Selling from your own website

[frahse]

VydorScope,

if you are looking for affirmation, well

ok.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Frankly, IMO, it is not worth it. I link to Amazon, B&N and so on from my site. I have sold via my site in the past, but the general public trusts Amazon more then they trust you. For very good reasons. Heck Amazon even lets you build a customized store front with your logo/etc and their products/payment gateway.

There is liabilities and etc that you face if you accept payments, security and the like you need to bake in... all of which goes away if you pass the buck on that. No to mention, inventory and shipping if you want to deal with print books. Then you have more detailed reporting, pending your locality, for sales taxes, businesses licenses and so on.

I know there are a couple-few people here that insist selling from their own site was best idea for them, but I still hold that in the general case, let the stores be the stores and you direct your energies else where.

Yep, I agree with this and have additionally gone that direction with my artwork as well, creating an art print site at fineartamerica. They, like amazon are capable to handling the sales and delivery in various sizes/formats, etc. -- yeah I know that doesn't apply to ebooks, but does if a reader has multiple devices etc.

[gmw]

I sort of took the existence of a website to sell from as a given. Though I must admit to having some trouble coming up with ideas for an interesting website when I finally pull the finger out and publish my first book ...

Yes, I've decided to self publish without trying any more traditional publishing avenues. The more I've read about it the less I think I am going to like any deal they would be likely to offer me on my first book anyway. So now I am trying to line up all the things I need to do to publish properly and as professionally as I can, and this thread was just exploring one of the things that occurred to me. My efforts have been a bit half-hearted at this stage because it makes me nervous. What's the phrase? ... Getting my ducks in a row. But I really like ducks so I'm giving them a chance to fly off.

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by gmw

I sort of took the existence of a website to sell from as a given. Though I must admit to having some trouble coming up with ideas for an interesting website when I finally pull the finger out and publish my first book

Face it,when you book first hits no one will notice it. So you have time to build the website. I sold like 10 books for my first I dont know, YEAR maybe... but now I am slowly building better sales. Takes time, and moves slow, IME.

Also I would say that the stores, such as Amazon and Smaswords that have custom author pages are a bit more important to hit first. Get your pages looking good there first as most of your early web traffic will ride on them.

[frahse]

gmw,

Good luck!