What does this mean to the author? As far as I can gather, it means your title will now be visible on the wholesaler listings around the world for bookstores to order copies. That's a good thing, although it may not be the very best way to get bookstores to order your book as the margins they can make by ordering that way are quite small. Here are some other options for selling POD titles through bookshops.
Option One
The store can order via the author/publisher and pay him direct. The shop tells the
author how many copies they’d like. The author orders copies from Createspace
at the author price, pays for them and has them delivered to the bookstore. He
invoices the bookstore, adding whatever mark-up he requires as royalty payment.
The bookstore, if overseas, pays the author by whatever means suit – mailing a
cheque, or via a Paypal account. Little bit clunky.
Option Two
The bookstore buys from Createspace e-store, using their own Amazon account.
The author gets his royalties from Createspace in the usual way. The author can provide a discount coupon so
that the bookstore can buy at a wholesale rate rather than full retail. Fully
flexible pricing options. Looks like a good choice.
Option Three
If the bookstore is an eligible retailer with ‘Createspace Direct’ they
can order direct at wholesale rates with no need for the author to provide
discount coupons.
And as mentioned, the book is also available through most major distributors
who can order it through Createspace and supply to stores (though the margins
for retail mark-up would be slim.)
Of course, you still have to tell bookstores your book is available and entice them to stock it...
It's good to see Createspace responding to the real world and making things easier for authors. Now we can stop banging our heads on the brick walls of bookstores and get back to writing!
Have you done your words today?
Bev
aka. Officer in Charge
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