It’s been ages since I’ve posted anything here… caught up in ‘working IN the business’ rather than ‘working ON the business’ at Dog Ear Publishing. However, I’m back with renewed vigor for continuing to create something of value for the general world of self published authors.
Something came up repeatedly over the past few weeks that caused a number of Dog Ear authors to give me a call… When they looked at their books on Amazon.com (I’d expect most self published authors follow their Amazon page fairly religiously – or should be…) a notice of “Only 3 left in stock–order soon (more on the way)” or some variation (… 2 left in stock… etc).
The statement prompted a call – because in each case the author’s book is being produced digitally, and no inventory is carried by any of the accounts… I looked through a number of other print-on-demand titles from Dog Ear, Authorhouse, iUniverse – and guess what? Quite a few carried the “Only X left in stock…” designation. Our authors were of course wondering what this meant – and one even went as far as to order the “remaining” stock to prompt an increase in reorder from Amazon.
Unfortunately, the designation isn’t anything other than a marketing strategy employed by Amazon – and I couldn’t find an answer as to why or how they determine which books get this text.
However – the one thing it doesn’t mean? That your book will run out of inventory at Amazon.com. The great advantage of print-on-demand (for authors,retailers, and the environment alike) is that NO inventory needs to be carried / held in a warehouse. All books printed by the best print-on-demand vendors are printed and delivered within a few short hours of order – and orders transmit nearly immediately to the printer.
So – next time you see the “Only 3 left in stock–order soon (more on the way)” or some variation thereof, don’t worry. It simply means Amazon is paying attention to your book – not that they are really running out of inventory to sell.
Filed under: Amazon, self publishing Tagged: | Amazon.com, book sales, self publishing
