Publish & sell books online with Bookshop

Bookshop is BookBaby's exclusive online bookstore where you get your own dedicated webpage to sell your books directly to readers. Unlike traditional retail distribution where you're competing with millions of titles, Bookshop creates a curated marketplace featuring only BookBaby authors. Your books are listed alongside your author bio, description, and custom branding, giving you a professional storefront to drive your audience to for purchases.

Bookshop offers the industry's best royalty rates: 85% on eBooks, 75% on audiobooks, and 50% on print books. Compare this to Amazon, which typically pays 30-70% for eBooks depending on pricing and territory, and around 40% or less for print books. For example, if you sell a $15.99 eBook on Bookshop, you earn $13.59, whereas the same book on Amazon at 70% royalty would earn you $11.19. Over time, these higher margins can significantly increase your income, especially for authors with steady sales.

Sales through Bookshop post to your account the business day after the sale occurs, and you'll receive payment the following Monday once you reach the minimum payment threshold of $10. This is dramatically faster than distribution partners like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers, which typically take 90-120 days to report sales and issue payments. The faster payment cycle helps with cash flow and allows you to reinvest in marketing sooner.

Yes, Bookshop is available to BookBaby authors who use BookBaby's publishing services. When you publish your book through BookBaby—whether print, eBook, or both—your title automatically becomes eligible for listing on BookShop. You'll receive your own dedicated author page where readers can discover and purchase your books directly, giving you an additional sales channel beyond traditional retail distribution.

Yes, you have full control over your Bookshop page content. You can customize your author bio, book descriptions, author photo, and other metadata to create a compelling storefront that reflects your brand. These customizations affect only your Bookshop listing and are separate from your retail distribution metadata (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.), allowing you to tailor messaging specifically for readers who visit your direct sales page.

No, your print books are produced on-demand through Bookshop, which means they're always available for purchase and will never show as "out of stock." When a reader orders your print book, it's manufactured and shipped directly to them. This Print On Demand model eliminates inventory risk, storage costs, and the frustration of missing sales due to stock shortages — a common problem with traditional retail distribution.

You can promote your Bookshop page through your author website, social media profiles, email newsletters, business cards, and any other marketing materials. BookBaby provides you with a unique Bookshop URL that you can share directly with your audience. Many authors prefer directing readers to their Bookshop page rather than Amazon because of the significantly higher royalty rates. You can also use BookBaby's marketing services like the Bookshop Promotion Bundle to increase visibility.

Yes, you can sell both formats on Bookshop. Having multiple formats available gives readers purchasing options based on their preferences — some prefer the convenience of eBooks while others love physical copies. Each format earns you the premium Bookshop royalty rate (85% for eBooks, 50% for print), maximizing your income potential from every sale.

No, there's no additional fee to have your books listed on Bookshop for authors who have already purchased Print On Demand distribution or eBook distribution. If you published elsewhere, you can still sell printed books on Bookshop by paying a setup fee of $199 (with the purchase of 25 or more copies), and you can sell eBooks and audiobooks on Bookshop for a $99 setup fee.

Bookshop offers several advantages over Amazon: significantly higher royalty rates (85% vs. 30-70% for eBooks), faster payments (7-10 days vs. 90-120 days), guaranteed print book availability through Print On Demand, and a less competitive environment. However, Amazon has far greater traffic and discoverability. Most successful authors use both platforms strategically — promoting Bookshop to their existing audience for better margins while leveraging Amazon for new reader discovery.