Wide distribution through D2D or IngramSpark or LuLu | Only pick one aggregator to self-publish
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- First, a history lesson. Kinda. Trust me, it will pay off.
Ingram, the publishing juggernaut that it is, provided distribution services for major and minor publishing houses. They have a network of physical stores and their online counterparts, that a dedicated team pitches and sells books to. As publishers have a new slate of books coming out, they work with dedicated sales reps at Ingram to pitch those books to retailers. Ingram historically has been created to help sell books. Publisher orders a mass shipment of books and then it is warehoused around the country, or world, at Ingram warehouses and distributed to stores in that region.
But let’s say a book that was expected to do meh, suddenly takes off. Flying off the shelves. Well, it can take a while to have a whole new offset run of books so Ingram developed Lightning Source to print books on demand. This name should feel very familiar to you. If a publisher knew a shipment of more books was delayed by a week, Ingram could create and stock these interim books. It would be at a higher cost per book so less margin, but it is better than having no books on the shelves at all.
Once this is set up, Ingram thinks. Wait. We have distribution. We can print on demand. Why not open up this service to self-publishers?
So they did. Through IngramSpark. But you’ll notice all your invoices come from Lightning Source when you order author copies or get the dreaded returns.
How does all of this relate to Wide Distribution with LuLu or Draft2Digital?
LuLu and Draft2Digital offer their distribution through the same exact network, and sometimes, also use Lightning Source
This is why you will get the biggest headache and run around of your life if you decide to have your paperback on IngramSpark AND Draft2Digital or your paperback and hardcover on IngramSpark AND LuLu.
Because all the data is going to one network… Ingram’s network. So it shows as a duplicate and the system says “Nope.” If you are already on one platform and unhappy with it you need to pull your books and upload them elsewhere. Now you CAN do a transfer form but it can get messy. I know one author who elected to do the direct sales only through IngramSpark but then had issues uploading the book to Draft2Digital. Cue customer service run around. If you have one platform that you love but the other has one cool feature, I’d say it’s not worth just one cool feature. Find the platform that meets most of your needs and stick with that one.
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For more details on how to expand your self-publishing distribution read: Going Wide 1mkwilliams.com/going-wide/
What do you think about people who advertise "reverse?" Where they say they have Ghost writers to write and then sale ebooks on Amazon? Is it possible they are stealing real authors ebooks and selling them. If so, why aren't real authors getting Royalities!?
@@jennellew.6036 I think there are a lot of legitimate ghost writing operations out there. If there is a stolen book there is a way for the original author to petition and have the copycat removed
@@1MKWilliams Hi, Thank you MK William's for responding to my question. It does help alleviate some concerns I've had. 🙂
Banger! Of course, like rest of us, I'm looking for the most profit with the least out of pocket :)
Great
Perhaps we can have a podcast interview?
I published with D2D and my novel hasn't sold anything so please help me to find a better way to sell it. Thank you
I have a ton of videos on book marketing: th-cam.com/play/PL5wG4jOiELp0TbeDURFdW51EfzFnfhlPl.html. As well as a book:; 1mkwilliams.com/book-marketing-for-the-first-time-author/
Honestly, I found your information so useful, Thank you! It even pushed me to get my own ISBNs and ditch the free ones so that's a plus. I'm publishing my second poetry book and I really wanted to go wide with my distribution. So I decided on D2D because I tried signing up with IS but the sign up wasn't favoring international authors at least for the most part so I settled on D2D and Amazon KDP for my ebook, so fingers crossed that it all works well. Ill surely return with more questions about D2D after my release later this month.
Best of luck on book 2 and going wide!!!
Your videos are so, so helpful. Thank you so much. So, D2D has a new (since May 2024) policy that flashes onto the screen in a warning when getting ready to publish PRINT books. It requires a separate ISBN (from one used anywhere else, IngramSpark, KDP Print Expanded, B&N, Lulu, etc.) Or it can come back as a duplicate in the system or VoR (Vendor of Record).D2D says it can take weeks to resolve. So it seems like we have to use an additional ISBN to publish print on D2D. This seems so confusing, but when I emailed D2D they said, yes, we need to use a separate ISBN to publish print on their site.
Very interesting to know they added that disclaimer. When I spoke to someone from D2D a year ago they said they knew it wasn't accurate but so many people use the "free" Amazon ISBN it was causing issues so they made this policy. I don't agree with it. I also don't do print distribution through D2D, I use IngramSpark
@@1MKWilliams I'm still feeling my way through the self-publishing process. And I really appreciate your videos!
Hey 👋
Is the D2D distribution for paperbacks as 'wide' as the one offered by IngramSpark?
Thank you.
I also wanted to clarify: if eBooks and paperbacks are already published via KDP (without expanded distribution), does publishing them through the D2D aggregator (with new ISBNs) comply with KDP rules?
I’m asking because, by default, D2D publishes paperback versions on Amazon.
Yes you can publish the eBook wide with IS or D2D so long as the eBook is not in Kindle select.
@@1MKWilliams 🫂
Paperbacks also? (As i understand you use KDP and IS simultaneously for same titles with different ISBNs)
Apriciated.
