Best distribution option for UK author?

[dragonchaser]

I haven't used Lulu for about 4 years, but having been released by my commercial publisher, I am back in the world of self-publishing.  All the distribution options have changed since I last published.

Which is the best package for an author based in the UK?  My priorities are to have the title visible on Amazon.co.uk with as a cheap a cover/shipping price as possible.  Royalties are very much a secondary consideration.

Thanks for any advice!

~Tim

[Ken Anderson]

Tim,
I'm finding that GlobalReach is working very well for me.
In fact as good as any of the other options previous or now.
There is still the same time constraint of six weeks to reach Amazon from release - but then it goes like clockwork.

[Eric Begbie]

As usual, Tim, I agree with what Ken has said. You do need to be patient, but the combination of Lulu publishing and Amazon.co.uk sales is awesome

Just one thing to add - don't forget to put your book on Kindle. Now there is no need to faff about converting to ePub or pdf formats - simply upload your Word .doc file to Kindle and they do all the work. For Kindle, don't set your price too high. You get 70% of the sale price as royalties and if you look upon every Kindle sale as a free bonus, then even a couple of dollars is worth having. I set my knindle versions at between $2.99 and $3.99 and they sell very well, mostly in America but a few now in UK.

Don't quote me on this as I have no proof of it - but I have a sneaking suspision that your printed Lulu books get a higher prominence on Amazon if you also have a Kindle edition registered with them (registering of Kindle versions with Amazon is, of course, totally automatic.)

Good Luck.

[thehairymob]

I agree Global Reach. That's the one I'll be choosing soon for my new book Banshee Fires of Revenge once I have the money for publishing it. That should be soon but I have the wife's birthday first. :~)

[dragonchaser]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Global it is.  I can wait for it to show on Amazon, and I'll certainly do a Kindle edition, having published an earlier book that way.

[Peter May]

Global Reach has been recommended by two posters, but the question is about distribution for a UK author, and the distribution comparison chart* shows that Global Distribution does NOT get the book on Amazon.co.uk

* http://connect.lulu.com/t5/ISBN-Distribution/Distribution-Package-Comparison/ta-p/33342

 Is the chart wrong or am I missing something? Surely a UK author should be on Amazon.co.uk?

[Belinda D'Alessandro]

Hi Peter

For GlobalReach, Amazon UK is covered by "BarnesandNoble.com and many other online retailers" and "Wholesale availability through Ingram". Amazon UK lists books which have wholesale availability through Ingram (and Ingram has a print plant in the UK).

Belinda

[Peter May]

Thanks Belinda

But  on the comparison chart amazon.co.uk has a green tick under extendedREACH and not underGLOBALReach.

So amazon.co.uk is listed and they've not seen fit to tick it under GLOBAL which implies NOT to me

Barnes & Noble.com is a US store (but might not be there for much longer way things are going)

[Ken Anderson]

Peter, Ignore the green ticks and try not to read too much into them.
Both options will cover Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.etc and many others.