To ISBN or not to ISBN?

[Annie]

Hey everyone!

I'm hoping someone knows this because I totally can't find a straight answer anywhere. Okay. I know that different electronic formats require their own ISBN (one for Kindle, one for iBook, etc.) And if you bundle together multiple books, like an entire series, for example, then that also requires its own ISBN. My question is this:

I have this little gremlin listed as a single ebook. However, when a reader buys it, they are sent ePub, mobi and PDF files. May I use one ISBN for all three since they are sold together, or does this still call for separate identifiers?

Gosh, I hope that's not clear as mud HAHA. Thanks, guys (and girls)!!

Hugs,
Ann

[Justin]

For an ebook it's called an ASIN and its a way to identify your book so whether you want to send it out in different formats is irrelevant to the ASIN.

[Annie]

Justin wrote: "For an ebook it's called an ASIN and its a way to identify your book so whether you want to send it out in different formats is irrelevant to the ASIN."

Ooooh, thanks for the speedy reply, good sir! :) Hmm. I don't have an ASIN though because I self-published and didn't go through Amazon...? I think? LOL

[Marie Silk]

Hmm I am not sure how that one would work. When I register my ISBNs on Bowker, I am required to enter the format (for me it is mobi, epub, or paperback, but I do not see an option for multiple formats).

mobi files are required for Kindle, and epub files are compatible to pretty much every other e-reader. I am curious, how are you selling all 3 formats? I wish I could be of more help!

[[deleted user]]

Actually, ASIN is an Amazon catalogue number, not to be confused with an ISBN. You realm do not need an ISBN number if all you offer is an eBook through Amazon. Let's say you offer a paperback, and a hardback book. You will need a separate number for each, if you want the different booksellers to be able to list and find your book.

[Annie]

Marie wrote: "Hmm I am not sure how that one would work. When I register my ISBNs on Bowker, I am required to enter the format (for me it is mobi, epub, or paperback, but I do not see an option for multiple form..."

Hmm. I'm Canadian, so we register ISBNs through Library and Archives Canada. I'm required to enter the format as well, but "electronic book" is the option. In order to assign identifiers to different formats, I simply put the specific format in brackets. ISBNs are actually free here, so I could easily assign separate ones, but I don't know if I should or not, since they are always sold together.

I'm selling independently on my Wordpress site, using the EDD plugin, so I just set up one download with multiple download files. When a reader purchases it, they receive an email with links to ePub, mobi and PDF formats. You can add as many as you like. Here's a link, if you're curious what the set up looks like:

https://www.devotionhouse.com/book/ha...

And no problem, ma'am! I appreciate the reply, nonetheless :)

Morris wrote: "Actually, ASIN is an Amazon catalogue number, not to be confused with an ISBN. You realm do not need an ISBN number if all you offer is an eBook through Amazon. Let's say you offer a paperback, and..."

Thanks for clearing that up! Yeah, I was worried for a second there because I don't have an ASIN. But it totally makes sense, since I don't sell through Amazon :)

[Heidi]

I get one ISBN through Smashwords and it covers all 8(?) formats (Mobi, epub, pdf, html, text, and several others.) Smashwords then sends it out to expanded distribution to sites like Apple store, B & N, and about a dozen others. I am pretty sure you just need 1 ISBN for ebook, no matter what the format.

[Pam]

My understanding is that you need a separate ISBN for each 'edition' of a book, and that each different format counts as an edition. But if you were printing a paperback say with 2 different printers and they had the same cover, that would still be the same edition - only if you changed the cover or some other aspect would they be a different edition.

You don't need a ISBN for Amazon - you can use their ASIN instead. However, if you are producing ebooks for other online systems, and those ebooks are physically different, such as being mobi and epub, I think you do need a separate ISBN for each.

[Annie]

Thank you Heidi and Pam!

Miss Heidi: I'm not super familiar with how Smashwords operates behind the scenes. If I'm not mistaken, they provide the ISBN and are considered the publisher?

Miss Pam: Do you know if a bundle of books (like all 3 in a trilogy, for example) sold together would require a separate ISBN for that "package"?

