Ingram offering free ISBNs?

[Lynn]

When did IngramSpark start offering free ISBNs?

Someone mentioned in another thread that IngramSpark is now offering free ISBNs and I thought I'd ask about that. I had no idea they'd stopped requiring you have your own.

As for the fees, I know you can get promo codes that let you upload books without the fees. But what about the costs of revisions? Can you get promo codes that help with that too, or it is a given you'll have to pay some fees?

I'm not unhappy at KDP but I did like Createspace a lot better. I seemed to sell more print books through the expanded distribution, and now that it's just KDP, I don't sell many at all.

But really, the biggest thing is that right now print is such a small part of my sales that adding fees so I can put the books somewhere else, or make hardcovers, just doesn't seem worth it.

But I'm intrigued.

[ashleycapes]

Hi Lynn,

There are codes out there for free revisions too, which is handy, though I haven't seen one in a little while from memory.

[RPatton]

Here's a screen of the free ISBN



And to clarify, the revision fee is only after you approve a book. You can upload a new file as many times as you want at no charge prior to accepting the proof and approving distribution.

[Lynn]

Yes, sorry, I understood that about the revision fees.

I'm specifically talking about if you later discover an issue and want to update a book or just want to freshen up old front and back matter at some point. :D It's my understanding that requires paying a fee.

I've only done it once on my paperbacks as they are, but times that fee by all the novels and it would add up fast, especially considering the small amount of paperback sales I make.

I used to pay the expanded distribution fee at Createspace but honestly I'm not even sure I earned all that back before they stopped charging. :D I'd rather not end up there again.

On the other hand, I've been seriously considering doing some hardback editions mostly for myself and IngramSpark seems like a better bet than Barnes & Noble.

[notthatamanda]

This is what they are offering right now:

Promo Code JACKET - it's good through March 31st.

For a Limited Time!

Title setup will be FREE for new titles uploaded in the Jacketed Case Laminate product offering. For titles already existing in your account, revision uploads of your new Jacketed Case Laminate file will be FREE.

So I don't think that counts if you are revising the text file, but personally I would probably go through the motion on one book and see what happened, could get lucky. Like Ashley said, promo codes for completely free revisions come around. I think usually in the early fall.

[Lynn]

If you take advantage of a promo and upload something, do you have to publish it before the promo end date or is it good enough to just get it up before the promo code ends?

And how long do you have to publish once you start the process?

[notthatamanda]

My best guess is you enter the promo code when you pay for the upload/change, so I would think after 3/31 it won't work anymore.  You can start the process and leave it sitting there forever, but once you upload the files and submit and pay you will have to pay again if you change anything.

If I was smart I would change all the files as soon as I published another book, then if a code came along I'd be ready to breeze through the updates. I don't see that happening though.

[RPatton]

If you take advantage of a promo and upload something, do you have to publish it before the promo end date or is it good enough to just get it up before the promo code ends?

And how long do you have to publish once you start the process?

You don't have to approve prior to the ending date. I had a book I put up prior to the expiration and made a change to the file before approving but after the expiration and no charge.

The key is the approval. Once the approval happens then I think you get another charge with any changes if you don't have a promo code.

[Bill Hiatt]

When did IngramSpark start offering free ISBNs?

Someone mentioned in another thread that IngramSpark is now offering free ISBNs and I thought I'd ask about that. I had no idea they'd stopped requiring you have your own.

As for the fees, I know you can get promo codes that let you upload books without the fees. But what about the costs of revisions? Can you get promo codes that help with that too, or it is a given you'll have to pay some fees?

I'm not unhappy at KDP but I did like Createspace a lot better. I seemed to sell more print books through the expanded distribution, and now that it's just KDP, I don't sell many at all.

But really, the biggest thing is that right now print is such a small part of my sales that adding fees so I can put the books somewhere else, or make hardcovers, just doesn't seem worth it.

But I'm intrigued.

With regard to not selling as many paperbacks, I've noticed that titles I didn't have in expanded distribution but moved into it after the switch to KDP print never appear in Barnes and Noble. (The ones that were once wide still have iistings for 3rd party resellers, but that's it.) I was wondering if anyone else has noticed a similar pattern.

[notthatamanda]

I'm not sure I understand your question but I can confirm that all the paper books I have released through Ingram are available on Barnes and Noble. They even list the large print version on the book page, unlike Amazon who hides them under a > you have to know to look for. Hope that helps.

[Bill Hiatt]

I'm not sure I understand your question but I can confirm that all the paper books I have released through Ingram are available on Barnes and Noble. They even list the large print version on the book page, unlike Amazon who hides them under a > you have to know to look for. Hope that helps.

So Ingram does distribute to Barnes and Noble (which I figured was the case), and KDP apparently tries--and fails. Or so it appears. My original question was whether others were having the same experience with KDP Print in that regard that I was.