Ebook Retailers

Amazon

• Amazon is the biggest seller of books worldwide and the Kindle is one of the biggest selling ereaders in the world.
• Amazon accept ebooks in both reflowable and fixed layouts.
• You need to sign up with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) to sell your books on Amazon.
• Your book does not need an ISBN to sell via Amazon

Apple

• Apple’s iPad has been a huge worldwide success and Apple’s iBookstore has become extremely popular and is now a major seller of eBooks.
• Apple accept the ePub format in both reflowable and fixed layouts.
• Apple also have their own exclusive format for the iPad – iBook Author
• Setting up accounts is done via iTunes Connect
• To set up an account with Apple you will need a US Tax ITIN number (see our FAQ). You will also need access to a Mac computer to upload your files.
• Your eBook does not have to have an ISBN if you upload direct to the iBookstore.

Google

• Google is a worldwide and integral part of the internet. It has millions of users every day.
• Google’s eBook store is growing and with the internet power of Google behind it can only get bigger.
• Google accept the ePub format in both reflowable and fixed layouts.
• You are automatically added to their index which matches your book with the Google users who are most likely to buy it.

Kobo

• Kobo are a large retailer who have their own online store and also distribute to ebook retailers around the world.
• They are really worth uploading to for the amount of sites they distribute as well as their own retail site.
• Kobo also produce their own range of popular eReading devices.
• Kobo accept the ePub format in both reflowable and fixed layouts.
• Your book will need an ISBN if you want to access all of the other retailers Kobo distribute to.

Barnes & Noble

• Barnes & Noble are the largest remaining national bookstore chain in the U.S.
• With the introduction of the Nook, B&N have also become a major player in the US eBook market – independent authors and publishers use Nook Press to upload and sell their eBooks.
• Barnes & Noble is now open to Authors and Publishers from outside the US though at the moment only from the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, The Netherlands and Belgium.
• Your eBook does not need an ISBN if you upload direct to Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

• Setting up an account to sell on Smashwords is easy and they are a popular eBook distributor. They also charge one of the lowest commissions of all eBook retailers.
• Smashwords are an Apple approved aggregator. They also publish to Barnes &Noble, Kobo, Amazon and more.
• You can now upload an ePub file to Smashwords which means that your book will appear as you want it to. This is the option we recommend.
• Smashwords convert from Word format into the different eBook formats using their ‘Meatgrinder’ conversion service. Information on how to style your Word document so that it is ready for Smashwords Conversion can be found here. We can format the the Word document for you.
• If you upload to Smashwords we recommend that rather than let them use their automatic software to convert the ePub file into mobi for Amazon (this does not produce the best results) that you deselect Amazon as a distribution option and go direct to Amazon with the mobi file we produce. We also recommend that you go direct to Kobo and Barnes & Noble (remember to deselect Kobo and Barnes & Noble as distribution options). If you want to use Smashwords we will need to know as we will have to change the copyright page so that Smashwords gets a mention (they require this).
• One big disadvantage with Smashwords is if your book has tables, as Smashwords have not updated their policy on tables and insist that all tables are changed into images. Now some tables are Ok as images but many are not (you may not think your book has tables but if your ebook has lists in two columns then normally that is done as a behind the scenes table)

Lulu

• Lulu is a medium self-publishing print-on-demand website and they also sell and publish eBooks.
• Lulu is an Apple-approved aggregator.
• Lulu accept ePub, PDF and other formats. Your book has to be in the ePub format for Lulu to distribute to Apple.
• Lulu will insist as part of their contract that the ISBN used is not used by any other distributor. (In this case we use the free ISBN that Lulu supply themselves – this means then that your book can be sent to the other retailers using your own ISBN

BookBaby

• Bookbaby is a an EBook distributor who distribute to a large amount of other ebook retailers
• Bookbaby let you choose between charging to upload your book but then taking no commission on sales themselves or uploading the book for free and taking a commission on sales.
• Your Book will be distributed to the iBookstore, Barnes & Noble, Copia, Kobo, Gardeners (UK Wholesaler), Baker and Taylor and eBook pie plus others
• Your book will need an ISBN