How to Set Up Pre Orders on Amazon KDP

About this video

Dale shows how to set up a Kindle ebook pre-order on Amazon KDP and says the process is just as easy as an immediate release. In the KDP bookshelf, click Create New Title and follow the normal ebook publishing steps; on the first page, under the pre-order header, select the option to make the book available for pre-order and enter the planned release date — he suggests setting a date about a month or more out to leave time to finish launch tasks. Upload the final version or a draft manuscript for review and verification; it does not have to be perfect, but it should be close to the final draft. Then submit and republish the final version at least three days before publication, which he calls a critical step: KDP locks you out from uploading another version in the 72-hour window before release. His tips: reward early buyers with a deeply discounted pre-order price — for example, price the pre-order at $0.99 if the post-launch retail price will be $2.99, accepting less profit to help push the book to the top of its categories; maximize exposure by placing the book into ten different categories relevant to the topic; use the extra time before launch to gather advanced readers and reviewers; and make sure to raise the price to the full retail cost on launch day if you promised the discount was temporary, so you do not use false scarcity.

Key takeaways

• In KDP, choose Create New Title and under the pre-order header select the pre-order option and enter your release date — Dale suggests about a month or more out
• You can upload a draft manuscript to start the pre-order, but the final version must be submitted at least three days before release
• KDP locks out further uploads in the 72-hour window before publication, so missing the final-upload deadline can break the pre-sale
• Discount the pre-order price to reward early buyers — for example $0.99 against a planned $2.99 retail price — to help the book climb its categories
• Use the pre-order window to gather advanced readers and reviewers, and raise the price to full retail on launch day rather than using false scarcity

Episode details: published July 6, 2017 · 4:48 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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