How do you release a free Kindle book on Amazon?

[bhartman36]

Hi, Everyone.

After putting my short story on Smashwords, I thought maybe I should also release it for free on Kindle (with the understanding that I could always unpublish it if I wanted to do something else with it down the line). But when I went into Amazon's DTP site, there wasn't an option for releasing an ebook for free. The least I could see was 99 cents, but that doesn't make sense to me, because I've seen a lot of free stuff on Amazon. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Thanks!

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

Hi, Everyone.

After putting my short story on Smashwords, I thought maybe I should also release it for free on Kindle (with the understanding that I could always unpublish it if I wanted to do something else with it down the line). But when I went into Amazon's DTP site, there wasn't an option for releasing an ebook for free. The least I could see was 99 cents, but that doesn't make sense to me, because I've seen a lot of free stuff on Amazon. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Thanks!

Big publishers get to set a free price. Small publishers don't. But if it's free somewhere else, and Amazon find out, they might drop the price to free if you're on the 70% (& possible even on the 35% - I can't remember the full details) royalty rate.

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Big publishers get to set a free price. Small publishers don't. But if it's free somewhere else, and Amazon find out, they might drop the price to free if you're on the 70% (& possible even on the 35% - I can't remember the full details) royalty rate.

Thanks, pdurrant! I guess I'll set a 99 cent price on the short story and see how it goes.

[Luke King]

Technically, you can't do this. I'd like to hear of people who've tried it and know what the results are, but the Amazon pricing page states:

"For any Digital Book for which you select the 35% Royalty Option, at all times that the Digital Book is available for sale through the Program, you must adjust the List Price as required to ensure that the List Price, plus 15% (the statutory Luxembourg VAT rate) for sales to UK customers, does not exceed the lowest of: (a) the lowest suggested retail price or equivalent price for any digital or physical edition of the Digital Book; (b) the lowest price at which you list or offer any digital or physical edition of the Digital Book on any website or other sales channel; and (c) any maximum List Price we provide from time to time in the Program Policies."

Which basically means you can't have it free elsewhere and at Amazon for $0.99. That is, considering I'm reading the jargon correctly.

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Big publishers get to set a free price. Small publishers don't. But if it's free somewhere else, and Amazon find out, they might drop the price to free if you're on the 70% (& possible even on the 35% - I can't remember the full details) royalty rate.

Someone in this forum said a few months back that they did that and Amazon just removed the book instead of price matching.

[JaydeS]

As far as I'm aware, you can set the price on Smashwords to 0, then email Amazon (the dtp email address) and tell them the book's free on another site, mention the link and you stand a great chance they'll match the price. However, it does take them a few days to reply.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Jayde

Visit my blog

[kcmay]

They won't always match the price, Jayde. Sometimes Amazon will just remove the book. They're not really consistent about that.