Switching from Amazon Expanded Distribution
I use different distribution models for my various ebooks, some are enrolled in Amazon KDP Select, some are consolidated through a distributor (Draft2Digital), and others use a mix model of direct with the core 5 (Amazon, Google, Kobo, Apple Books, and Barnes & Noble) and everyone else through Draft2Digital. It can get complex and messy the more books you have, but I don’t think a one-size-fits all approach to self-publishing is effective if you’re writing different genres of books. Because my ebook distribution models are complex, I’ve kept my paperback distribution model really, really simple—and up until now I’ve distributed exclusively through Amazon KDP print on demand.
I was a latecomer to print, I wasn’t sure the time, money and effort to create an additional cover and do the internal formatting was worth it. But my niches (travel guides and How To books) are ideal candidates for paperback versions, so I started experimenting with print on demand through Amazon KDP for a couple of my titles, and when my print sales started to exceed my ebook sales, I realized it was time to expand my print distribution options, so I signed up with IngramSpark to distribute my paperback.
When I launched my Indie Imprint, I purchased my own block of ISBNs from Bowker, so that I could use one ISBN across multiple platforms, so I logged into my IngramSpark armed with all the information I needed to set up my print version of A Turbulent Mind poetry collection.
Expanded Distribution through IngramSpark
During the IngramSpark set up I got an error message to say that my ISBN was already assigned. After checking that I’d typed the number correctly, I contact IngramSpark via their live chat window to ask why I was getting this duplicate ISBN error.
|
Chat started on 07 Dec 2018, 11:29 PM (GMT+0)
|
|
| (11:32:23) | IngramSpark: Hello Jay. Your book is showing on Amazon. Is the book in expanded distribution or just Amazon? |
| (11:33:09) | Jay: No just Amazon. It was on Expanded Distribution through them, but I have deselected that option. |
| (11:35:21) | IngramSpark: It shows on our system, because it was in expanded distribution |
| (11:37:42) | IngramSpark: If you would like for Ingramspark to take over the distribution, the title must come out of expanded distribution through Amazon KDP then be transferred to us. I can send you a title transfer form. Do I send you the form and instructions to your email? |
| (11:38:35) | Jay: yes please |
| (11:39:47) | IngramSpark: Ok I will follow up by email |
You don’t have to waste an ISBN
I’ve read on other blog articles that the only way to get your book distributed through another distributor if you want to back out of Expanded Amazon Distribution, is to set up a new book listing on Amazon KDP and assign a new ISBN to your book and opt out of expanded distribution, so I was relieved to hear it was just a matter of filling in a form and transferring the distribution ownership away from Amazon and to another distribution. In my case, IngramSpark.
Let’s take a look at our Paperback Distribution options for Amazon KDP and if you want to use a dual distribution model.
Read about the Title Transfer Instructions in my other article.
Amazon KDP Distribution Options
When you distribute your paperback via Amazon KDP you can choose to opt in or out of Amazon Expanded Distribution.
- OPT OUT: If you don’t check the Expanded Distribution box, Amazon will just distribute your book via their Amazon online stores and outlets, and you won’t reach a non-Amazon customer audience.
- OPT IN: If you opt into Amazon Expanded Distribution, this makes your book available to Amazon customers, and to Amazon’s downstream distribution partners (one of which is IngramSpark).
There are two primary reasons for choosing to distribution your book through Amazon Expanded Distribution:
- You only want to manage one paperback book profile and have all of your sales visible in one place.
- You don’t want to have to purchase your own ISBNs, and want to use the free Amazon ISBN (which can only be used on your Amazon version of your book).
Dual POD Distribution Options
- Narrow distribution through Amazon
- Expanded distribution through IngramSpark (or your distributor of choice)
If you want the best of both worlds, you should use both distribution networks. Opt out of Expanded distribution via Amazon (which means you’ve opted out of Amazon distributing your book on your behalf through IngramSpark).
During your IngramSpark set up, distribution for paperbacks is all or nothing and you won’t be able to opt out of Amazon distribution.
Here’s the response I got from an email to IngramSpark on this topic:
Your book can appear in both systems, and in Amazon’s system is will show as distributed by Amazon, and in IngramSpark’s system it will show as distributed by them. This is key, because the downstream partners need to know who to pay, and when Amazon and IngramSpark are managing your title they need to know whose version is being sold and reported for royalty payments.
