Our E-Book Sales on Amazon vs Barnes & Noble vs Apple

[Sarastarlight]

Our E-Book Sales on Amazon vs Barnes & Noble vs Apple

In September of 2011, as an experiment, I published several E-books on Amazon and (as of December 16, 2011) have sold nearly a thousand books. Not great--but appreciate the extra-income. "Ah, but what if I publish them on Apple and Barness and Noble?" I thought--maybe I would triple the income!

So, I converted my best selling E-books and uploaded them to Barnes and Noble... and.... and .... AND!   A total waste of time.

So far, we have sold -0- ebooks on Barnes and Noble.

Compare: around 300 E-book sales a month on Amazon vs -0- E-Book sales on B & N.

What about Apple? I average 1 sale a day. Yes, even Apple, which is not a book selling company, beats B & N.

I suspect that Barnes and Noble will not be around in a few years. Clearly, they do not now how to sell books in this market place, and can't compete.

[JimLow]

Sara,

The variance in sales you report between the major sellers is not only in stark comparison but actually there is no comparison because one of them was "zero".

If I may ask you a direct question; Do you believe this to be due to a difference between the selling power of these book sellers or do you believe there to be a "sales reporting issue" -- in other words, publishers who may be funding a financial recovery for a hurting book seller?

This is a tough, straightfoward question but I would be grateful to know your answer!

JimLow

[SF50]

JimLow,

Please stop. There could possibly maybe be a reporting problem, there most likely isn't though. I've been reading this forum for most of the year now and your constant whining about the reporting being wrong has become such a nuisance that I don't want to read the forums anymore. Maybe you can take this to private email with B&N and not make 95% of the posts on here about JimLow's inability to sell books and why it has nothing to do with him and everything to do with reporting on every retailer's site. It's tiring.

---

JimLow wrote:

Sara,

The variance in sales you report between the major sellers is not only in stark comparison but actually there is no comparison because one of them was "zero".

If I may ask you a direct question; Do you believe this to be due to a difference between the selling power of these book sellers or do you believe there to be a "sales reporting issue" -- in other words, publishers who may be funding a financial recovery for a hurting book seller?

This is a tough, straightfoward question but I would be grateful to know your answer!

JimLow

---

[JimLow]

God help us, here we go again.

SF50, You're not SaraStarlight are you? If you are, please let me know this because that's who the questions were directed at.

"There might be a sales reporting problem"? -- did you not see the posts in which I gave link to all of the publishers who experienced a problem with sales reporting for the past year (37 threads and this was not all of them)?

As far as my complaining for a year about sales reports issues, do you know what months in which I actually did this and how many months in-between my last posting about this there were (I welcome you to answer this specific, ahead of SaraStarlight, if you like)?

SF50, I don't know who you are but if I may ask a favor -- please don't intercept and post before the publisher a post is directed at has opportunity to respond, unless a question is directed at you (please?). Are you possibly a Pubit! representative (this last question is of course to you specifically)?

[SF50]

I'm not going to argue with you, I'm just going to flag every one of your spammy posts as spam, because that's what they've become when you post the same thing thread after thread after thread.

Read my prior post again, I never said you'd been whining for a year.

It's gotten sad seeing primarily you complain about how your stuff doesn't sell on here or Lulu and there must be reporting problems on here and on Lulu (and I imagine this thread exists by you on every retailer's forums) that says they have reporting problems, because people must be clawing to buy your $3.49 book that has less words than most erotica and is most likely comprised of information you can get off webmd; how could everyone not want it?

As for being a PubIt representative .. well if I were I couldn't have written most of this post, though I imagine you asked because you realize this is probably how they're feeling about you at this point.

---

JimLow wrote:

God help us, here we go again.

SF50, You're not SaraStarlight are you? If you are, please let me know this because that's who the questions were directed at.

"There might be a sales reporting problem"? -- did you not see the posts in which I gave link to all of the publishers who experienced a problem with sales reporting for the past year (37 threads and this was not all of them)?

As far as my complaining for a year about sales reports issues, do you know what months in which I actually did this and how many months in-between my last posting about this there were (I welcome you to answer this specific, ahead of SaraStarlight, if you like)?

SF50, I don't know who you are but if I may ask a favor -- please don't intercept and post before the publisher a post is directed at has opportunity to respond, unless a question is directed at you (please?). Are you possibly a Pubit! representative (this last question is of course to you specifically)?

---

[JimLow]

Wow SF50, now I'm really wondering who you are! How in the world do you know so much about me? How did you know my titles are medical related? Do you feel my ebooks compete with yours?

I'm not being sarcastic at all -- I really am in question as to who you are. (BTW: You said "Here on LuLu" -- Are you Aware that this is the Pubit! Help Boards?)

