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You’ve got a book – now what?! Some people think that the hardest thing about writing a book is... writing a book. But from the number of emails we get from authors asking for guidance about what to do AFTER they’ve self-published their books, we know the truth. That’s why we wrote this special 3-part series filled with marketing and sales strategies for your book as well as other business-boosting ideas.  
 
Today’s article is all about online sales. One of the most frequent questions we get from our authors deal with the uncertainty of how – and where – to sell their books online. Choosing the right retail solution can make the difference between robust sales or no sales at all.
 
The first step, that many people often overlook, is choosing the right place online to sell your book. When you work with Vervante you have a lot of choices, from the Vervante Bookstore to Amazon and Barnes & Noble, to using your own website and shopping cart.
 
Here are a few of your options – and insight into whether they are right for you. Remember, you aren’t limited to just one. Just remember to consider your target audience and choose the places online that will appeal to them best for finding, selecting and purchasing your book.
 
Personal Websites or Landing Pages
 
Using your own website or landing page to manage and process sales of your book is a powerful way to support your business growth that goes well beyond sales income. You can collect customer data, offer bonuses that enhance the value of your book, give readers the chance to opt-in to your email list, along with other relationship-building tactics that ensure interested readers become loyal clients and fans.  
 
Sales for your book on your own website are also good for your budget, as you don’t have to deduct commissions or transaction fees that other retail channels will require.
 
For processing orders and handling distribution, Vervante offers easy, free integration with all shopping carts so that your sales will automatically be handled as they roll in. (See our articles “Easy ways to automate shopping cart orders”  and “Automatic order processing for 1ShoppingCart, InfusionSoft and PayPal” for more details.)
 
Vervante Bookstore
The Vervante Bookstore offers the perfect solution for stress-free online sales without complicated and profit-eating commission or transaction fees common to other retail channels. We handle all the transactional details so you can focus on marketing for your book.
 
Vervante Bookstore sets up sales pages for your books and other products, and manages credit card transactions, fulfillment and distribution. You set the retail price for the product and pay us a simple 10% per transaction fee. The buyer selects and pays for the shipping and postage. Plus, we send you monthly statements to always keep you in the loop.
 
Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Amazon and Barnes & Noble are the go-to places to list your book for sale online in order to gain visibility through improved search engine optimization (SEO) as well as opportunity for increased sales and expert status. Their sales system is easy to use and trusted the world over. They handle accepting payments and processing credit cards, too. However, sales through Amazon and Barnes & Noble will involve commission and transaction fees that reduce your bottom line. For details, check out our Expert Guide “Selling Your Self-Published Books.”
 
We can help you with the process of placing your book for sale on these sites from A to Z - listing, orders, managing sales transactions, printing and distribution. We set it up so that we automatically receive all order information and we even know the secrets to a successful Amazon book launch.
 
 
Click HERE to read the next article in this series where we share proven strategies and tactics for boosting book sales that you can use no matter where you decide to sell your book online. And for even more helpful guidance about selling your books online, be sure to check out “How to Sell Your Book Online” on our blog now.