Selling books directly to readers is one of the most powerful ways to take control of your author business. Instead of relying solely on retailers, you build stronger relationships, keep more of your profits, and own your customer data.

But what do you actually need to get started with selling books direct? The great news is that with the right tools supporting you, it’s simpler than you might expect.

The Core Components of Selling Books Direct

At its most basic level, a direct sales setup comes down to four key pieces:

• A place to sell your books
• A way to process payments
• A system to fulfill orders
• A way to communicate with customers

Let’s break each of these down into more detailed components and take a look at what to expect when you start planning to set up a direct sales system.

An Author Website

Your website is your home base on the internet; the place where readers will go to learn more about you and your books. But it can also be a place where readers can actually buy your books directly from you, rather than having to turn to retailers like Amazon (where you keep less profit).

Your website should include:

• A homepage that introduces your brand and books
• A shop or book page that lists your “products” (your books)
• Individual book pages with descriptions and purchase options
• A clear call-to-action in relevant sections, like “Buy Now”

Some types of author website service options to consider include:

• Platforms built specifically for creating an author website that is optimized for selling books (like The Bookshelf, which is built with tools and interfaces for authors first)
• Website builder platforms with eCommerce plugins added (like WordPress for building your site, and a WooCommerce plugin to create a storefront)
• eCommerce-specific platforms that allow for some website creation (like Shopify, where the focus is the storefront but you can also add basic website pages)

Setting up your own space, using whatever type of platform best fits your needs, is important whether you’re going to start selling direct immediately or plan to in the future. That’s because you get to control your branding and customer experience, and you can build long-term reader relationships.

An eCommerce and Payment System

In addition to having your own website, you’ll need a way to accept payments securely and efficiently. You can achieve this with a duo system of a storefront builder and a payment processor.

There are many eCommerce platforms available to choose from, like The Bookshelf, Shopify, WooCommerce, Payhip, Squarespace, and others. If you decide to use a platform specifically built for selling, it will likely already have its own payment processor built in.

If you decide to go a different route—for example, building a website where you control the storefront display and logistics—then you will likely need to integrate a standalone payment processor such as Stripe, PayPal, or ThriveCart.

Whichever direction you decide, you want to look for options that include:

• A secure checkout experience
• Acceptance of multiple payment options (credit cards, digital wallets)
• International payment support (if you sell globally)

Other key considerations to take into account should be:

• Transaction fees (typically 2-3% of each sale)
• Currency conversion fees and how they’re handled
• How taxes are handled (and whether they are a Merchant of Record)
• Payout policies (when can expect to have earnings transferred to you)

Unless you have experience building your own websites and integrating third-party services, it’s recommended to select an eCommerce option that has a payment system built in. It helps to make everything run smoother and easier.

A Fulfillment Solution

You can set up a website with a built-in store and checkout system, but once a reader buys your book, you need a way to get it to them. This is true whether they’ve purchased a digital eBook or any kind of print book.

You have a few options you can consider (or a combination of them) depending on your preferences and how you want to scale your author business.

Self-Fulfillment

This means you’re handling all the packing and shipping yourself, as well as emailing the eBook, if that’s what they’ve purchased.

Self-fulfillment is best for:

• Signed editions that you have to put pen to before sending
• Limited-print runs that you need to keep close control over
• Low order volume books, such as backlist books that may not sell frequently

Having full control over your fulfillment comes with some great pros, such as lower upfront costs, as well control over all your packaging and branding, making for an even better reader experience.

But there are also cons to self-fulfillment, such as the fact that it can be time consuming to package and ship your own books. It also requires some kind of storage space to keep your books on hand, and making sure your inventory is always adequately stocked. You will also need to create a way to keep careful track of your inventory to make sure your online storefront accurately reflects what’s available for purchase.

Print-on-Demand (POD)

POD fulfillment means books are printed and shipped by a third-party book printing partner only when a book is ordered through your site.

POD is best for:

• Authors who want low inventory risk
• Authors who don’t have time to manage fulfillment
• Simple, scalable direct sales fulfillment

The pros of POD fulfillment are that you don’t have to worry about how your books will get to your readers, and you don’t need to spend time managing that process, which can often include customer support for missing or damaged books, as well as support navigating the digital delivery of eBooks.

Cons, however, include additional fees paid to those POD services for printing, handling, and sometimes membership subscriptions. These POD services can also be more complex to set up alongside your store if you’re unfamiliar with integrations and plugins.

Some great POD partners to consider include Bookvault and Lulu, while the most widely-used fulfillment partner specifically for eBook and audiobook deliveries is BookFunnel.

Third-Party Fulfillment (3PL)

A 3PL service often consists of a warehouse equipped to print and store larger quantities of your books to then be able to more quickly ship orders for you.

