Smashwords ebooks at Barnes & Noble

[wallcraft]

As teleread reported yesterday, SmashWord's Blog tells us that Smashwords has signed an agreement with Barnes & Noble to distribute Smashwords ebooks.

More complete information for authors is at Smashwords Titles to Enter Broader Distribution:

Premium Feed: This new catalog is distributed to major online retailers and other distribution outlets that have higher mechanical standards such as requiring quality book cover images, books with copyright pages, and other requirements outlined below. If you're a serious author or publisher, you want your books included in Smashwords Premium Catalog.

Royalties - We're still fine-tuning details, but I expect authors and publishers will continue to receive 85% of the proceeds to Smashwords and Smashwords will receive 15%. Since retailers typically take a big chunk of sales, often 50% of the list price (and we have little control over this), your net may equal approximately 42% of your list price. So, if you set the price of your book at $10.00, you'll receive about $4.20 from each sale. We will clearly disclose to you your estimated proceeds from each of the major online retailers we add to our distribution network. If you are not satisfied with the terms, you can opt out on a retailer by retailer basis by clicking to the new Channel Manager feature in your Dashboard (as soon as we finish building it). I expect the only authors or publishers temped to opt out will be those who already have relationships with our outlets.

I think this is great news for indie authors, since it provides a new outlet for their work. However, if B&N discounts from list price, it may be bad news for selling direct from the Smashwords web site.

[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

As teleread reported yesterday, SmashWord's Blog tells us that Smashwords has signed an agreement with Barnes & Noble to distribute Smashwords ebooks.

More complete information for authors is at Smashwords Titles to Enter Broader Distribution:



I think this is great news for indie authors, since it provides a new outlet for their work. However, if B&N discounts from list price, it may be bad news for selling direct from the Smashwords web site.

Very interesting, although I'm wondering more and more about the value of direct-pricing any fiction in a digital form. It's all exciting stuff though, to be around and involved in all this and at this time Thanks for the link.

[HistoryWes]

My published books (all of which except one are free) are already approved for the premium catalog.

[nomesque]

Originally Posted by HistoryWes

My published books (all of which except one are free) are already approved for the premium catalog.

WAHHHHH!!! I'm still waiting!! *sob*

[EowynCarter]

What format is B&N using ?
And why US only, for crying out loud !

[dadioflex]

Edit.

[EowynCarter]

Originally Posted by dadioflex

I might be missing the point, EC, but aren't the ebooks still going to be available on Smashwords, so the deal with B&N is only important to spread the word by benefiting from their marketing and customer base. If you already know about Smashwords, what's the problem?

It's just that B&N seams to have a decent choice with ok prices, and i can't get e-books from therm.

[doreenjoy]

Originally Posted by dadioflex

I might be missing the point, EC, but aren't the ebooks still going to be available on Smashwords, so the deal with B&N is only important to spread the word by benefiting from their marketing and customer base. If you already know about Smashwords, what's the problem?

I believe the issue is that B&N will throw more promotional dollars at their site than Smashwords, so the books will likely sell more at B&N.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by nomesque

WAHHHHH!!! I'm still waiting!! *sob*

Me, too. And if you thought the wait was long before... wait'll all the newbies come in after the announcement...

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

As teleread reported yesterday, SmashWord's Blog tells us that Smashwords has signed an agreement with Barnes & Noble to distribute Smashwords ebooks.

More complete information for authors is at Smashwords Titles to Enter Broader Distribution:

I wonder if authors are allowed to opt-out of the BN listings, in order to keep their original pricing? Will *all* of Smashwords be available through BN (I really can't imagine that) or only authors who decide to request it? Or some other system?

[nomesque]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

I wonder if authors are allowed to opt-out of the BN listings, in order to keep their original pricing? Will *all* of Smashwords be available through BN (I really can't imagine that) or only authors who decide to request it? Or some other system?

Yup, you can opt in or out of each distribution channel, to my understanding. So, just say they were distributing to Amazon, B&N and BoB - you could choose to be listed with Amazon only. Or, if I understand correctly, opt out of all of the above. One point for SW authors to keep in mind, though - once your ebook has been cleared for premium status, it's a case of opting OUT, not opting in.

[HistoryWes]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

I wonder if authors are allowed to opt-out of the BN listings, in order to keep their original pricing? Will *all* of Smashwords be available through BN (I really can't imagine that) or only authors who decide to request it? Or some other system?

Authors may indeed opt out if they do not want their works sold through BN. I'm pretty sure the royalty cut will be much smaller than the same work bought straight from Smashwords. On the other hand, it is hoped that there will be more sales. And really, that is the point. I don't know of any self-published author who is getting rich off of book sales. The idea is to get a little name recognition out there and hopefully find some people who like your writing.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by HistoryWes

I don't know of any self-published author who is getting rich off of book sales. The idea is to get a little name recognition out there and hopefully find some people who like your writing.

I don't know of any getting rich, but I do know of some who are with small publishing companies and listed separately at Smashwords; they might prefer to allow their publishers to try to wrangle a better percentage than they can do alone.