Hopefully, I hear back from the Archive guys soon. I'll let everyone know too, just for reference sake :)

[Marie Silk]

A trilogy pack needs to have its own ISBN in the U.S. It is nice that your ISBNs are free :) I bought a package of 10 from Bowker, but now I regret not buying the package of 100 ISBNs (deeply discounted compared to the pack of 10). Each book in my series has 4 formats (epub, mobi, paperback, smashwords-epub) and I would like to publish in hardbacks someday :). Also I want to release a revised edition of my first book. So I will need quite a few!

[Heidi]

Annie wrote: "Thank you Heidi and Pam!

Miss Heidi: I'm not super familiar with how Smashwords operates behind the scenes. If I'm not mistaken, they provide the ISBN and are considered the publisher?

Miss Pam:..."

Annie,
They do have a free ISBN option, or you can purchase your own as the publisher. They are a distributor, and so in your copyright you say Copyright date to (Authors name)
Published by (publisher info, if you create your own press.) distributed through Smashwords.

[Annie]

Many thanks, everyone!

Marie: Yeah, we Canucks are pretty darn lucky eh? But no kidding! You'd totally go through a pack of 10 in a jiffy!!

Heidi: Ah, that makes sense! I really appreciate the info, ma'am! :)

[Annie]

Hey guys,

My apologies for bumping this thread as I'm not sure if this will even help anyone at all. But I said I'd come back with the official answer from Library and Archives Canada, so, I'm keeping my word, dang it! :)

Okie dokie. I totally confused the librarian there as well hahaha. You absolutely NEED separate ISBNs if you require different ebook formats to ever be distinguishable from one another. Hmm. Like, if they are ever to be sold separately, then yes, it's a must. I kinda already knew that. Heh.

Now, the (sorta) tricky part. When they're sold together (I just bundle all three formats together) then you don't technically need individual ISBNs for each format because they never have to be identified individually. Think of it as assigning one ISBN to a series you're selling as a bundle, or whatevs.

With that being said, I personally went ahead and assigned 3 different ISBNs for ePub, mobi and PDF formats anyway, just to be on the safe side. Because I'm paranoid like that. AND because ISBNs are free in Canada.

But yeah, if you're in the US or wherever it costs money and you're bundling stuff together, you can save some moolah :D

Hugs,
Ann

End (possibly useless) transmission.

[Georgette]

I bought 100 isbn's years ago under my publisher name. Were not expensive then, have used 45 of them. Worth it

[Marie Silk]

Thanks for the update, Annie :)

[John]

Unless you plan on putting out print versions of your books for Ingramspark there is no need. I have moved to the 3rd world and they are priced $3 a pop so I buy them because they are cheap. Some parts of the world provide them for free.

Bowker- the US provider of ISBN is a monopolistic ripoff. I feel sad for anyone living in the US that has to buy from them, they marked up the price for a single ISBN at over 1000%. Unbelievable.

[Annie]

Georgette wrote: "I bought 100 isbn's years ago under my publisher name. Were not expensive then, have used 45 of them. Worth it"

You are most welcome, Marie! I hope it helps someone out there somewhere at sometime :P

Georgette: Oh, wow. That's a lot! Then again, I've used up 5 for one book, so...maybe it's not...? I dunno haha.

John: Question for you, good sir. Do you own the rights to them? As in you are identified as the publisher? Like, I know that Smashwords provides an ISBN, but they "own" it, if I'm not mistaken. Oh! And yeah, Canada would be a freebie region. Everyone can just migrate here. We'll huddle by the fireplace all winter and write to our heart's content :P

[John]

Annie wrote: "Question for you, good sir. Do you own the rights to them? As in you are identified as the publisher? Like, I know that Smashwords provides an ISBN, but they "own" it, if I'm not mistaken. Oh! And yeah, Canada would be a freebie region. Everyone can just migrate here. We'll huddle by the fireplace all winter and write to our heart's content :P "

Yes, I own the ISBNs I bought. I set up a publishing firm and registered them using my corporate business license. I only use ISBNs for the print version of my books, I dont bother using them for my ebook versions.

I still have a US address and was this close to buying ISBN numbers from Bowker. Thank goodness I did some research on the country I moved to before I did that!