This option is often best for those authors with books that have a high volume of sales. Many 3PL providers require a minimum number of copies per print run, ranging anywhere from 25 books to 100 books, and will require full payment for printing and storing those books upfront. So it’s best to feel confident that those books will sell before placing an order.

The pros of third-party fulfillment include more hands-off logistics to worry about, and shipping at a much faster scale, since there is no printing time to wait for. Many 3PLs can offer next-day shipping.

Cons, however, can include upfront printing costs, as well as storage and handling fees per order, and sometimes a membership subscription like POD services. And once again, these systems can be more challenging to set up in tandem with your online store.

Your Book Files and Formats

Before you sell anything on your own website, your books need to be ready in the right formats. You’ll need:

• Print-ready files: Interior PDFs that meet the specifications of your printing partner
• eBook files: EPUB files that can be digitally delivered by you or your fulfillment partner
• Cover files: For both your print versions and eBook versions, with the proper sizing and specifications

Other optional formats to consider when selling direct could be things like hardcovers, special print editions, or signed copies. Bonus content like exclusive chapters or character art can also be great value-adds when included exclusively with versions of your books readers buy directly from you.

A Customer Communication System

One of the biggest advantages of selling books direct is that you also have direct access to your readers. This means you can foster long-term relationships with them, more easily turning them into repeat customers and even superfans of your work.

The essential tools for making sure you can communicate with your reader customers are:

• Email marketing platform subscription (such as MailerLite, Klaviyo, or Kit)
• Automated order confirmation and shipping notifications
• A customer support channel (via email or a help desk)
• A newsletter signup form on your website linked to your email provider

Many eCommerce services often have automated order confirmation and shipping notification tools already built into their systems, so you’ll just want to personalize them to fit your brand. And if the service you’re using is a Merchant of Record, they will likely already handle much of the customer support needed.

Having all these tools in place allows you to build a direct relationship with readers, meaning you can launch future books more effectively, and you’re no longer completely dependent on retailer or social media algorithms.

Basic Legal and Business Setup

You don’t need a complicated structure for your author business to start, but there are still a few basics to understand. You’ll want to consider:

• Your business structure: Will you sell books as a simple sole proprietor, or will you establish an LLC or some other business entity?
• Sales tax compliance: Different states and countries all have different requirements and thresholds. Understand your responsibilities everywhere your customers are, or use a Merchant of Record or tax professional to help you.
• Privacy policy and terms of service: It’s important to let your customers know how you operate your business, as well as how their information is being gathered and used.
• Refund and shipping policies: Make these clear to avoid customer dissatisfaction. Some eCommerce platforms have their own policies in place to be aware of.

Please note that the above is not legal advice. They are just simple considerations for you to explore further. If you’re unsure about compliance requirements, business setup, or tax information pertaining to your book sales, be sure to consult a related professional for further guidance.

Is Selling Books Direct Right for You?

Direct sales aren’t an all-or-nothing decision. You can always start small and work to expand over time. 

A simple, minimum viable setup might include:

• A basic website with a shop page
• A payment processor
• POD fulfillment or small inventory
• An email signup form and communication plan

As you grow, you can add:

• Custom packaging
• Advanced automations
• Warehousing or bulk printing
• More sophisticated email marketing funnels

There really is no set number of books or threshold of sales you should have already reached before setting up a direct sales system. It’s most important to understand the costs and efforts of getting started, and how those weigh into your current author business.

In the end, selling books direct can be a great fit for you if you want more control over your business, have (or want to build) an engaged audience, and would like to gain higher profit margins.

Related Questions

Can I sell books direct while still selling through other retailers?

You can absolutely sell books direct while still selling through retailers like Amazon. This is a strategy often referred to as “going wide,” which means you don’t remain exclusive to Amazon, and instead sell your books across a variety of platforms. It can be a great idea to implement direct sales of special editions on your website, which aren’t often available through other retailers.

How do I get people to buy books from my site instead of Amazon?

A great place to start is by offering something they can’t get anywhere else. This could include signed copies of your books, exclusive covers or editions, bonus content, or book bundles that come at discounted rates. By giving readers a reason to choose what you have to offer directly, you can slowly adjust your audience’s expectations and shopping behavior in your favor.

What’s the best way to handle shipping costs for direct book sales?

You have a few options to consider here. You can: charge real-time shipping rates if you work with a fulfillment partner who offers that capability; offer flat-rate shipping on all items; build shipping costs into your book price to then set shipping as “free”; or you can outright provide free shipping as a promotional incentive. Just be sure to consider how these costs might add up and what the trade-offs are depending on your margins and customer expectations.