Introduction

By entering your book into the program with LightningSource, your book will be widely available to all bookstores who regularly purchase from one of the largest and well-known distributors, Ingram. This will make it a lot easier for bookstores to purchase your books, and also automatically list your book on many online stores including Barnes & Noble, Alibris.com, AbeBooks.com, Amazon.com, and Ebay. The listing process takes about three to four weeks.

When bookstores place an order, your book will be printed immediately, in the quantity ordered, and shipped to the bookstores within 2-3 days, so they can sell them to their customer.

Distribution Partners

* Ingram
* Amazon.com
* Baker & Taylor
* Barnes & Noble
* NACSCORP

Your book will benefit from:

• Standardized BISAC subject coding with up to 3 subject categories.
• Detailed title listing in all daily catalogs Lightning Source provides to its US distribution partners* (e.g Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Amazon.com, etc.).
• Title summary (annotation) inclusion in our enhanced bibliographic catalog feed.
• Thumbnail cover image preparation and inclusion in our enhanced bibliographic catalog feed.
• Storage and backup of both title content and bibliographic data.

Costs to the Author (Self-Publisher)

To get started in the program, we must submit your title. Within 3-4 weeks, it will be in the Ingram Distribution database and ready for bookstores to order. To enroll your book in this program, the fee is $150 for the first year, and $30 for every year thereafter.

You may also choose at some point to further promote your book by paying an additional $50, which will list your book in the Ingram Advance Catalog featuring new books, sent to thousands of bookstores nationwide. It may only be listed in this special catalog once, so we usually recommend you request this service a month or two after your book has been in their system and fully available to everyone.

Bookstore Terms

Your book will be offered to bookstores at a 55% discount. This will convince more bookstores to help sell your book. Bookstores will also have the option of returning any books they do not sell, which will help convince bookstores to purchase your book as well. Some bookstores will only purchase books on a returnable basis. If books are returned, they will be destroyed and the wholesale amount (retail less 55% discount) will be deducted from your monthly commission check.

Retail Price

Your book retail price will be the price you set. The amount you will be paid per book is based upon your retail price and the size of your book. Please let us know your retail price, and page count, and we will be happy to get this pricing to you. You will be paid your on demand commission check ($25 minimum) on a monthly basis, after we receive payment from the distributor for the purchase of your books. Generally it will take at least 90 days before you see your first commission check.