Today's guest post is part of the virtual book tour for
How to Sell More Books on Amazon
by Ministry Marketing Solutions Synergy Energy partner, Dana Lynn Smith
Amazon.com accounts for the vast majority of online book sales and about 22 percent of the total book sales in the United States. The site is also a leading retailer in many other product categories. Just how big is Amazon? Sales in the third quarter of 2010 were up 39% to $7.56 billion. How to Sell More Books on Amazon
by Ministry Marketing Solutions Synergy Energy partner, Dana Lynn Smith
It's important for authors and indie publishers to have a good understanding of this dominant book retailer.
Listed below are some of the top reasons that Amazon is the most popular place to purchase books (and a whole lot of other products) online:
1. People know and trust the Amazon brand.
2. Amazon sells most books and other products at a discount from list price and they aim to be the lowest cost retailer.
3. Customers in many states pay no sales tax when buying on Amazon.com, resulting in further savings.
4. Regular Amazon customers know that they will get free shipping if their order totals at least $25 (for most products shipping directly from Amazon). Personally, if I want to buy something that's under $25 and I'm not in a hurry, I'll place it in my shopping cart and then purchase the item later when I have something else to buy.
5. Purchasing is quick and easy for regular Amazon customers because their shipping address and credit card information are already stored in their profile. Shoppers can buy an item with just one mouse click.
6. Amazon.com lists a vast selection of 14 million books. Out of print books can often be found in the Marketplace section of the site, available through used book dealers and individuals.
7. While online stores can't replace the experience of browsing in a bookstore, Amazon provides a good book shopping experience. The site offers tools that make it easy to find just the right book, the ability to browse a book's content though the Look Inside program, and book reviews to help customers feel confident in their selection.
8. It's convenient to purchase several items in one place. Shoppers can buy books, electronics, pet supplies, software, vitamins, kitchen gadgets and much more in one spot.
9. Amazon gift cards make a wonderful gift for book lovers and everyone else, due to the huge selection of merchandise available on the site. Gift cards can be emailed, printed out, or mailed by Amazon at no extra charge.
10. Amazon's Kindle store offers the largest selection of digital ebooks anywhere, with more than 720,000 titles. During 2009, it's estimated that the Kindle store accounted for 90 percent of all digital ebook sales. Amazon shoppers can even purchase Kindle ebooks as gifts for others.
11. Readers don't even need a Kindle ebook reading device to enjoy ebooks, magazines, newspapers and blogs from the Kindle store – just download the free Kindle app to read content on a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, or Android or Windows phone.
12. An army of affiliates in the Amazon Associates program link to books and other products on their own websites, in exchange for referral fees from Amazon.
13. Amazon continues to offer innovative programs and services. For example, in November of 2010, they announced that customers can go to www.amazon.com/giftcards-facebook to create personalized gift cards that can be delivered on the recipient's Facebook Wall up to a year in advance.
14. Also in November, Amazon unveiled Price Check by Amazon, a price comparison app for the iPhone that lets shoppers scan a barcode or snap a photo of an item in a retail store (or speak or type a product name) and receive instant prices on Amazon.com and other online merchants. Customers can purchase the item from Amazon with one click.
15. For international customers, Amazon operates sites in Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
To learn how to boost your book's visibility on the world's most popular bookstore, increase sales, and improve profits, check out How to Sell More Books on Amazon
by book marketing coach Dana Lynn Smith. For more book marketing tips, follow @BookMarketer on Twitter and get Dana's free Top Book Marketing Tips ebook at www.TheSavvyBookMarketer.com
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| Dana Lynn Smith |
Amazon Facebook Page: www.amazon.com/giftcards-facebook
Book Sales page: Buy the book here
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