As long as you use the SAME ISBN for your Amazon and IngramSpark listings you won’t get multiple versions of the same book appearing in both distribution networks.
Far from being adversaries, Amazon and Ingram Spark work closely together, and they have different, and complimentary, global reach advantages. Even if you distribute through both, it’s actually the shipping destination of your book that determines who is actually printing and shipping it.
For example:
- If you chose Amazon expanded distribution, they distribute through IngramSpark in territories Amazon doesn’t have a printing presence.
- If you choose IngramSpark distribution, they may use Amazon printing and shipping services to ship to territories Amazon has a more cost effective printing presence.
- If you choose Amazon Narrow and IngramSpark distribution, your orders are printed and shipped by the company who has the most cost effective (for them) printing and shipping options within that territory.
Benefits of using two distributors
- You’ll receive a higher gross royalty rate for Amazon book sales. Amazon will pay your 60%, vs. The 47% you’d receive through IngramSpark (based on setting your wholesale discount at 53%).
- You can use Amazon to distribute to the Amazon eco-system, and IngramSpark to reach their 39,000 distribution channels.
Disadvantages of using two distributors
- Two distribution channels and book files to set up and maintain.
- Two different book cover files needed. Amazon and IngramSpark use different paper stock which results in a slight different between the cover dimensions and the spine width. So you will have to generate an Amazon and IngramSpark cover file.
- Even though you can use the free ISBN provided by Amazon for Amazon distribution, you will need to purchase an ISBN for IngramSpark’s distribution channel.
Why distribute using Amazon and IngramSpark?
If you want to achieve the broadest reach using two distributors this is the plan for you, but you have to be willing to make a financial commitment to your book by way of IngramSpark set up fees (unless you can use one of IngramSpark’s promotional deals), and you will also need to purchase your own ISBN.
The best option for purchasing ISBNs is a bulk purchase – which reduces the per ISBN cost dramatically. If you only want to purchase one ISBN, you can buy one through IngramSpark at a reduced cost than if you were buying a single ISBN directly from a provider like Bowker.
If you are in self-publishing for the long-haul, make the investment in your future earnings potential and opt for and advanced distribution model plan.
- Opt Out of Expanded Distribution through Amazon KDP
- Sell your paperback through IngramSpark (or another reputable distributor)
Have you opted out of KDP Expanded Distribution? Let me know about your experience with this title transfer process.
Find out how to reverse your decision for Expanded Distribution through AmazonKDP, and start using @IngramSpark to distribute your paperback. Click To Tweet
Thank you for the headsup re the free setup code. Great post, too. I’ve never been in Amazon Expanded Distribution because of the drawbacks that include the 60% sales channel percentage, and the fact that Amazon does not allow Australian authors to POD their paperbacks /in/ Australia. With IngramSpark, I get super cheap postage within Australia [because they have a print facility here in Melbourne], plus my paperbacks become available to Aussie readers as well [via Amazon]. Win-win. You’re right though, lots of work maintaining two sets of files for each book.
I was a bit of a latecomer to IngramSpark … but I’m pleased I’m making the extra effort of having my books available via Amazon and IngramSpark, but sales have been encouraging.
Jay Artale recently posted…Book Expo America Indie Author Fringe 2016
Excellent article. These key points will really help me in the future. I’ve been a long time reader of your blog and appreciate everything you write about.
You’re welcome Julia … if there’s any questions you have just leave me a comment and I’ll do my best to answer them.
Jay Artale recently posted…Develop your Travel Writing Style: Vocabulary and Sentence Structure
Jay, thank you so much for all the hard work you’ve done and for putting this up for us – I definitely feel it’s helped me save time on research and quickly answered a lot of questions, brilliant, thank you!
No problem Selena … glad you found it helpful and saved you time.
At my KDP, (5/31/2020), I left Amazon’s Expanded Distribution option unchecked, on the pricings and royalty page, and, after trying to progress to publication, received a message that KDP could not print my paperback book. When I clicked on the explanation box, the text read, “The print parameters do not match those required for Expanded Distribution.”
I am still awaiting a reply from Amazon about the inconsistency, since Expanded Distribution is opt-out after all, while the KDP print-previewer showed my paperback with its many color illustrations looked great, with no issues. Is anyone else getting this weird message? Or do you know what’s causing it?
