I order a lot of books from Amazon because they have the lowest prices and they ship for free. In a perfect world I would only order directly from the publisher, but I can’t  afford to buy every book at list price.

If you are an indie publisher, I want to support you. I know that you get undercut when I buy your book cheaply from Amazon. I want to buy directly from you, but if you can’t give shoppers a cheaper price than Amazon can, you must think of another way to earn their sales. So here are a few tips for indie publishers. If you offer these things, my money is going to you:

Free Shipping – Shipping cost is the first consideration when ordering online. Offer free shipping and make the offer visible on your site BEFORE it’s time to checkout. If you force the buyer to think: ‘It says $10, but does that mean $13?‘, you have already lost them.

Combo Deals – One of the great things about an indie publisher is that if some of their books appeal to you, chances are that all of their books will; a successful indie has brand loyalty. Take advantage of this. Offer the buyer reduced prices when they order multiple books.

Subscription Programs – Some presses offer this; many more should. Of course, the price of the subscription should cost less than the sum of the jacket prices, or else at least throw in bonus books or exclusive products; create incentive.

Think of any more? Comment them!