Book distribution for self-published authors
Book distribution explained: distributors, wholesalers and aggregators, the discount chain, print on demand and KDP Expanded Distribution.
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Wholesale book distribution
Book distribution through the wholesale catalogs, handled by a publisher
Distribution is the part of publishing nobody sees: identifiers, metadata feeds, wholesaler catalogs, printers, returns and statements. We run it for your title, under our name.
What book distribution means: a distributor or wholesaler makes a book available to retailers and libraries through its catalog, handles orders and delivery and pays the publisher after the retailer's discount. With ShelfPublisher your paperback is printed on demand and listed in those catalogs in every market you publish in.
Invitation only · Every request is read by a person
The chain
How a copy reaches a reader
Catalog
We register the title with its ISBN, publisher, price and description, and the wholesalers list it.
Order
A bookstore, library or online shop orders a copy from the wholesaler it already buys from.
Print
The copy is printed on demand and shipped. No stock, no warehouse for you to finance.
Statement
The trade pays us after its discount. You get 30% of what arrives, every quarter.
Reach
One listing, many markets
50,000+
Bookstores that order from these catalogs
6
Main markets: US, UK, CA, DE, FR, ES
12
More countries through print on demand
1,000+
Titles published by Orbita Media
Italy too: through our global wholesale distribution the book can be ordered from Italian bookstores such as laFeltrinelli and IBS.it (retailers where it can be ordered, not partners of ShelfPublisher). A dedicated Italian book trade channel is in preparation.
Your options
Distribution routes for self-published authors
| Route | Who is publisher | What you manage | Bookstores |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon KDP | You | Account, metadata, pricing | Via Expanded Distribution, not guaranteed |
| Other print-on-demand distribution services | You | Account, metadata, discount, returns | Through the wholesale catalogs they feed |
| Traditional distributor | You as a small press | Stock, print runs, sales, returns | With a sales team, usually for presses with a list |
| ShelfPublisher | Orbita Media GmbH | Your files and your readers | Listed in the wholesale catalogs of your market |
A full explanation of distributors, wholesalers and aggregators is in our guide Book distribution for self-published authors.
Questions
Distribution, answered
Where can my book be ordered?
The book is listed in the wholesale catalogs that more than 50,000 bookstores order from: about 27,000 in the United States, 9,500 in the United Kingdom, 6,800 in Germany, 4,200 in France, 3,100 in Spain and 1,400 in Canada, plus 12 more countries through print on demand. In Italy, bookstores such as laFeltrinelli and IBS.it can order it through our global wholesale distribution. Online stores that order from the same catalogs list it too, Amazon included.
The book is printed on demand, so it is orderable wherever those catalogs are used. Whether a store also puts a copy on its own shelf is that store's decision.
For which markets and languages can I publish?
The portal publishes for four markets: International (in English, with distribution in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and further countries), Germany, France and Spain. You choose the market when you submit the book.
Italy has no print route of its own in the portal, but Italian bookstores such as laFeltrinelli and IBS.it can order the book through our global wholesale distribution. A dedicated Italian book trade channel is in preparation.
What happens when bookstores return copies?
Returns and cancellations reduce the net revenue, because bookstores in the trade can return copies they ordered. If the trade corrects an earlier report, the correction is set off against your future credits.
When do I see my sales, and when do I get paid?
Sales are reported per quarter. The statement for a quarter appears in your account about six weeks after the quarter ends; the credit follows once the money from the trade has reached us, usually around 45 days after the quarter ends. Individual international sales can take longer.
You can request a payout from a balance of €200. We pay to the bank account in your profile within 10 working days after the request has been checked.
Which formats can I publish?
Paperback with a glued binding, black and white interior, matte or gloss cover. For the international market the trim sizes are A5, 5 x 8, 5.25 x 8, 6 x 9, 6.14 x 9.21, 8.5 x 8.5, A4 and 8.5 x 11 inches, on white or cream 50 lb paper. For Germany, France and Spain there are nine metric sizes from A6 to A4 on white or cream 90 g paper.
Guides
More on distribution
How to get your book into bookstores
How to get your book into bookstores: how stores order through wholesalers, what booksellers need, why POD books rarely sit on shelves, and Barnes & Noble.
Read the articleHow to sell your book in Italy: Italian bookstores, distribution and the law
How Italian bookstores order books: distributors and wholesalers, the 5% discount cap, consignment and returns, and how a self-published book becomes orderable in Italy.
Read the article