Thanks for any direction.
Since you were opted out of the expanded distribution – I’m not sure why they’re showing this error message. This message usually means there’s an issue with your ISBN, your content, Language or Trim size, e.g.:
ISBN: Your book’s ISBN must not have been submitted for distribution through another service.
CONTENT: too many blank pages is a frequent cause.
Language: Paperbacks published in Hebrew and Yiddish are not currently eligible for Expanded Distribution.
Trim size: Trim size requirements depend on paper type, and Amazon publishes a reference grid here … https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GQTT4W3T5AYK7L45
Jay Artale recently posted…I’d Rather be a Slowmad than a Nomad
Thanks for this article. I’ve been publishing 6 years and had no clue what I was doing. Now I’m looking to get out of expanded distribution on Amazon and put books on Ingram. I used the free ISBN on Amazon. If I upload to Ingram with ISBN I bought, will I need to get that form? Or will it not matter since they are two separate ISBN? Will I have to unpublish and republish on Amazon?
That’s like most of us I think … we start with wild abandon and look back and realise what we did wrong! As you’re using two different ISBNs you’ll be fine. The issue is when you want the book in expanded distribution but you’r using the same ISBN. You will be able to get out of expanded distribution on Amazon on their ISBN. This number will have been sent to IngramSpark, but as you’re setting up the book with a new ISBN on their system, their won’t be a conflict.
Jay Artale recently posted…Goodbye Turkey Home
Thank you for the information. I used KDP for my book, using their free ISBN. Now I am looking to add IngramSpark for further distribution options. I have since purchased my own ISBN’s. My issue now is that I am unable to change the ISBN on my paperback with Amazon. Is it going to be an issue if I have my Amazon paperback set up with the free ISBN and my IngramSpark paperback set up with a purchased ISBN? I never opted in for Expanded Distribution with KDP.
From an expanded distribution perspective it won’t be an issue if you have two different ISBNs for your paperback. It’s just tidier if you have one ISBN per book, but definitely not an issue. If you don’t have any reviews on your Amazon listing you could always set up a new listing with the ISBN you own, so that both companies are the same. But it’s ok to have different ISBNs.
Jay Artale recently posted…Relocation to Portugal
I understand that Ingramspark want all or nothing, but do you know if it’s possible for me to keep the same ISBN for a print from KDP to Ingramspark?
Wait… how should I explain this. Ah, let’s say, I publish my paperback on KDP first with expanded distribution, can I then go to Ingramspark and publish my paperback using the same ISBN without unpublishing my print KDP?
The title says “How to Remove” but no instructions are given. ie how to remove once assigned.
Hello! Hope all is well. I’m thinking about my strategy to maximize Amazon exposure and then expand to all markets. My thought is to publish my book as an ebook exclusively on Amazon for the 90 day term, see how it does there with Kindle Unlimited, and then decide to go wide and publish both print and ebooks with a new ISBN, removing the ebook from Amazon and replacing it with the new ISBN linked ebook. One reason being that a number of friends and family do not use Kindle, and I do want them to be able to read my book down the road as I start marketing my closer to the end of the 90 day term. Wondering if you think this makes sense as a strategy. Thank you!
Hi Jay,
I am a first time publisher and searching for answers I came across your page. Thank you for having taken the time to share your experiences and tips, it is very appreciated!
Above article, when using two distributors, still leaves one question open (I also wait for an answer through Amazon or IngramSpark, but haven’t got any feedback so far) which you might be able to answer. Whether there would be any advantage to use the same ISBN (I purchased a set on bowkers) for Ingram Spark, also for the same paperback book that I will be publishing shortly on Amazon?
I thought it may open up the possibility, that I could order author’s copies on Amazon, and thanks to the international ISBN I could offer them to bookshops to resell.
Thank you for your opinion whether this makes sense or not.
Kind regards
Jana
Great site Jay! I published a collection of flash fiction paperback (30 stories about life and death) on both Amazon and Ingram Spark…but provided a different ISBN (that I own) for each (I had not chosen expanded distribution on amazon)…Now there are two editions of the paperback on the amazon site..although it is the same book. Can this be fixed? What should I do for future books if I want to take advantage of both IS and Amazon KDP? (PS, on the same note, what should I do for my kindle and ebook versions…they are identical of course).. Thanks!