Selling Books on Amazon
Are you looking for the perfect place to sell your books or e-books? If you have printed books, you can list them on Amazon like any other product. But if your book exists only in digital form, Amazon KDP is what you need. With Amazon, you can even print your book and offer it to readers worldwide—all from the comfort of your home or office.
Read my complete guide on selling books and e-books on Amazon and self-publishing through Amazon KDP.
Why Sell Books on Amazon?
Amazon is the world's largest online marketplace for printed books, e-books, or audiobooks. If you want to sell books (new or used) or publish your own, there are several ways to do it.
1. Selling Printed Books (New & Used) via Amazon Seller Central
If you have physical books—whether new or second-hand—you can sell them via Amazon Seller Central.
How to Get Started?
1. Create an Amazon Seller Central account.
• Choose between an individual account (no monthly fee but a per-sale charge) or a professional account ($39/month, no per-sale fee).
2. Find your book in Amazon's catalog.
• If the book already exists in Amazon's database (which is likely), search for it using ISBN or title and add it to your listings.
3. Set the price and condition.
• You can list your book as new or used. If selling a used book, accurately describe its condition:
• Like New
• Very Good
• Good
• Acceptable
4. Choose a fulfillment method:
• FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant): You store and ship books yourself.
• FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon): Send your books to Amazon's warehouse, and they handle storage, shipping, and customer service.
Pros & Cons of Selling Physical Books on Amazon
✅ Access to a massive customer base
✅ Amazon FBA eliminates logistics hassles
❌ High competition
❌ Amazon charges fees for sales & fulfillment
2. Selling E-Books via Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
Selling e-books is different from selling physical books. Here, you are not a traditional seller but an author/publisher, and you publish your books directly via Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).
How to Get Started?
1. Create a KDP account at kdp.amazon.com.
• It's free and allows you to publish e-books for Kindle readers.
2. Prepare your e-book.
• Amazon accepts formats like DOCX, EPUB, or PDF (EPUB is best).
3. Upload and format your book.
• Add a cover image (recommended size: 1600 × 2560 px).
• Fill in metadata: title, description, keywords, and categories.
4. Set your price.
• Amazon offers two royalty options:
• 35% royalties – Minimum price $0.99
• 70% royalties – Price must be between $2.99 – $9.99 (applies to select markets).
5. Publish your e-book.
• Once Amazon approves it, your book is live for sale.
Pros & Cons of Selling E-Books on Amazon
✅ Passive income—publish once, sell forever
✅ High royalties (up to 70%)
✅ No printing or storage costs
❌ Intense competition
❌ Requires marketing investment
3. Self-publishing on Amazon (Including Print Versions)
If you want to self-publish a book, Amazon offers Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) for e-books and print-on-demand (POD). This means your book is only printed when someone orders it.
How KDP Print Works:
1. Create a KDP account.
2. Upload your book file.
• Amazon requires PDF format for print books.
3. Design your cover.
• Upload your own or use Amazon Cover Creator.
4. Choose a book format and price.
• Amazon offers various sizes (e.g., 6" x 9").
5. Set the price and publish.
• Amazon handles printing, distribution, and customer service. You earn royalties per sale.
Pros & Cons of Self-Publishing on Amazon
✅ No upfront printing costs (books print on demand)
✅ Global distribution via Amazon
✅ Option to sell both e-books and print versions
❌ More setup work than e-books
❌ Less control over print quality vs. traditional printing
Which Selling Method is Right for You?
If you want to sell or publish books on Amazon, choosing the right method depends on your goals:
• If you are an author, use KDP.
• If you sell books by other authors, use Amazon Seller Central.
Need help with formatting, marketing, or setting up your Amazon book sales?