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Amazon vs Create Space pricing
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Wren
(last edited Jul 08, 2014 04:07AM)
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Jul 08, 2014 04:06AM
Anyone know how Amazon prices a book based on what you choose as the list price on Create Space? Tried googling but didn't get far. I set the list price on Create Space at $10.99 because CS said I couldn't go cheaper than that. When the books first linked to Amazon the price there was $10.44, and now it's $9.89. Is there a way to predict this stuff in case readers ask how much your book costs?
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I wish I knew. I, too find it interesting when I peek at Amazon, see that one of my novels is "on sale" and think, hmmm, I didn't do that. Wonder who did :0)
Mod
I think it depends on the number of pages, this one came out to 450. They gave me a minimum price and told me I could set it at anything above that. I thought $10.99 sounded steep for a paperback, so I don't mind Amazon going lower, but I would like to know if that will change at any moment.
Amazon is a retailer and they can charge however much they want. As far as I know, no author has control over that.
I write doorstoppers so my paperbacks will hit the 19.95 mark and higher -_- I try to have sales often to move copies and I know amazon cuts the hell out of it, but it seems I need to start pushing ebooks. >_> Because even I don't buy paperbacks that high... (last time they were 4.99 *new* at the bookstore, but that was WAY back in the day...)
I've noticed that they seem to charge the same price as Createspace IF you didn't choose the extended distribution. Once you do, they lower the price on their side because you had to raise it on Createspace or be paid a few cents each book sold by those extended distributors. So honestly, I really don't mind they lower their price and I'd be happy if they would lower it at the original price I had set them.
Mod
At the minimum price you make no money at all. That's the cost of producing it and paying Amazon. They discount when they see a need to promote or compete. To get expanded distribution through Ingram and Baker and Taylor you need to set the price high enough that the distributors, Amazon and you all get a little money. I write long books and they sell at $17.99 and $16.99. Most of my sales are e-books, of course, but expanded distribution means you can get into bookstores and libraries. Special orders, most likely, but some people want paper.
They won't let you price below print cost and their mark up, so far as I know. They can also offer it for sale on the site, but I think you get the list price royalties.Expanded distribution increase the price of course.
