How To Sell More Books on Kobo
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2024 3:46 am
Tag: Publisher, Online Retailer, Global
Kobo has only 2% of the ebook market at the moment, but there is a good reason to still consider this platform — international sales.
Upload your files onto Kobo Writing Life and have your book available in 190 countries.
Authors like Joanna Penn report good sales through Kobo.
Pricing: Their Royalty rates are 70% if selling between 1.99–7.99 (GBP) or 1.99–12.99 (USD), and 45% if outside of this range.
Verdict: They have a small reach in the UK & US, but decision maker email list with their reach in Asia, the other Americas, and beyond, they seem particularly good for long-term writers. However, unless you’re a career writer, I would suggest publishing to Kobo via an aggregator rather than uploading directly.
Further Reading
4. Smashwords
Smashwords
Tag: Publisher, Retailer, Aggregator
This is the original and oldest aggregator site with a larger reach than Draft2Digital.
Smashwords was set up by author Mark Coker in 2008 and allows you to distribute your titles to the many smaller ebook retailers like B&N, Baker and Taylor, as well as library networks like OverDrive and Gardeners.
Pricing: You’ll be charged 15% of the sales you receive (after the retailers’ cost has also been taken out).
Verdict: Smashwords comes up against Draft2Digital as one of the top 2 popular aggregator sites. Opinions are divided: Some authors are loyal to Smashwords, while others prefer the more modern website of Draft2Digital. Smashwords distributes to more sites, but to be honest, Draft2Digital covers the most important ones (iBooks, Nook, Kobo).the comments!
Kobo has only 2% of the ebook market at the moment, but there is a good reason to still consider this platform — international sales.
Upload your files onto Kobo Writing Life and have your book available in 190 countries.
Authors like Joanna Penn report good sales through Kobo.
Pricing: Their Royalty rates are 70% if selling between 1.99–7.99 (GBP) or 1.99–12.99 (USD), and 45% if outside of this range.
Verdict: They have a small reach in the UK & US, but decision maker email list with their reach in Asia, the other Americas, and beyond, they seem particularly good for long-term writers. However, unless you’re a career writer, I would suggest publishing to Kobo via an aggregator rather than uploading directly.
Further Reading
4. Smashwords
Smashwords
Tag: Publisher, Retailer, Aggregator
This is the original and oldest aggregator site with a larger reach than Draft2Digital.
Smashwords was set up by author Mark Coker in 2008 and allows you to distribute your titles to the many smaller ebook retailers like B&N, Baker and Taylor, as well as library networks like OverDrive and Gardeners.
Pricing: You’ll be charged 15% of the sales you receive (after the retailers’ cost has also been taken out).
Verdict: Smashwords comes up against Draft2Digital as one of the top 2 popular aggregator sites. Opinions are divided: Some authors are loyal to Smashwords, while others prefer the more modern website of Draft2Digital. Smashwords distributes to more sites, but to be honest, Draft2Digital covers the most important ones (iBooks, Nook, Kobo).the comments!