Indie Booksellers vs Amazon | Thoughts from an Indie Publisher

Indie Booksellers vs Amazon…which is best?

I understand that this blog post topic, and the info that follows, may upset some readers.

But as an Independent Bookseller/Publishing House that sells on Amazon, I can honestly say that I have a toe (or two) dipped into each of these ponds.

As of last year, brick-n-mortar bookstores were experiencing a resurgence in popularity and for that, I couldn\’t be happier. People were craving the book-buying experience that includes meandering through shelves of eye-catching covers, fingering pages, and even breathing in that awesome \”new book smell.\”

I say \”were,\” because then everything retail was turned on its head thanks to a global pandemic called COVID-19.

Contrary to popular belief, Amazon is not the devil. As savvy shoppers, we can all agree that there is a time-and-place for online buying versus retail. We can also agree that competition is what makes all businesses better.

In reality, Amazon is an amazing tool of marketing for small publishing houses, self-published authors, and even major publishing houses. The short of it is, I would not be an indie publisher if it weren\’t for Amazon. Amazon gave me a direct link to not only my customers but the opportunity to build audiences for each title released.

$Valarie Budayr on Amazon\$

I started publishing in 2010 at the beginning of the publishing reformation. Publishing which was full of its gate-keepers and editors, was to embrace only a select few, leaving many with stories to tell and things to say, left behind.

When setting up my publishing house I learned that traditional distribution was not available to me. At that time a publishing house had to have 10 books in their catalog to petition for distribution rights for their catalog. Even with 10 books in one\’s catalog you still had to go to a vetting process which still left many without book distribution. This left many indie publishers building platforms and audiences to purchase from their own websites until their catalogs grew to encompass 10 books or more.

Enter Amazon. Amazon offered us ways to sell our books on their platform under our own brand. We got the same coverage as the traditionally published books. We learned how to market our books to build our platforms and audiences. This resulted in more money to put in our coffers to publish even more books.

Throughout the years, Amazon has increasingly raised its distribution rates and has put indie publishers at a disadvantage with its \”lowest price\” options leaving indie vendors to sell my books cheaper. Oftentimes, these vendors don\’t even have any of our books, they are simply trolling. All the while this has left indie publishers learning how to pivot and get back in the eye of their readers.

Even with these frustrations, there are other venues at Amazon such as Kindle Direct Publishing and Kindle Unlimited. Both of these platforms let both publishers and authors see how readers read their books.

Amazon also provides a way for publishers and authors to dialog and interact with their readers and reading communities via GoodReads.

Amazon isn\’t a perfect world, but I have to give kudos where kudos is due. I would not be in publishing if Amazon hadn\’t opened up the platform. Though distribution has changed in publishing and I now have access to traditional distribution, Amazon is still a major player in my publishing outreach and marketing.

My take-away is this: there is more than enough business to go around and anything a small business like myself can do to diversify and reach our end-user is an option that needs to be considered.

P.S. Sites like Bookshop.org offer an awesome way to buy books online while also supporting local bookstores!

One and DONE! Gifting Books for the Whole Family

As the gift-giving holiday approaches, parents may be tempted to buy the toys that honk, walk, buzz, or light up.

Though it may not light up or wiggle, books are an amazing gift because they are meaningful, beautiful, portable, appealing, inexpensive and a gift that can be opened again and again. AND, there always a book for every member of the family.

One of the many results of being in business for almost a decade is being able to offer of a wide range of beautiful books thanks to the many authors that we\’ve worked with over the years,

The result is an extensive Audrey Press catalog of quality books that includes titles for the whole family!

Urban Fantasy, Non-fiction Business, How-To, Spirituality and Travel, Parenting and Coaching, Children\’s Picture Books, and Middle Reader Activity and Screen-Free Learning–YES…we have something for everyone.

So for the 2020 holiday season, everyone at Audrey Press would like to offer a gift-buying perk in the form of a very unique 10 BOOK BUNDLE plus a very special COUPON CODE

$Holiday Bundle 10 Book Deal\$

This special Holiday 10-book Bundle Deal includes one paperback or hardcover copy of the following books:

The Ascension Trilogy-Ascension, Clandestine, and Reclamation by Hannah Rials (YA, Urban Fantasy)
Two-Year Waitlist: An Entrepreneurial Guide for Music Teachers by Noreen Wenjen (Non-fiction Business)
Pilgrimage: A Modern Seeker’s Guide by Evans Bowen (Spirituality and Travel)
HOW TO COACH GIRLS by Mia Wenjen and Alison Foley (Parenting and Coaching)
The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship: An Insider’s Guide by Mia Wenjen and Alison Foley (Parenting and Coaching)
Sissy Goes Tiny by Rebecca Flansburg and BA Norrgard (Hardcover Children\’s Picture Book)
Dragons Are Real by Valarie Budayr (Children\’s Picture Book)
A Year in the Secret Garden by Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters (Middle Reader Activity and Screen-Free Learning)

So this holiday season, give your family the gift that they can open again and again…BOOKS!

***FREE SHIPPING in the USA-Be sure and order before December 15, 2020, to ensure arrival before Christmas.***

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P.S. Sites like Bookshop.org offer an awesome way to buy books online while also supporting local bookstores!

One and DONE! Gifting Books for the Whole Family