Dibbly Create
Direct bookselling is a popular choice among many authors. Let’s look at the world of direct website book sales, and how selling directly impacts this.
Website Book Sales: E-Commerce for Authors
When we talk about direct website book sales, we’re talking about authors selling their own books directly from their own websites. So, rather than using a website like Amazon or GoodReads to sell your books, you sell them yourself independently.
Direct book selling involves running your own online store, taking charge of shipping and delivery (or hosting for digital books), and managing transactions.
The Pros And Cons Of Selling Your Books Directly To Readers
There are pros and cons to direct bookselling compared to using a separate e-commerce platform. Selling books online through an established platform is a good way to start out because those platforms have established audiences. This means that when you join a platform based on e-commerce for authors, you can be sure your book will reach at least some of your intended audience.
Pros vs. Cons of Selling Books Directly
The biggest advantage of having your own website with bookstore integration is that, crucially, it is your platform. You own it and can do with it as you please. You have complete freedom in how you set it up and market your product. You can take advantage of your complete creative control and experiment with different forms of marketing and promoting your work to see what works well.
For example, if you want to see what book cover sells better for your work, you could A/B test the covers by offering both and seeing which sells better. This is easier to do when you own the platform.
You also have control of the price you set the books at and what kind of deals you offer. A big financial benefit of direct website book sales is that you get all the royalties. On a ready-made platform owned by someone else, you would lose a share of the royalties to the platform. But if you are selling from your own website, you get all the money.
However, it’s important to consider that platforms like Amazon and Barnes & Nobles already have a ready-made audience, which may not be the case for you as an author. If readers are not aware of you, your author brand, and your books, then they won’t be able to find your work.
Oftentimes, authors go for a mixture of selling their books on e-commerce platforms owned by others and on their own websites. But sometimes, there are restrictions placed on doing this by platforms, which means you cannot sell the same book on your own website and on their platform.
Crucially, if you sell books directly from your own website, you will have full access to data about your customers. You will be able to see who is buying your books and what kind of people they are. This is valuable in learning who your target audience is.
There are good reasons for selling your books directly and good reasons for sticking to established platforms, but it largely depends on your individual situation as an author, which is the right move.
Pros
- You will receive 100% of the royalty.
- You own the platform, and so does the customer data.
- You have complete creative and business control over what you do.
Cons
- You are potentially reaching a smaller audience.
- Website book sales require a lot of work.
- There could be restrictions on other platforms that don’t allow you to use them for e-commerce and sell directly at the same time.
Is Direct Book Selling Right for You?
So, we know there are pros and cons to direct bookselling, but is it right for you?
Crucially, you have to think about how much of an audience you have and whether your books will actually be sold on your own website. If you have built up your author brand and can develop a website with bookstore integration, then you may be able to benefit from direct sales.
What to Consider When Sellling Books Directly
In order to determine this, you can consider how often your books sell on the platforms you have them for sale on. You want your books to be selling in the first place if you are going to look to sell directly.
Another thing to consider is how much of a following you have as an author. This can be determined by looking at the response to your social media posts and by seeing how much interaction you get at in-person book events. Before you look to sell books online on your own platform, you have to ensure you have a popular author brand that people know about.
So, if you are selling plenty of books as it is and have a good audience, then you could consider selling directly. But if you are yet to establish a foothold in the literary scene, it may be best to stick to selling from established platforms.
Something else to keep in mind is that in order to sell books directly, you have to run an online store. You’ll be fully responsible for shipping and delivering print books, ensuring you have research eBook promotional hacks. Your should also ensure the books hosted somewhere, set up your shop, and handle all transactions. So you need to make sure you have the time and skillset to do these things.
Oftentimes, authors go with a mixture of selling through established platforms and their own platforms. It may be an option to promote newer books first on your own platform and then place older ones for sale on other platforms. This way, your biggest fans can support you directly while you can still avail of established platforms to make sure your books can find a new audience.
Website Bookstore Integration
A good tip regarding e-commerce for authors is that before you start trying to sell books from your website, build up and establish your website. So really, instead of diving right in to creating an online store, you are first establishing a website to use as your platform.
In order to do this, you can set up your website with links to your social media and any platforms where your book is for sale. By using SEO, you can ensure your website gets traffic. You can promote your website to your readers on your social media.
It can be helpful to have a blog section on your website. This will allow you to create regular content. You could even ultimately monetize your blog too. It is helpful to use a content calendar to organize your blog posts. An author website is a place to build an email list as well, which you can use to gauge interest in whether or not people will be willing to buy your books off your website.
So before you dive into direct bookselling, establish your own website first.
The Final Word
Website book sales and direct book selling offer unique opportunities to connect with readers, increase profits, and maintain control over your brand. However, these strategies require careful planning and commitment to ensure success.
Before diving in, take the time to evaluate your goals, audience, and resources. Consider the insights shared in this article to determine if direct selling aligns with your vision as an author.
Take the next step today—do your research, weigh your options, and make an informed decision about whether direct book selling is the right path for you. Your readers are waiting, and the tools to succeed are within your reach!