You didn't offer any proof as to your being a publisher and as far as erotica novels go, I have no intention of competing against them and only wish the publishers of them, the very best (sincerely).

I'm ultimately puzzled here. To top it all off, you said you have no intention of arguing with me ... then what in the world was your post intended for?

I sincerely don't desire to argue with you either, if-indeed you are a fellow-publisher and I truly wonder if you really understand the purpose of my posts/threads. I have no desire to one-up you or to attack you in any way -- I'm just totally taken-back by you wanting to hijack this thread.  

If "youre tired of the subject of my posts", why are you visiting my threads?

Again, Who are You???

(ATTN Pubit! Amin:I have not spammed any thread, past or present. Please allow SaraStarlight to respond to me because chances are that her reply will be in favor of Pubit! regarding my specific, as much as the chances are that it would be in against it. THANK YOU!)  

[SF50]

This is fun.

To start, I didn't say "here on Lulu". Again, try rereading what I wrote. It says here or Lulu.

Every one of your posts has a link to your blog, that although is now gone, still resides in Google's cache. Doesn't take rocket science to find your books.

I've no idea what brought up competing ebooks and such, my reason for mentioning what your books were was purely to draw attention to the real issue causing your mysterious "reporting problems", the works themselves.

I'm tired of coming on the Pubit boards and seeing a bunch of new posts only to discover JimLow is responsible for 95% of the new posts and they all say the same thing "OMG REPORTING ERROR!?".

You broke the sad barrier in the post where you put up a hypothetical conversation with a Pubit representative and then told us how you would hypothetically respond to that hypothetical conversation.

Finally I feel you've missed the point on the spam comment. Spam isn't just unwanted emails that you get. Spam is also coming on a board and posting the same post in every thread that pops up and day after day starting the same conversation over and over. There is no conspiracy to steal your money, your books just are not selling here.

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JimLow wrote:

Wow SF50, now I'm really wondering who you are! How in the world do you know so much about me? How did you know my titles are medical related? Do you feel my ebooks compete with yours?

I'm not being sarcastic at all -- I really am in question as to who you are. (BTW: You said "Here on LuLu" -- Are you Aware that this is the Pubit! Help Boards?)

You didn't offer any proof as to your being a publisher and as far as erotica novels go, I have no intention of competing against them and only wish the publishers of them, the very best (sincerely).

I'm ultimately puzzled here. To top it all off, you said you have no intention of arguing with me ... then what in the world was your post intended for?

I sincerely don't desire to argue with you either, if-indeed you are a fellow-publisher and I truly wonder if you really understand the purpose of my posts/threads. I have no desire to one-up you or to attack you in any way -- I'm just totally taken-back by you wanting to hijack this thread.  

If "youre tired of the subject of my posts", why are you visiting my threads?

Again, Who are You???

(ATTN Pubit! Amin:I have not spammed any thread, past or present. Please allow SaraStarlight to respond to me because chances are that her reply will be in favor of Pubit! regarding my specific, as much as the chances are that it would be in against it. THANK YOU!)  

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[Sarastarlight]

JimLow,

I have no reason to suspect a "sales reporting issue" at B & N. My real problem is with Amazon, which pays 30% royalty on at least half the books I have sold; even though the agreement is for 70%. How does Amazon get away with this? By claiming they sell these books to 3rd world countries on their 30% list, but withough identifying the countries where these books were sold (other than Germany, France, etc), at such a steep royality discount.  Clearly, electronic sales, with no inventory, is a recipe for abuse, because we must trust Amazon et al to provide accurate sales info, but with no ability to verify their sales figures or where these ebooks were actually sold.  Trust but verify is a good motto, and it is difficult to trust that sales figures are accurate if you can't verify.

On the other hand, given my experience with B & N--I am now much more appreciative of Amazon.

I think it is unlikely that my case is unique. The sales figures at Amazon (300+ a month) vs B & N (ZERO) can't be dismissed as a fluke. Clearly, B & N has serious problems which I hope they solve. It is not in our long-term best interests, as sellers, authors, publishers, for Amazon to have so much power, or for B & N to go out of business.  Competition is good. My opinion is B & N can't compete and it has nothing to do with a "sales reporting issue."

[JimLow]

Sara,

Thanks for answering my question. While there has been sales reporting problems intermittently, that Pubit! has graciously admitted to fixing when needed, I too believe the main problem with sales having dropped tremendously with them for indie publishers, has not been that particular issue, although I was honestly not sure for a while.

Thanks again.

