Why should I buy direct from an indie author?
- Buying direct puts more money into authors' pockets - money they use to pay for professional editing, cover design, and marketing. Supporting indie authors (like me) directly helps us bring you more of the books you love!
- Amazon controls roughly 70% of the ebook market. Many authors - even "wide" (meaning their books are available on platforms other than Amazon) are dependent upon a single vendor, and therefore subject to the whims of a near-monopoly.
- This can be precarious! For example, in 2021, bestselling author Ruby Dixon's entire KDP account was pulled without warning. All her books were taken down. While her story had a happy ending in that her account was restored, not every author has a huge fan base to put pressure on KDP.
- UPDATE: Beginning in late 2022, Amazon will no longer allow returns on ebooks after 10% of the product has been consumed, bringing its policy in line with other digital media. Thanks to a viral TikTok trend, ebook returns on Amazon skyrocketed in early-mid-2022. See the Author's Guild statement on the new policy.
- By buying direct, you can help authors get paid right away, instead of having to wait 60-90 days for payment from ebook distributors.
- Is buying direct safe? Yes! Shopify runs one of the safest e-commerce platforms out there, so you can shop with confidence.
- What if I love reading on my Kindle? You can read on your preferred device when you buy direct. Your ebook purchase will be securely delivered by Bookfunnel, immediately upon purchase. If you have any questions about how to get the right file to your device, their friendly and responsive customer service team will help you.