How to use both IngramSpark and Amazon KDP

Author, publisher and youtuber Laura Helmling gives a straightforward and useful explanation as to why independent authors should upload to both Amazon KDP and to IngramSpark.

“The secret weapon every author should be using is a printing and distribution company called Ingram Spark. The authors who think otherwise are leaving readers and opportunities behind.”

“Amazon wants you KDP only. That's more control for them. And honestly, if they could control the entire publishing industry, they would love that because then they can charge 99 cents for every book and have people come on there and buy televisions. Okay? So basically, in my view, they want authors to be their slave army. And they're not interested in books. They're not interested in filling the world full of great information. They are interested in selling high ticket items and as many aspossible. That's what they're interested in. Whereas IngramSpark, they're interested in books, publishing. This is what they're interested in. Bookstores are interested in books. This is what they do. And so, this is really important.”

An Amazon Tale: He Fought for His Royalties, and (Eventually) Won ....

A very dogged author relates his trying experiences with Amazon KDP and organising the payment of royalties. He does arrive at a solution, but only through sheer persistence:

“Amazon is probably the best outlet for Indie authors, but manage your expectations when dealing with their customer service.

Their help/assistance/advice to me was either inconsistent, vague, given in Amazon’s internal technical speak, incomplete, or simply wrong.

I put my latest novel up on Amazon as I did with my previous two, only this time, I put both eBook and paperback on all markets, not just Australia.

When sales started occurring, I followed those on my KDP account site.  I found their reports informative and helpful.  They gave me statistics for each marketplace and the estimated royalties.

When my Australian royalties started arriving in my Australian bank account by EFT, I thought I would find out why my sales in the other markets were not reaching me.

I then discovered those royalties could not be paid by EFT into my Australian bank account, only by cheque or wire.  Then I found that not only could an EFT transfer not happen, but that Amazon had a withdrawal threshold of 100 units for each market, e.g. US$100, CA$100, €100, or £100.

None of my book royalties in any market outside Australia is ever likely to break these thresholds, e.g. Canada royalties were CA$2.88, Eurozone (Germany)  €7.80.  So, I put the question to Amazon – how do I ever get paid these royalties?

Amazon suggested I open an account with Payoneer for each marketplace, which I did.  So, Amazon from each marketplace could now transfer my royalties to those Payoneer accounts.  However, my problem then became twofold:

  1. Payoneer does not have a banking arrangement with UK or Canadian banks. So these royalties could not be transferred to my Payoneer accounts.

  2. Then I discovered that Payoneer also has a withdrawal threshold of US$50 per transfer.

Finally, a solution:

  1.  In your KDP account go to the Getting paid tab.

  2. In your non-US/non-Australian accounts, change your payment method to your US$ account and transfer any outstanding royalties in those other non-US accounts to the US$ account.

  3. Under your Amazon US account, click and highlight every tag except Amazon.com.au.

  4. All royalties from sales in all those other marketplaces will now be currency converted into your US$ account.

  5. If or when your US$ account balance reaches above US$100 you can transfer to your Australian bank account.

  6. In my case, I have my Amazon US$ account balance transferred to my Payoneer US$ account (lower withdrawal threshold). Amazon’s US$100 withdrawal threshold does not apply here.”