to save money. Additionally, you can buy more new books in bulk from wholesalers or authors. Although you might not have total control over how much you receive, you can purchase more books at a discount. Before enlisting your books on Amazon, it is mandatory to evaluate the condition of every single book and follow the terms and conditions of Amazon's condition guidelines.
4. Using Amazon promotion tools
You have already listed the books on Amazon, and now it is time to promote them. For this, you can use Amazon tools and services. If you are the direct author of the book, then definitely use Kindle Direct Publishing to promote the book.
5. Using Social Media Platforms
Utilizing social media can help you reach more people with your brand and attract buyers interested in the kinds of books you're selling. Find out where your target audience spends their time online and spread the news on those sites using social media.
6. Take Notice of the Reviews
You might not take reviews personally if you're selling books you didn't write. However, you should keep an eye on your product and customer service reviews on Amazon.
When it comes to boosting trust in your online brand, positive reviews are pretty critical. Positive thoughts also increase the likelihood that Amazon will include your goods in the featured section of Amazon.
How much does it cost to sell on Amazon?
If you want to begin a successful business, you need to have perfect knowledge of the selling costs and how to save as much money as possible. If you cannot do that, you might get nasty surprises and discard your budget without acknowledging it.
If you have ever wanted to start working with the Amazon business, now is the time: the world-renowned eCommerce platform extended an annual revenue of $386 billion in 2020, with its increase expected to continue.
There is only one thing that demented many first-timer entrepreneurs on Amazon—and carrying on to confuse experienced sellers, there is a long list of selling costs. Fees differ based on your product and your chosen program (such as FBA or FBM).
Effects
Fees for Monthly Subscriptions
Amazon has monthly subscription fees for users depending on the size of its business. The professional seller plan, for example, is for companies selling more than 40 items per month, costing $39.99 per month. You won't have to pay subscription fees if you're an individual seller with fewer than 40 orders fulfilled each month. Instead, Amazon will pay 0.99.
When you register or sign up for an Amazon selling account, you must decide on an individual or professional selling plan; this gives an advantage of the flexibility to pay per sale or on a fixed monthly basis. After that, you also choose between (Fulfillment by Merchant) by FBM or (Fulfillment by Amazon). FBA.
Fulfillment by Amazon FBA:
It offers ground-breaking services, but you have to pay for them. There are no free fees—you'll be paying volume-based storage fees, per-unit fulfilment costs, and returns processing fees.
Fulfilment by Merchant FBM:
In this package and label, ship everything you must do yourself. Inventory cost is the highest because, after all, you are what you will be selling to customers on your platform. You should invest just $500- $1000.
Advertising costs also play an essential role in helping to grow your business and attract new customers to your business, and it is also responsible for other platforms, e.g., per click on Amazon hovers is around $0.35. A product photoshoot is also essential because it helps to attract customers, and it creates a significant impact on your product.
