A short thread about #publishing and #xmas2020, and how important it is this year to smaller publishers to try and make the effort to buy from their websites if they offer that function.

Strap in, it's going to get sexy*

*provide functional information about trade-sales

Basically, if you want a book and buy from Amazon, if it's from a smaller publisher like mine or others here's what's happening there.

Firstly Amazon take 60% of the RRP as a discount + their profit, we're all on the Advantage scheme, no negotiation, take it or don't sell there

Secondly Amazon fulfil the orders so we have to send it to them first and can't charge any postage or courier costs. Like it or lump it.

They also might order a box for stock, they might order one, it depends what the algorithm tells them, and that's frequently questionable

So on a £9.99 book that means 60% discount, cost of sending, cost of production/printing, and royalty to author all coming out, and then what's left is our profit - razor thin on trade sales.

But we want/need trade sales as Amazon visibility is vital.

Vicious circle.

If you buy direct from us we fulfil the orders, we keep more profit, we can invest that in new books/goods, and right now? Yeah, it's absolutely the difference between quite a few publishers and retailers surviving all this and not.

It really is that tight/dramatic.

We also want you to support bookshops who are still a lifeblood to us, plus they don't hold us to ransom in anything like the same way, that's why @bookshop_org_UK is important too.

Direct sales, independent book shop sales - they make such a massive difference this year.

This isn't an Amazon Is Bad thread, it is important to us, but this Xmas maybe this is an Amazon Have Enough Money thread.

And beyond my business that extends to anything you can buy direct from the retailer.

So support Ockley, or the small food producer, or the card maker, or buy from the book shop in person or online - just buy the thing whatever it is from the person who really needs it this year.

It might take you two more clicks than Amazon, but it makes a world of difference.

TL:DR - Buy less this Xmas as things are weird anyway, but what you do buy get it direct from people who really value your sale instead of We Have All The Money Dot Com.