Amazon KDP: How to Publish a Permafree Book on Amazon

About this video

Provenance: the transcript track is in Arabic; summarized here in English from that track. Dale explains how to make a book permafree on Amazon KDP through price matching, since KDP does not let authors set a price of zero directly. First, publish the ebook on Kindle Direct Publishing but do NOT enroll in KDP Select, because Select requires 90 days of exclusive ebook distribution on Amazon, and price it slightly higher than usual so readers perceive value when Amazon shows a 100% discount. Second, publish the same ebook free on an alternative platform such as Smashwords, Draft2Digital, or Pronoun, after the Kindle edition is live; he warns Amazon may email asking for proof of rights and temporarily return the book to draft, which he says is usually resolved by replying and explaining the plan. Third, once the book appears free on Apple iBooks or Barnes & Noble, request a price match via the Contact Us link in KDP, choosing pricing and including the book’s ASIN and the free retailer links, sticking to major retailers. He notes distribution to Apple can take 1-7 days, up to about two weeks for all regions, and Amazon typically replies within a day or two, often with a boilerplate response reserving its pricing rights, after which free downloads should show in reports.

Key takeaways

• KDP has no direct free price setting; permafree is achieved by getting Amazon to price-match a free listing elsewhere
• Do not enroll the book in KDP Select, because its 90-day exclusivity blocks free distribution on other platforms
• Publish free via an aggregator such as Smashwords or Draft2Digital, then collect the Apple iBooks or Barnes & Noble free links
• Request the match through KDP Contact Us under pricing, supplying the ASIN and the major-retailer free links
• Expect a possible Amazon rights-verification email and a 1-2 day wait; check the reports dashboard for free downloads if no notice arrives

Episode details: published August 12, 2017 · 4:08 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are Dale L. Roberts’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

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