Amazon Kindle Store thingummy

[Simon John Cox]

Hello.

Not sure if I've put this is in the right forum or sub-forum, so maybe a mod can rejiggle it if I've gone wrong...

I'm trying to get my novel Another Man's Poison out there for people to read (because no-one can read it if it's just hidden on my hard drive), and because I think the cost of Print On Demand would be too high for someone to take a risk on a novel by an unknown author I've decided to make it available as an eBook. So I put it on Smashwords.

Then a friend told me that I could sell it on the Amazon Kindle Store as well, so I did...but when I set the price at $2.49, Amazon bumped it up to $5.28 for readers outside the US.

Why is this? It's just an electronic file that is transmitted across the same internet as it would be in the US. Can anyone tell me why it should be more expensive to download a file outside the US than it is inside...?

[Pardoz]

Originally Posted by Simon John Cox

Can anyone tell me why it should be more expensive to download a file outside the US than it is inside...?

Two reasons: first, non-US customers pay an extra $2 on every title (ostensibly to cover 3G wireless download charges - US-registered customers pay the same charge if they download wirelessly outside the US). This would be fine, except that for international customers the extra gets charged on every purchase, whether you use the wireless or download to your computer then move it via USB. I can understand why Amazon has it set up that way, but it's still irritating.

Second, non-US customers end up having to pay their local VAT/sales taxes, which vary by country - here in Poland, it shows up as $5.16, not the $5.28 you quoted, for example.

[Simon John Cox]

Originally Posted by Pardoz

Two reasons: first, non-US customers pay an extra $2 on every title (ostensibly to cover 3G wireless download charges - US-registered customers pay the same charge if they download wirelessly outside the US). This would be fine, except that for international customers the extra gets charged on every purchase, whether you use the wireless or download to your computer then move it via USB. I can understand why Amazon has it set up that way, but it's still irritating.

Second, non-US customers end up having to pay their local VAT/sales taxes, which vary by country - here in Poland, it shows up as $5.16, not the $5.28 you quoted, for example.

Hi Pardoz, thanks for clarifying.

I can understand the principle behind the second reason, but the first reason seems a bit...well, as you say, irritating.

[Mike L]

Simon John,

I can understand your confusion. The thing to remember that the wireless element does not cover transmission over the internet, as you thought. It is for delivery via the cellular phone network - just like a mobile phone call or SMS. Amazon has to pay that charge, so they pass it on to the customer.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by Simon John Cox

Hello.

Not sure if I've put this is in the right forum or sub-forum, so maybe a mod can rejiggle it if I've gone wrong...

I'm trying to get my novel Another Man's Poison out there for people to read (because no-one can read it if it's just hidden on my hard drive), and because I think the cost of Print On Demand would be too high for someone to take a risk on a novel by an unknown author I've decided to make it available as an eBook. So I put it on Smashwords.

Then a friend told me that I could sell it on the Amazon Kindle Store as well, so I did...but when I set the price at $2.49, Amazon bumped it up to $5.28 for readers outside the US.

Why is this? It's just an electronic file that is transmitted across the same internet as it would be in the US. Can anyone tell me why it should be more expensive to download a file outside the US than it is inside...?

Looks like the difference in pricing has been explained.

Now as for 'getting the word out', it helps if you get a few people to read the book and post reviews on their blogs - as well as at Smashwords and Amazon. Having just purchased the ebook, I'll be reading it today and tomorrow and posting a review by tomorrow evening. Hope that helps.



Derek

[Pushka]

Originally Posted by Mike L

Simon John,

I can understand your confusion. The thing to remember that the wireless element does not cover transmission over the internet, as you thought. It is for delivery via the cellular phone network - just like a mobile phone call or SMS. Amazon has to pay that charge, so they pass it on to the customer.

Except that if you are downloading to your PC (outside the US) it doesnt go via the mobile network but your ISP! Amazon only has to pay that charge if it is used, so if a lot of people are downloading via USB only, Amazon is charging for a service never used and making a nice profit. The only time that books should be more expensive internationally is where whispernet has been used to download. But Amazon hoiks the charge on to EVERY book sold internationally. And then has the gall to say whispernet is free!

[Mike L]

Pushka,

I agree with your analysis. In my reply to Simon John, I was trying to explain the reason for the charge. I wasn't defending it.

That said, to be fair, Amazon has never said that Whispernet is free outside the US. And although it's true they are making a "nice profit" on people who download via USB (and I'm one of them), I don't see anything wrong with that - provided it's a competitive market.

[Simon John Cox]

Originally Posted by delphidb96

Looks like the difference in pricing has been explained.

Now as for 'getting the word out', it helps if you get a few people to read the book and post reviews on their blogs - as well as at Smashwords and Amazon. Having just purchased the ebook, I'll be reading it today and tomorrow and posting a review by tomorrow evening. Hope that helps.



Derek

Derek - that is so kind of you. I really hope you enjoy it!

[Pushka]

Originally Posted by Mike L

Pushka,

That said, to be fair, Amazon has never said that Whispernet is free outside the US. .

Actually, when I ordered the kindle as a pre-order prior to International release, Amazon did say exactly that. That whispernet was free to International kindlers. What they didnt say was that every book had the cost ($2) added to the cost of the exact same book in the US.

I think they have now removed 'free' from their advertising in response to this issue. I will see if I can dig up an old email they sent me.

This was an email I received into my Australian Account just before I pre-ordered it:

Dear Amazon.com Customer,

As someone who has purchased Literature and Fiction books from Amazon.com, you might like to know there are more than 350,000 of the most popular books available on Kindle.

Free wireless delivery means books in less than 60 seconds.

[t-town]

Yeah, you get them delivered for free, there is no extra charge when you do so. There is however a price difference with international kindle sites and us kindle site.

[Pushka]

Originally Posted by t-town

Yeah, you get them delivered for free, there is no extra charge when you do so. There is however a price difference with international kindle sites and us kindle site.

And that price difference between the US and Aus is the cost of the 'free wireless'. There are no taxes or anything else to explain the cost differential.

[Simon John Cox]

The other thing I've noticed is that Amazon seemingly won't allow you to offer any content for free...unlike Smashwords (for example).

[angelad]

Originally Posted by Pushka

And that price difference between the US and Aus is the cost of the 'free wireless'. There are no taxes or anything else to explain the cost differential.

Don't you just want to say one or two words outloud