KU release while on preorder wide?

[Joe Vasicek]

Is it possible to release a new book in KU while it's available on the other ebook retailers as a preorder at the end of the 90-day exclusivity period?

[Eric Thomson]

No.  Tried it.  Amazon called me on it.  Can't do preorders wide while in KU

[123mlh]

Yeah, that was also one of RH's tricks that she got busted for.

[angela]

It is too bad, but they consider preorder to be "for sale."

[Leegreg]

I saw someone doing the reverse, preorders everywhere, and claiming it would be KU after release. I’m not sure how it worked or if it did.

[Bill Hiatt]

I saw someone doing the reverse, preorders everywhere, and claiming it would be KU after release. I’m not sure how it worked or if it did.

The only way to make that work would be to have the book for sale wide long enough to fulfill the preorders and maybe whatever sales could be generated by the surrounding buzz, then pull it down everywhere and put it into KU.

I have to wonder what the point of that would be. It might catch a few extra wide sales but certainly wouldn't build a wide fan base. And I were committed to one of the other outlets and kept seeing an author popping up with a book available only for a limited time, I'd be annoyed and would pretty quickly start ignoring that author. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be the only one. At the very least, it's hard to make a series work that way.

[Lynn]

I have to wonder what the point of that would be. It might catch a few extra wide sales but certainly wouldn't build a wide fan base. And I were committed to one of the other outlets and kept seeing an author popping up with a book available only for a limited time, I'd be annoyed and would pretty quickly start ignoring that author. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be the only one. At the very least, it's hard to make a series work that way.

You know what I'd do, if I liked the author's books and didn't shop on Amazon? I'd buy the book before it went off sale.

I'm sure there's enough of those people to make it worth it for some (probably more, since it's pretty much been proven that scarcity works as a sales tactic even if it seems silly to some of us that it does). I mean, I hate it, and yet I am as susceptible to its pressure as the next person when something I really want is on the line.

I'm also sure that some people take the opposing perspective too, that's it's kind of good of the author to make sure people who don't like shopping at Amazon have the opportunity to pick up their book without forcing them to choose to forego it or support a retailer they don't like.

[angela]

I've seen some authors who offer it on preorder wide, then as soon as it releases they take those down and do KU.

Sometimes there's not some big business plan behind the things we do. Sometimes it's simply about not getting those 6 or 7 emails from loyal Nook fans who are upset.

[123mlh]

I saw someone doing the reverse, preorders everywhere, and claiming it would be KU after release. I’m not sure how it worked or if it did.

The only way to make that work would be to have the book for sale wide long enough to fulfill the preorders and maybe whatever sales could be generated by the surrounding buzz, then pull it down everywhere and put it into KU.

I have to wonder what the point of that would be. It might catch a few extra wide sales but certainly wouldn't build a wide fan base. And I were committed to one of the other outlets and kept seeing an author popping up with a book available only for a limited time, I'd be annoyed and would pretty quickly start ignoring that author. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be the only one. At the very least, it's hard to make a series work that way.

I've seen authors do this who realize they need to be in KU for financial reasons but who've established a wide fan base. This way their wide fans still get the novel but the author also gets the benefits of being in KU. So it's not about getting new fans wide it's about providing existing fans a chance to buy on their favored retailer.

[idontknowyet]

That actually makes sense. Build a wide base while banking on Amazon.

[Bill Hiatt]

That actually makes sense. Build a wide base while banking on Amazon.

I understand the idea much better now as a result of the excellent points made here, but it sounds as if it's not as much about building a wide base as maintaining one that you already have if you subsequently decide to go into KU. It seems as if it wouldn't be that hard to get existing fans used to the idea of grabbing the book on preorder if they didn't want to shop on Amazon.

[idontknowyet]

That actually makes sense. Build a wide base while banking on Amazon.

I understand the idea much better now as a result of the excellent points made here, but it sounds as if it's not as much about building a wide base as maintaining one that you already have if you subsequently decide to go into KU. It seems as if it wouldn't be that hard to get existing fans used to the idea of grabbing the book on preorder if they didn't want to shop on Amazon.

I guess my thought process was you are getting people to look for your book outside of amazon. Even if it isn't a traditional base since they are already fans. It'll be an easier transition if you ever decide to leave.