Hi, I came across your videos 30mins ago. The first one was discussing choosing the returns option with Ingram Sparks and you had'nt had any issues. Then I clicked on this video, and you have made a passing reference to headache of returns from Ingram from a year ago. What happened? Perhaps I need to look through your other videos.... Thanks for sharing.
I havent been burned necessarily but they do happen once in a blue moon and then it is annoying. You don't know WHY it was returned. IMO if the book was damaged in transit or misprinted I don't feel I as the author should be financially liable, the POD service or shipping service should. But I don't get to make that call
so useful! thank you!
You're welcome!
What combination would you recommend for Direct, Wide, ebook Wide and Overseas (not US)?
I use Amazon KDP and IngramSpark (Print) and Draft2Digital (eBook).
Heellllo! I am self publishing this year but I am unsure which to use. Would you recommend D2D for all my stuffs over IS? I am not going to be publishing on KDP/Amazon at all due to my 5 year boycott of the company lol
D2D has great distribution and customer service
Thank you so much
Happy to help!
I am now on D2D, as well as Ingramspark, and have had no errors or notification of any problems. Would they let us know or will there just be an issue when purchasing the book?
There would just be issues on the reader on or duplicate listings so your rankings would be split
Thanks ma'am, I really enjoyed the whispers 😅😅 I was thinking of publishing with D2D as well as Ingram Spark not knowing they go to same direction. Now, I use free ISBN from Ingram Spark to publish print only as getting ISBN in my country is tough. Does D2D offer free ISBN for eBooks upload let me go with it for my eBook versions since they go same direction?
Yes, D2D also offers a free ISBN
Thank you so much!!
Happy to help!
If I publish an ebook wide on D2D, will readers automatically be able to check them out on library apps or do libraries have to buy them first? Your videos are so helpful, thanks for all your hard work MK!
It depends on the library and which system they use. The library will be able to purchase or rent the book of the eBook is with D2D, it is up to the patron to request it
so i do have my print books on INgramspark right now. are you saying that if i also upload them to D2D as ebooks, it may get tripped up because they already are kind of connected? or could you explain that more fully? for example, a few books i have on Ingram are not eligible for distribution, would that make issues if i upload them to D2D as ebook? thank you for your help!
Currently my print books are with IS and my eBooks are with D2D. So yes, you can have one site to do print and another to do the eBook. The trouble comes when you try to do the print book on both or the eBook on both because of duplicate listings. Best of luck with your book!
Would it be a good idea to use D2D for e-book and IngramS for print? (of course, using Amazon kdp for both as well)
Yes! Now that smash words has been acquired by D2D, that is my exact mix. Wide eBook with D2D, wide print with IS
@@1MKWilliams Thank you
Im trying to work out who gives the best profit. B&H takes up 85% of the sale value in printing and distribution, leaving the writer with 12-15%, and then tax, you get left with less than 10% of the value of your book. This is pretty poor income. These companies are taking almost all of the profit for doing no work distributing because its all online, and automated. I am intending on Print Only, no ebooks, the book must be a physical in the hand book.
I'm looking at selling ebooks direct from my website, just trying to figure out all the formats I'll need. There's at least one that is compatible with Kindle devices. Hoping to cut out the middleman.
Can we used the same book that already we publish on kdp, and same on the d2d?
Yes
If I use Lulu for print who can I use for audio book?
I have a whole playlist on audiobooks. For an aggregator like LuLu but for audiobooks I like Findaway Voices th-cam.com/video/Ft504cK2vmU/w-d-xo.html
Audiobooks- Google, Audible, ETX…
I was thinking to pick Kdp direct draft2digital for ebooks and lulu for wide print. But the print cost of lulu for color ink is so much higher than Kdp. Would that mean that my book could appear on Amazon with two different prices? One from lulus wide distribution which I would have to set higher and one of Kdp?
If you elected to use Lulu for print you would need to make sure to not agree or sign the distribution agreement for Amazon
I have a questions about UBL’s and if you have one UBL for the distributions method you have. I’ve tried to follow how to do this but just don’t understand since I want to publish direct with KDP.
Thanks!
D2D can create the UBL based on all the links they distribute to but you can also add your own links too for Amazon or your direct store
Question, I'm getting ready to publish my first book. If I'm publishing through Ingramspark do I need a KDP account, or a Barnes and Noble account to get my book on those sites? Basically, who makes the sales page for my books on Amazon or those other sites?
If you are using IngramSpark and intend to have them distribute to Amazon and Barnes and Noble for you then DO NOT make an account with KDP or B&N Press. The metadata from IngramSpark will populate for the book page. You can still create an Author Central account with Amazon.
@@1MKWilliams Thanks! It's tough deciding which one to go with. Your videos are so helpful.
Thank you. To clarify (am I getting it right?) - You're saying pick ONE aggregator for EBooks but it's fine to have a different one for Paper books without the headaches you mentioned? So, eg, D2D for Ebooks and Ingram for Paper? thanks!
Correct! Ideally one aggregator to handle the eBooks. You could use both D2D or IngramSpark as your aggregator of choice for both, but ideally only 1 aggregator total in your mix.
Never overlook libraries (D2D)
So helpful and cute as a button too
I was doing this also, but also publishing direct at Barnes and Noble. So you don’t publish paperback at B&N? I got into the ISBN loophole with that!
You'd likely need to do a title transfer with B&N instead of trying to upload it