SF50,

Dear lady, while the argument you started with me "has been fun" for you, I found no pleasure in it at all and the fact that you started it still seems very strange. As far as your knowing about my ebook genres, you obviously had already searched me out and it was not after-the-fact. My blog was taken down by me, sometime ago (Google keeps blogs in their cache for 90 days after they are cancelled). I did so because I compiled all of the articles from it into books. I really believe your attack was from wanting to vent frustrations (yes, I have my own but have tried to express them within a business context) and you were for some reason seeking to have a contest of wits with someone. If it makes you feel any better, I declare you the winner!

Now, go ahead a launch more attacks toward me if it helps...have a party.

My posts end here (say a "hooray" to that as well -- I'm glad to give it to you). 

[SF50]

Swing and a miss.

First off, the following link goes to the google cache of your blog:

http://tinyurl.com/JimLowGoogleCache

The "searching out" consisted of one google, and one amazon search for a title listed on the cache'd page, lasted all of 30 seconds and was "after the fact".

My only frustration being vented was you posting a billion messages about B&N stealing your money and not reporting right etc.

I wish you luck, hope your stuff starts selling, and appreciate that I won't have to see any more "bad sales reports" posts.

Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

---

JimLow wrote:

SF50,

Dear lady, while the argument you started with me "has been fun" for you, I found no pleasure in it at all and the fact that you started it still seems very strange. As far as your knowing about my ebook genres, you obviously had already searched me out and it was not after-the-fact. My blog was taken down by me, sometime ago (Google keeps blogs in their cache for 90 days after they are cancelled). I did so because I compiled all of the articles from it into books. I really believe your attack was from wanting to vent frustrations (yes, I have my own but have tried to express them within a business context) and you were for some reason seeking to have a contest of wits with someone. If it makes you feel any better, I declare you the winner!

Now, go ahead a launch more attacks toward me if it helps...have a party.

My posts end here (say a "hooray" to that as well -- I'm glad to give it to you). 

---

[Ms_Kitty]

I understand your frustration.

I used to have my highest sales on Barnes & Noble - until something killed the Nook Boards website.

I'm heartbroken that my sales plunged to nothing.

Try putting a blurb for your books on ClubNook.com. That appears to be where the Nook owners have gone. Also try Facebook's Nook pages. The readers are out there somewhere.

[EJ3]

This may sound silly but I think it is not a malreporting issue at all nor is it a thing where people don't use the nook cause many do... There is thousands of new tablets flying off the shelf every christmas holiday the nook is a great device.

I think in honest myself I have sold maybe 10 books on this website for the last few months I have sold no copies of HGH Production Naturally Journey to The Foutain of Youth.

I believe the wrong way to go about it is being frustrated. Frustration leads to a sprial of things putting you at the top then on the bottom a rollercoaster. I believe the solution to your problem lies in maintaining a positive outlook if you are writing to get rich it may be for all of the wrong reasons my book has been out for a half of a year and I have not sold enough copies to even pay for the copyright costs. I still maintain that I shall keep a positive outlook there is no one to blame really it is just how it works. All great things take time and being like a bug in a Jar or pacing or forceful advertisement I do not believe is the answer I always fall back to the saying " If you build it they will come." It will not happen overnight no great effort ever does there are many great writers who have went to there grave without enjoying the fruits of there labor!

[FabulousNJ]

Sara,

I have had similar experiences btw. the 2 sites. I don't think your case is unique based on my experience. I sold thousands of the Kindle version of my book over the past year but probably less than 50 at B&N all told. Lately if I sell 2 books in a month on B&N that's a lot! Something is awry. With all the Nook's out there it doesn't make sense? It doesn't help that author support on PubIt is practically ZERO.

RE: the royalty, it differs based on pricepoint. If you're selling your book for less than $2.99 you only get 30% royalty from Amazon. Sell it for higher and you get 70% except for those sold overseas. I think the Amazon deal is pretty sweet for self-published authors actually. I have no complaints there.

I agree that it is in authors interest to have healthy competition. But right now it's way skewed

Thanks for your post. I am glad I am not alone! I will save my marketing efforts for Amazon as I have been.

[Delwilliams]

The numbers for Amazon are actually 35% below 2.99 and it depends on what Country overseas for the 70%. Some do. Some don't. I will admit, my numbers dropped on BN, but fortunately not my only outlet, and Apple and Amazon have picked up. I do agree that it makes no sense with all the Nooks and Nook Tablets out there, but their show, and my guess is it is going more towards the big publishers instead of indys. Not surprising. I do think their customer service with authors/indies suck, and for that, there is zero excuse. 

[FayeFish65]

My partner and I have published on Pubit from the beginning of its launch and our sales were quite pleasing for more than a year. The problems with sales calculations were cause for worry at times but the Pubit people made corrections to it albeit at times seemed to be slow to catch on to it and their attention to emails was bleak. The crash in sales started a few months ago for us but were oddly low in november and now december as well. The one message board member who was trying to keep the subject alive long enough for better looking into was attacked and this message stream was one of them he was give rattle for. Hopefully the same won't happen to me but I do have to say that the bottomed out sales are odd in the face of the overall sales of ebooks going up everywhere else. We're finding it hard to understand and starting to lose hope in seeing a turn about for Pubit.

