Poor sales on Apple, B&N - What Can I Do?

[HighRoadToTibet]

I have published two ebooks, which are both selling well on Amazon's Kindle. I made one available to Apple, B&N, etc. through Smashwords but the sales are tiny.
Are any other writers experiencing this?
If so, what can be done to help promote books for Apple and other non-Amazon outlets?
Thanks for any advise.
John

[VydorScope]

I think you find that most of the time that is about how it works. Amazon owns the market right now, so most ebooks that sell are sold by Amazon. For my personal sales Amazon probably makes up 70-80% of my sales with B&N owning most of the rest. I have not found a way to improve that yet.

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

I think you find that most of the time that is about how it works. Amazon owns the market right now, so most ebooks that sell are sold by Amazon. For my personal sales Amazon probably makes up 70-80% of my sales with B&N owning most of the rest. I have not found a way to improve that yet.

That would reflect market share, as you indicate. Amazon has about 65% of the market and B&N about 25%. However, depending on the genre, one may own more of a genre's marketshare than does the other retailer.

[Steven Lake]

I'd personally like to see someone unseat Amazon as king and spread the crown out across numerous other retailers. The more diversification the better, because the moment you get one king in the castle, everything else goes to poo.

[HighRoadToTibet]

Thanks for the feedback. So when all those iPhone and iPad owners decide to buy an ebook, do they use Amazon? Some writers are doing well on Apple but I've no idea how to even start making Apple owners aware that my work even exists.
@Steven Lake, I totally agree. A monopoly is never a good thing.

[Steven Lake]

Originally Posted by HighRoadToTibet

@Steven Lake, I totally agree. A monopoly is never a good thing.

When I was active in the Open Source community I was a huge fighter against the monopolists, especially those (like Amazon) that locked their customers into their restrictive system with no way out. It's one of many reasons I so strongly oppose DRM in all its forms, including closed formats which, while not DRM in and of themselves, still restrict your usage, and that's a huge no-no with me.

[charlesatan]

It depends on your title and niche.

I mean on the average, Amazon is the dominant market, so majority of the sales will come from them (a small publisher once told me that 50% of their eBook sales came from Amazon while the rest from other sources).

But there are exceptions, and I know some self-published authors whose Barnes & Noble sales are greater than their Amazon sales.

So in general, what you're experiencing is normal and to be expected.

[DrNefario]

Originally Posted by HighRoadToTibet

Thanks for the feedback. So when all those iPhone and iPad owners decide to buy an ebook, do they use Amazon? Some writers are doing well on Apple but I've no idea how to even start making Apple owners aware that my work even exists.

I certainly never buy any books through iBooks. The only two books I have were both freebies through the 12 days of christmas promotion over the last two years (and one of those I'd already bought on the Kindle).

That's because I also own two ereaders, and while I can read the Kindle and Kobo books on the iPod and iPad, I can't read the iBooks on the ereaders.

[HighRoadToTibet]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I do realise that Amazon is the dominant player for ebook sales but I'm hardly getting anything from the other channels. I'll play around with some things and update you all if anything good happens. Thanks again.
John