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Status: Drafting the fourth book in the PERILOUS series!

Friday, November 6, 2009

Boycotting Amazon

While I think of myself as an educated person, I don't have all the facts and answers at my fingertips. A few months ago I quit buying from Amazon.com and even B&N whenever possible to support my local indie. (You can read about that here.)

Those of you who are writers know how tough it is to make a profit from writing. (I'm not even talking about living off your profit--I'm talking making one.) What I didn't realize was how hard it is for publishers to make any money. But yesterday I learned from this blog that on top of everything else a publisher must pay for, if Amazon sells the book for them, Amazon takes 60%. 60%! And they charge a restocking fee. For this particular small press publisher, it ended up costing them money every time someone bought a book from Amazon.com.

You read that right. Instead of making money from the sale, they spent money every time they sold.

Granted, that's not going to be the case for big publishers who print much larger orders. But if Amazon takes 60%, the author takes another 10%, the publisher is left with 30%. And they still have paychecks to write.

I'm not sure how much a bookstore charges, but I've heard something closer to 40%. (Anyone want to correct me on that?)

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say, I'm willing to pay a few extra dollars to avoid Amazon. In fact, I'm going to skip the shipping and handling altogether and order it from my local indie.

Sequel revisions:
today's goal: 84/164
actual: 80/166
tomorrow's goal: page 90/166

7 comments:

nephite blood spartan heart said...

I have never bought a book from Amazon. Couple online dealers, e-bay and Alibris who I really like for those hard to find tomes.

But in general-I know the local book dealers-I gotta make it to Sam Wellers some time soon.

Vicky B said...

My mother and I actually started boycotting Amazon about a year ago because they are the only booksellers to sell books on dog fighting, which is obviously something we don't support in any way.

Anonymous said...

Whoa! I can buy books on dog-fighting? I am so there.

Karen Jones Gowen said...

Hey, you got rid of the pink! I like it.

Anonymous said...

LOL...Tamara, you know how I feel about Amazon after they blew me out in The First Annual Breakthrough Novel Award for not being a member. I'm on your side :)

I'm still not a member, and probebly won't be out of princable.

Sara {Rhapsody and Chaos} said...

Ew. Amazon sells books on dogfighting? that's reason enough to give it up. (ps I hope anonymous was KIDDING)

thanks for the new perspective - I've frequently shopped books on Amazon, but will definitely think again in the future...

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

I understand, you know, there are times when the only place you can get a book is Amazon.com. So it serves a valuable purpose. But new books that you can get elsewhere? I will.

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