Just thought that you guys should know, Bookapy now supports pre-orders and notifications for availability.
Just thought that you guys should know, Bookapy now supports pre-orders and notifications for availability.
Is there a deadline on the time it takes to have something published on BookApy from the starting preorder date?
I didn't put any limits.
So pre-orders start when you submit the book (you can't do pre-orders without submitting the actual book), and extend until the book's availability date that you set.
So pre-orders start when you submit the book (you can't do pre-orders without submitting the actual book), and extend until the book's availability date that you set.
Anything that promotes Bookapy is obviously welcome.
But what does pre-order bring to the reader as added value?
Uploading is required to activate pre-order, so in effect it is telling the reader that the book is ready, but they can't yet read it.
Perhaps a reward to avid readers would be to enable those who pre-order to download in advance of the release date? That would add perceived value and actually encourage buyers to pre-order.
But what does pre-order bring to the reader as added value?
Beats me. But, Every book store does it. Authors like it, it seems, as they use it. So I provide it.
Beats me. But, Every book store does it. Authors like it, it seems, as they use it. So I provide it.
For dead-tree books yes, but also for epubs?
For dead-tree books yes, but also for epubs?
Amazon does it for Kindle books.
Of course they are getting advanced notice from the publishers. And even if they have the full ebook ready, the publishers probably don't want them delivering the ebook versions before print versions are ready for delivery.
On Amazon/B&N/etc (or tradition if they're big enough for bestseller lists), the main reason authors do pre-order is to try and get as many sells logged in at 1 time as possible (since pre-orders all pop on the same day). Placement in their algorithms is done by avg. daily sales over some set period of time (usually a week or month, depending on the site), and the first day is your best bet to get a high number, and show up higher in a category, so people find your book. That's the main reason most authors bother with pre-order, as a tool for readers who don't know them to discover their writing.
Just saw this, as I don't visit much any more. But, as someone who's used preordering on a couple different sites, I can help fill in certain details.
The idea behind preordering, is that you announce the book, including a description, cover image (small) and a small sample, specify as 'live date' and that's pretty much it. Typically, you'd set it a couple weeks in the future, during which time you'd begin posting as normal. Then during that time, people preorder and make a charge--which isn't actually filled until the book is delivered.
Then, when the 'pre-order date' arrives, all those orders are charged. The idea is that, rather than a bunch or single orders, you save them up until you have a decent amount, fill them all at once, and it boosts your sales numbers. The effect is hardly permanent, but it's often enough to push you into the 'top sales' category in your given genre, increasing your SEO search hits, boosting sales.
Obviously, the longer the wait lasts, the greater the boost. However, the longer you delay, the more frustrated readers become, which doesn't help anyone.
In all, although I've used preorders for a while (before most of the various ebook distributors sales started drying up), my preorder sales were never that significant. Yeah, it gave me a quick boost, but since I'm an unknown Independent Producer, I never got anywhere near the tops of any given top sales category.
Hopefully, if you stick to sales on Bookapy (limiting the sample size, if you sell principally to SOL readers), it should make a definitive difference by NOT competing with a nationwide or worldwide collection of publisher-backed bestsellers.
The other idea is that the preorders are delivered, long before the actual novel goes on sale, it's usually offered at a healthly discount (guaranteeing decent sales) and again, if your numbers jump, more reader will start reading your regular postings. Also, the whole pre-order is a publicity and marketing maneuver, drawing additional attention to your story, generating curiosity about the story, the book and the results of the preorder (yes, you generally announce the results and thank everyone who participated).
Finally, considering the book's formatting, that typically depends on the specific distributor, but Bookapy offers a variety of formats. Plus, since SOL stories are often updated as they post, due to reader's feedback, once you order/pre-order the book, you're then entitled to download whichever version you want, as long as it's posted.
But what does pre-order bring to the reader as added value?
As a reader, I find pre-order useful. If I know that a book is coming out on Juvember 1st, and I also know I want to read it, I'll pre-order it because that way it shows up on publication date. If I don't pre-order it, chances are that I'll never remember to go back on publication date to buy it.
But what does pre-order bring
I'll couch this with admitting I'm far from an expert in the industry. And my response refers to the industry in general.
For the author, it's marketing. It's a pre-announcement. Works when the author has a fan base.
For the retailer, if they get a lot of pre-orders they know to order more books. Of course this is for print.
For those interested in being a bestseller, the pre-orders show up in the first week's sales.
Is there an email notification that a book you purchased is available for download?
So far I do not se a kindle integration, so I guess it isn't sent to your kindle automatically.
@Keet, joyR
I do not think a reader benefit is needed, after all there is none with Amazon pre-orders.
Pre-orders are normally a marketing tool for the author. Either to help launch a social media campaign or have differentiated sales channels like Baen does and some authors here do with Patreon.
I do not think a reader benefit is needed, after all there is none with Amazon pre-orders.
I don't think, "we're as good as the others", is anything to be proud of. Especially where Amazon is concerned. Bookapy is already way ahead, ethically.
I agree with JoyR that there is no added value to pre-ordering. Normally this is to reserve a copy from a limited number of available books thus ensuring against a sold-out. With epubs there is no such limit so I really don't see any advantage between a pre-order or waiting to buy it when it is actually released. The only very small advantage I see is that a potential buyer is informed early about a soon to be released book but that can be announced in a blog post too. There could be an advantage if pre-orders are sold for less then after the book is released but I doubt the difference will be a key point in the choice between buying or not.