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Setting a price for your print book

When you set your book’s list price, you have to make it high enough to cover the cost of printing and the retailer’s discount. Let’s assume you’re printing a 200-page book at CreateSpace. The discount is 20% for sales through CreateSpace, 40% for sales through Amazon, and 60% for Expanded Distribution.*

For B&W books of 110-828 pages printed in the U.S.:

printing cost = (.012 × [# of pages]) + .85

The cost of printing a 200-page book would be

printing cost = (.012 × 200) + .85

printing cost = ( 2.4 ) + .85

printing cost = 3.25

printing cost = $3.25

Now, let’s say you set the list price at $19.95. Here’s what you would receive for sales through expanded distribution:

net = 19.95 – (19.95 × 60%) – 3.25

net = 19.95 – ( 11.97 ) – 3.25

net = 19.95 – 15.22

net = $4.73 Expanded Distribution

The net is what you get paid.

Here’s what you would get for sales through Amazon’s main site:

net = 19.95 – (19.95 × 40%) – 3.25

net = 19.95 – ( 7.98 ) – 3.25

net = 19.95 – 11.23

net = $8.72 Amazon.com

Here’s what you would get for sales through CreateSpace (not Amazon):

net = 19.95 – (19.95 × 20%) – 3.25

net = 19.95 – ( 3.99 ) – 3.25

net = 19.95 – 7.24

net = $12.71 CreateSpace.com

*CreateSpace’s book costs formula is here:
https://www.createspace.com/Products/Book/Royalties.jsp

About Sandra K. Williams

Sandra K. Williams loves books, both printed and digital. Since 1996 she has worked with authors and independent publishers, editing and designing books for print. Since 1999 she has built easy-to-use, accessible websites, and she uses her HTML and CSS skills to design reader-friendly e-books.

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