Understanding Retail Platforms, Print-On-Demand, and Aggregators

Direct Publishing Platforms (Retailers) are individual stores where you publish your book directly. You create an account, upload your files, and your book becomes available in that specific retailer's marketplace. Examples include Amazon KDP, Apple Books, and Kobo Writing Life. Each platform pays you directly and requires separate uploads if you want your book on multiple stores.

Print-on-Demand (POD) Platforms are services that print books one at a time as orders come in, eliminating the need for inventory, bulk orders, or upfront printing costs. When a customer orders your book, the POD platform prints, binds, and ships it directly. This technology allows authors to offer print books without financial risk or storage concerns. Examples include Amazon KDP Print, IngramSpark, and Lulu.

Aggregators (Distributors) act as middlemen that distribute your book to multiple retailers at once. Instead of uploading to each platform individually, you submit your book to one aggregator, and they send it to dozens of retailers on your behalf. This saves time and simplifies royalty tracking. Examples include Draft2Digital, PublishDrive, and StreetLib. Aggregators typically take 10-15% commission from your sales.

Important: Aggregators don't print or sell books themselves - they distribute your files to the platforms that do the printing and selling (like Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, Apple Books, etc.).

Print vs Print-on-Demand Platforms

Print-on-Demand (POD) means books are printed individually as orders come in - no inventory, no bulk orders, no upfront costs. Most modern platforms use POD technology, including Amazon KDP Print, IngramSpark, and Lulu.

The key difference isn't the printing method, but the distribution network:

Amazon KDP Print uses print-on-demand but keeps distribution primarily within the Amazon ecosystem. Your book sells on Amazon.com and related Amazon sites.

IngramSpark and Lulu also use print-on-demand, but they're built on wholesale distribution networks. IngramSpark connects to Ingram's catalog, which supplies over 39,000 bookstores, libraries, and retailers worldwide. This means your book can be ordered by physical bookstores, appear in library systems, and reach retailers beyond Amazon.

Direct Publishing Platforms (Retailers)

Ebook & Print:

• Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing)
• Apple Books
• Kobo Writing Life
• Barnes & Noble Press
• Google Play Books

Print-on-Demand:

• IngramSpark
• Lulu

Aggregators (Distributors)

Before choosing to use an aggregator, consider carefully: you will be paying commissions twice - once to the retailer and again to the aggregator. While aggregators offer convenience by managing multiple platforms through a single dashboard, this comes at a cost. Evaluate whether the time savings justify the additional expense for your publishing goals.

Account Access: When using an aggregator, you do NOT get individual accounts on each retailer (Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, etc.). The aggregator distributes on your behalf and you manage everything through their single dashboard. This means you cannot directly access or control your book's listing on individual retailer platforms.

Cost Impact: Using an aggregator means paying commissions twice:

1. The retailer takes their cut (varies by platform and pricing)
2. The aggregator takes 10-15% of the retail price on top of that

This cost must be weighed against the time savings and convenience of managing one dashboard versus multiple retailer accounts.

• Draft2Digital
• PublishDrive
• Smashwords (acquired by Draft2Digital in 2022)
• StreetLib
• BookBaby

Choosing Your Distribution Strategy

The decision of how to distribute your books depends on your publishing goals, technical comfort level, and budget.

Some platforms like Lulu and IngramSpark function as both direct retailers and distributors, offering flexibility in how you reach readers. Most aggregators take 10-15% commission on sales, which must be factored into your pricing strategy.

With aggregators, you have complete control over which retailers receive your book - simply check or uncheck boxes for each store during the publishing process. This means you can strategically manage your distribution without committing to every available platform.

If you're already published on Amazon KDP, you can use an aggregator and simply exclude Amazon from distribution. This approach keeps your existing reviews, sales history, and ranking intact while reaching other retailers through the aggregator's network.

The key is to evaluate the trade-off between convenience and cost. While aggregators simplify management through a single dashboard, remember that you're paying commissions twice - once to the retailer and again to the aggregator. Consider whether the time savings justify the additional expense for your specific situation.