Bookbub's most expensive deal question

[Nobody]

Hello. I'm planning to do a bookbub for a niche nonfiction book that I have that has been selling around 5-10 copies per day for 1 year now. This book usually costs $9.95.

It's not on KU because it's a short book. Dropping the price to $0.99 or $1.99 would kill the % of royalties. Therefore, I'm considering $2.99.

However, that would cost $1300. Do you think I'd make any profit or is too risky and not worth it?

[David VanDyke]

Too risky, as stated, IMO.

However, if you had other similar books that people are likely to buy at full price because they found your BookBub book, the calculations might change a lot.

If you can manage to get a 1.99 price at close to 70% royalty, such as with a Countdown, you might make it work.

But, the most important thing is, IMO, as above, using the BB to get more sales of your other books.

[Nobody]

Too risky, as stated, IMO.

However, if you had other similar books that people are likely to buy at full price because they found your BookBub book, the calculations might change a lot.

If you can manage to get a 1.99 price at close to 70% royalty, such as with a Countdown, you might make it work.

But, the most important thing is, IMO, as above, using the BB to get more sales of your other books.

Thanks for the quick reply David.

I have 3 more books on the same topic at the same price, but this one is my best selling on this specific niche. The others sell 80%, 60% and 40% of this one. The book has 20 reviews atm (18 5-star, 1 4-star, 1 1-star).

I can't do countdown because that would lock me on KU for 3 months, which would suck due to a low page count (130 pages).

$1300 is quite a lot, and that'd mean I'd have to sell 600 copies at 2.99 to breakeven. It's a tough call, because I can't be sure of how much tail will I get on the other 3 books.

[LilyBLily]

$2.99 is an unusual price on BB and BB makes you pay up front what it thinks it will lose in affiliate sales income because people will not buy it at that price. That's why the ad cost is so high. 

Most indies do free or 99 cents, and most New York publishers do $1.99, often on backlist titles. I don't know if the audience would go for $2.99, and spending $1,300 to test isn't my idea of a good time and clearly isn't yours, either. Why not try it on a smaller newsletter where your ad cost would be under $100 and see what happens? The same bargain hunters are likely to shop those newsletters.

[guest14]

I've gone for $1.99 on a buy on Bookbub before, but it's an extremely rare occasion. At $2.99 I wouldn't even take a look unless its already something special in my mind. I don't know what that would be. I'm pretty atypical of BB readers.

Personally, I would do $1.99 and take a hit on the royalties on the expectation of selling the other three books off the back. The important thing to consider here is that the tail will be much the same, or better at this price than at $2.99.

[Nobody]

I've gone for $1.99 on a buy on Bookbub before, but it's an extremely rare occasion. At $2.99 I wouldn't even take a look unless its already something special in my mind. I don't know what that would be. I'm pretty atypical of BB readers.

Personally, I would do $1.99 and take a hit on the royalties on the expectation of selling the other three books off the back. The important thing to consider here is that the tail will be much the same, or better at this price than at $2.99.

The thing is that $1.99 would still cost $1000. 2.99$ would require around 600 sales to breakeven, while at $1.99, I would need over 1400 sales.

[Nobody]

$2.99 is an unusual price on BB and BB makes you pay up front what it thinks it will lose in affiliate sales income because people will not buy it at that price. That's why the ad cost is so high. 

Most indies do free or 99 cents, and most New York publishers do $1.99, often on backlist titles. I don't know if the audience would go for $2.99, and spending $1,300 to test isn't my idea of a good time and clearly isn't yours, either. Why not try it on a smaller newsletter where your ad cost would be under $100 and see what happens? The same bargain hunters are likely to shop those newsletters.

Which smaller newsletter do you recommend? It always depends whether they have subscribers on this specific niche or not. If it were fiction, then I'd have no problems, but when you step out of fiction and non-fiction politics/history/business (and other similar mainstream subjects), your ability to reach out and find your audience will definitely be small.

[guest14]

I've gone for $1.99 on a buy on Bookbub before, but it's an extremely rare occasion. At $2.99 I wouldn't even take a look unless its already something special in my mind. I don't know what that would be. I'm pretty atypical of BB readers.

Personally, I would do $1.99 and take a hit on the royalties on the expectation of selling the other three books off the back. The important thing to consider here is that the tail will be much the same, or better at this price than at $2.99.

The thing is that $1.99 would still cost $1000. 2.99$ would require around 600 sales to breakeven, while at $1.99, I would need over 1400 sales.

That said, you're more likely to achieve 1400 sales at $1.99 than 600 sales at $2.99.

Again, that said. Bookbub gives you value for money and a good return. I've never heard of anyone NOT getting that.

[LilyBLily]

$2.99 is an unusual price on BB and BB makes you pay up front what it thinks it will lose in affiliate sales income because people will not buy it at that price. That's why the ad cost is so high. 

Most indies do free or 99 cents, and most New York publishers do $1.99, often on backlist titles. I don't know if the audience would go for $2.99, and spending $1,300 to test isn't my idea of a good time and clearly isn't yours, either. Why not try it on a smaller newsletter where your ad cost would be under $100 and see what happens? The same bargain hunters are likely to shop those newsletters.

Which smaller newsletter do you recommend? It always depends whether they have subscribers on this specific niche or not. If it were fiction, then I'd have no problems, but when you step out of fiction and non-fiction politics/history/business (and other similar mainstream subjects), your ability to reach out and find your audience will definitely be small.

I agree, and off the top of my head, I can't think of any. Let's throw this out to everyone. Is there an ad newsletter other than BookBub that regularly features nonfiction?

[Nobody]

I've gone for $1.99 on a buy on Bookbub before, but it's an extremely rare occasion. At $2.99 I wouldn't even take a look unless its already something special in my mind. I don't know what that would be. I'm pretty atypical of BB readers.

Personally, I would do $1.99 and take a hit on the royalties on the expectation of selling the other three books off the back. The important thing to consider here is that the tail will be much the same, or better at this price than at $2.99.

The thing is that $1.99 would still cost $1000. 2.99$ would require around 600 sales to breakeven, while at $1.99, I would need over 1400 sales.

That said, you're more likely to achieve 1400 sales at $1.99 than 600 sales at $2.99.

Are you sure? This is quite shocking for me. I'd think that selling 600 copies at $2.99 would be way easier than selling 230% of that at just $1 less.

[guest14]

I've gone for $1.99 on a buy on Bookbub before, but it's an extremely rare occasion. At $2.99 I wouldn't even take a look unless its already something special in my mind. I don't know what that would be. I'm pretty atypical of BB readers.

Personally, I would do $1.99 and take a hit on the royalties on the expectation of selling the other three books off the back. The important thing to consider here is that the tail will be much the same, or better at this price than at $2.99.

The thing is that $1.99 would still cost $1000. 2.99$ would require around 600 sales to breakeven, while at $1.99, I would need over 1400 sales.

That said, you're more likely to achieve 1400 sales at $1.99 than 600 sales at $2.99.

Are you sure?

Of course not, I'm giving you insights which are personal. I explained my reasoning in my earlier post. You're dealing with people who are lookiing for a good DEAL - so give them one. IMO

[JRTomlin]

I ran a $2.99 BB promo for my Black Trilogy Omnibus that is normally $9.99 and it did quite well. However, that is fiction. I don't know how well non-fiction would do. It is definitely more expensive, but I had a very good RoI from it. I would have no hesitation in doing another $2.99 BB for the trilogy if I could get one going on how much I made last time.

ETA: I agree that you have to give the BB people a good deal, but $2.99 for a $9.99 book is a good deal in my book.