Amazon or IngramSpark?
Amazon or IngramSpark?
Many independent authors ask the question: should they publish on Amazon or IngramSpark?
The best answer is: use both.
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) gives you direct access to the world’s largest online bookstore. You can publish Kindle eBooks, paperbacks and hardcovers, and your books can be printed on demand whenever someone places an order.
KDP is relatively easy to use, it’s user friendly, and there are no upfront printing costs. It is particularly valuable for reaching the Amazon world with Amazon customers. You manage your book’s listing and pricing and access sales reports. Depending on price and marketplace, KDP currently offers print royalties of up to 60 per cent, minus printing costs.
However, Amazon is only one part of the book market.
IngramSpark
IngramSpark helps independent authors make their books available to a much wider network of bookstores, libraries, schools and online retailers. Through Ingram’s global distribution network, books can be made available to more than 40,000 outlets.
IngramSpark is part of the Ingram Content Group, one of the world’s largest book distributors.
Your book becomes available to:
• Brick-and-mortar bookstores
• Public and school libraries
• Academic institutions
• Online retailers worldwide
Benefit: Your book can be ordered through the same supply chain as traditionally published titles.
This does not mean that every bookstore or library will automatically stock your book. It means they can discover and order it through a distributor they already know and use.
Many bookstores are also reluctant to order books directly from Amazon because Amazon is one of their biggest competitors. Making your book available through IngramSpark can therefore give it greater credibility within the traditional book trade.
Use both
Which Comes First?
It does not actually matter whether you publish first with IngramSpark or Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). Provided you use the same ISBN for both, your submission should be accepted on both platforms without a hitch, assuming it meets all their publication quality criteria,
You will need to purchase your own ISBN.
My recommendation, in order to avoid issues with the ISBN, is to set up your book project on both KDP and IngramSpark at the same time; then save that project as a draft on both platforms. Once that ISBN is in both systems, proceed with the publishing process in whichever order you like.
I do this for my own books. I upload to Amazon first and I make sure to uncheck expanded distribution. I save the listing as a draft. Then I do the IngramSpark listing with the same ISBN. Again I save the listing as a draft.
Both platforms require the same elements to set up a book (interior file, cover file, metadata) but the dashboards are configured in different ways.
The strategy is to upload your eBook and print editions directly to Amazon KDP, then use IngramSpark for wider print distribution.
To do this use your own ISBN and make sure the title, author name, cover, trim size and other details match on both platforms.
Do take note that KDP itself does not require exclusivity. Exclusivity only applies to eBooks that are enrolled in KDP Select for a specific enrolment period.
Amazon KDP helps you reach Amazon shoppers. IngramSpark helps your book become available beyond Amazon. By using both platforms strategically, you can gain greater control, broader distribution and more opportunities to connect with readers around the world.
The question is not always Amazon or IngramSpark?
For many independent authors, it is Amazon and IngramSpark.
Marji Hill
Author and Coach