[mrufo]

Here is is Xmas week and we have 42 books with BN - we have sold less than 20 books all month - down about 70% -- and this is the holiday. What gives? Our sales on Kindle are several hundred during this same period.

Something is a bit off here it would seem. As a publisher I had a bad experience in BN when I asked about the Nook. A sales rep came over but the minute I asked for a demonstration and some reasonable questions he just walked away and and started chatting with his friends who were standing around. How is it possible to sell so few books?

[SF50]

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FayeFish65 wrote:

My partner and I have published on Pubit from the beginning of its launch and our sales were quite pleasing for more than a year. The problems with sales calculations were cause for worry at times but the Pubit people made corrections to it albeit at times seemed to be slow to catch on to it and their attention to emails was bleak. The crash in sales started a few months ago for us but were oddly low in november and now december as well. The one message board member who was trying to keep the subject alive long enough for better looking into was attacked and this message stream was one of them he was give rattle for. Hopefully the same won't happen to me but I do have to say that the bottomed out sales are odd in the face of the overall sales of ebooks going up everywhere else. We're finding it hard to understand and starting to lose hope in seeing a turn about for Pubit.

---

Nobody was attacked. It was pointed out to him that posting the same complaint 4398743 times on the forums was annoying.

If someone was truly concerned about their sales they should do something more than complain in the forums after the people in charge have said there is no problem. Try buying your book randomly and make sure your sales show up. If they don't, find a lawyer. Complaining in a thread run by the company you're complaining about after they've answered your complaint does nothing but annoy people who are looking for real PubIt help. What's more likely, there's a mass sales issue at PubIt that a big group of people in the company are covering up in hopes of keeping the company afloat and profitable, or your indie books aren't selling because the Nook crowd isn't getting the exposure or marketing your Amazon crowd is?

For the record, my sales have climbed this month leading into Christmas.

Please don't mischaracterize my comments in the future, much appreciated.

[darthreader]

Last year my book sales here made up nearly half my total book sales.  This year B&N makes up around 5% of my total sales.  Amazon is makes up 95%.   

[jamesd3000]

I recently posted a new book on Barnes and Noble (The Space Adventures of Captain Tomahawk) and was excited to finally get this 3D comic book on to the Color Nooks. 

Well after almost a month I have sold a total of 0......that's right not 1 or 2 but 0.  I too have sold several copies a week on Amazon with the same book.

It sounds pretty clear what has happened over here at Barnes and Noble.  They had a system until about three or four months ago that allowed people to find your books on their Nooks and computer websites.  Then for some reason they changed the way the search feature works on the Pubit books.  Those of you who had ramped up your sales to a point where your book was listed well probably didn't get effected too bad by this change.  On the flipside, those who were not well postioned, nearly lost all search capability.

The reality is people are never going to type the name of your book in the search, and it seems that this is the only way for them to physically find your book.

Now this is just guess work on my part, but it seems logical from what I have read on these posts. 

Positioning has so much to do with money and politics and it nearly does make it impossible for good independent books to be successful. 

Another problem is people posting books up every other week.  Just the glut of books alone makes it hard for customers to make a decision between a quality book which took years to develop and the ones that someone just wrote up on a weekend.

Anyhow that is my two cents.  I sure hope Barnes and Noble can fix this up and get their system to work as good as Amazons.

Cheers,

James 

[chezjim]

The glut of books is not an issue, I think - that problem, were it one, would be far more evident on Kindle and it seems not to have a dramatic effect.

On the other hand, the item about search is interesting. The question is - has Barnes and Noble not noticed? You would think they would fix that in a heartbeat.

Certainly, sales got weak a few months back and have never recovered. Which is all the more dismaying when you consider that new Nooks have come out and been heavily promoted.

It can't help either that Barnes and Noble shifted its affiliate program, so that even if you want to help out, it's messy.

In my own case, I certainly don't have 0 sales - I still sell roughly 1 for every 2 Kindle sales (though Kindle has picked up so it might soon be 1 for every 4 Kindle sales). But it's certainly disheartening, given that sales were so much stronger at first and promised to get better not worse.

Also, happy as I am with Kindle, I would really rather not be so dependent on one channel. The fact that an organization as big as Barnes and Noble is proving shaky in this space is unnerving.

As always, communication is a big issue here. Barnes and Noble certainly isn't giving us an idea what major changes have been made or what effects they're seeing or planning to address. So there's this unpleasant sense of shouting into the void.