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Writer's Haven => Publisher's Office [Public] => Topic started by: Lynn on December 04, 2019, 11:00:42 AM

Title: Smashwords has made another move with presales
Post by: Lynn on December 04, 2019, 11:00:42 AM

Sometimes I wonder if Smashwords is still trying. ;D  I like them, but it feels like they've slowed down a lot in the last couple of years.

It looks like they've made another move with Presales.

Got an email today about the "exciting patent-pending feature". I went to the blog to read about it.

https://blog.smashwords.com/2019/12/presales.html (https://blog.smashwords.com/2019/12/presales.html)

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Smashwords Presales leverages patent-pending technology to enable the creation, management and merchandising of ebook presales.  An ebook presale allows readers to purchase and read a new book before the public release date.

Presales are different than preorders.  Presales provide readers early and immediate access to an upcoming book release, whereas preorders merely act as product reservations where the customer must wait until the public release date to read a preordered book.

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Incentives for email sharing – We’re going the extra mile to help you build your mailing list.  Smashwords Presales enables authors and publishers to offer optional discount incentives to entice customers to share their email address.  Authors can configure a custom, pre-set discount offer that is presented to the customer at checkout.  Once the customer agrees to share their email with a specific author or publisher, they won’t be presented the incentive offer again for future releases from the same author.
 
Compatible with KDP Select/KU Book Launches – Authors who plan to make their next ebook release exclusive to Amazon via KDP Select can satisfy a wider audience of readers by running a private or public presale at Smashwords BEFORE they enroll their ebook in KDP Select.  Here’s how:  1.  Upload your book to Smashwords as a preorder with a future release date, then immediately click to your Dashboard’s Channel Manager and opt the book out of all distribution channels (this will prevent your preorder listing from appearing at other retailers if that's your goal).  2.  Click to your Dashboard’s “Presale Dashboard” and follow the simple instructions to create and launch your public or private presale.  3.  When you’re ready to end your presale and enroll in KDP Select, click back to your main Dashboard, click unpublish and confirm, and voila, your book disappears from the Smashwords Store in seconds.  This same technique can be used by authors that distribute wide but prefer to upload direct to the major retailers.
 
Works with Smashwords Coupons – Smashwords offers the industry’s broadest array of customizable coupon creation options for authors and publishers.  Authors can create custom coupon codes for cents-off, dollars-off, percentage-off, metered (limited redemption), public coupons, private coupons, time-limited coupons, and coupons that work across multiple books.  These features can be mixed and matched to create myriad customizable promotional options.  Using the metered coupons, for example, an author of a highly anticipated new release could create additional launch buzz by creating a coupon code that would entitle the first 1,000 presale customers to receive a dollar off, after which the coupon expires and the next presale customers would pay the regular price.  After you create your presale, click to your Dashboard’s Coupon Manager to create the coupon code.

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In the features of Smashwords Presales launched today, for example, the author has the option to create a private presale they can choose to make available only to subscribers of their private newsletter.  This gives readers a strong incentive to subscribe, and when readers subscribe the author gains a double benefit – not only do they gain a high-margin sale, they’re also building an author- or publisher-controlled marketing platform where their relationship with the reader is no longer mediated by a retailer.  The option to require the customer to digitally sign an anti-piracy pledge illustrates another positive implication - the opportunity for the product creator to exchange one thing of value to the customer (early access to a book) for something that's of value to the author (customer email address, reduced piracy).  The patent envisions myriad conditional access requirements that can be applied for the mutual benefit of customers, product creators and retailers.

Lots more stuff in the blog post, but frankly, it was boring reading. The email was better, and more relevant to me. :D