This survey reports research findings from more than 300 eBook self-publishing respondents, a group under-represented by book industry surveys which tend to focus on larger publishers. Responses address questions about eBook production, distribution, marketing and budgeting. Responses were gathered from members of book publishing associations, Making Connections (Goodreads author group) and Marketing on Amazon, a Linkedin group for self-publishers.

1. 2013 eBook SelfPublisher Survey Results
Photo credit: John Blyberg
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2. About the Survey
• Objective: Gather insights from self-publishers, a group
under-represented by book industry surveys.
• Conducted between August 30 and September 24, 2013
• 307 respondents
• Sources: Survey responses were submitted by publishers
from Making Connections (Goodreads), Marketing on
Amazon (Linkedin), Publishers and Writers of San Diego
and the Independent Writers of Southern California.
You are free share and quote these results but please credit Sellbox.com.
Cover photo credit: John Blyberg
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3. How many books have you
published?
16%
23%
Book in Progress
1 Book
2 Books
20%
3 to 5 Books
24%
> 5 Books
17%
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4. In what genres do you
publish? (Check all that apply)
9%
2%
Fiction
42%
NF-Narrative
NF-Other
31%
Children's
Textbooks
15%
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5. How often do you read
eBooks?
6%
12%
Regularly
45%
Occasionally
Never
Exclusively
37%
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6. Do you use print-ondemand? (Check all that apply)
eBooks Only
10%
Traditional printer
21%
Lulu
7%
CreateSpace
48%
Lightning Source
15%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
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7. How much did you spend
on your book cover?
> $1500
$1000-1500
$500-1000
$250-500
< $250
$0
2%
• Fewer than 30% of the
authors surveyed spend >$250
3%
7%
17%
28%
42%
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8. How did you edit your
book?
Asked a Friend
20%
Edited Myself
34%
Hired an Editor
46%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
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9. Do you use DRM?
I Don't Know
26%
No
42%
Yes
33%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
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10. What do you charge?
<$2.99
12%
$2.99
23%
$3.99
21%
$4.99
14%
$5.99
3%
$6.99
6%
$7.99
• 70% charge <$4.99
4%
$8.99
2%
$9.99
10%
>$10
6%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
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11. How did you get your
eBook into the store(s)?
Other
10%
BookBaby
4%
Smashwords
12%
I hired someone
16%
Did it myself
58%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
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12. Where is your eBook
available?(Check all that apply)
My Website
6%
Smashwords
9%
Google
2%
Kobo
12%
Apple
12%
B&N
19%
Amazon
40%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
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13. What percent of total sales
come from each store?
Other
Smashwords
Kobo
• Contrast these findings
with industry estimates
that Amazon Kindle
market share is ~60%
with Apple and B&N
splitting ~35%.
5%
2%
1%
Apple
2%
B&N
4%
Amazon
85%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
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14. Have you used publicists?
Were they effective?
5
4%
4
11%
89%
Hired a
Publicist
Did Not
Hire
Most effective
16%
3
28%
2
32%
1
16%
0
4%
0%
10%
Least effective
20%
30%
40%
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15. Have you paid for book
reviews?
No
89%
Yes
11%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
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16. Where do you have the
most reviews?
All others
5%
Goodreads
Apple
9%
1%
B&N
2%
Amazon
84%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
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17. Do you use KDP Select?
Signed up?
Used promo days?
23%
29%
Yes
No
71%
Yes
No
77%
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18. Did you spend money to
advertise your free days?
(Bought advertising)
Yes
26%
No
74%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
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19. Is KDP Select effective?
I didn’t advertise vs. I paid for advertising
Paid ads, effective
21%
Inconclusive?
Paid ads, not effective
17%
No ads, effective
Self-fulfilling?
12%
No ads, not effective
54%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
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20. Do you blog? If so, how
many times per month?
13+/month
No website
10%
9-12
5-8
I don't blog
3%
10%
22%
2-4
1 or less
I'm a blogger
7%
30%
26%
67%
0 times
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
24%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
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21. What social networks do
you use? (Check all that apply)
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
• Book cataloging sites
seem under-utilized
• Shelfari was mentioned
just once.
Still Writing
Published
10%
0%
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22. What is the budget for
your next book?
Production Budget
Marketing Budget
> $2,000
> $2,000
$1,000-2,000
20%
$1,000-2,000
14%
$500-1,000
35%
< $500
$0
23%
23%
8%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
15%
$500-1,000
30%
< $500
$0
32%
0%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
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23. Receive 240 responses to:
• What other marketing helped you sell
more books?
• Was self-publishing easier or harder
than you thought? What would you do
differently next time?
It’s free:
www.sellbox.com/results
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24. About Sellbox.com
Founded in 2002, Sellbox specializes in helping
publishers, businesses and organizations develop and
market their content in eBook and print-on-demand
formats. We provide eBook strategy
consulting, conversion services, CreateSpace POD
publishing support and eBook marketing services
including distribution to the largest eBookstores.
David Wogahn
david@sellbox.com
Sellbox.com
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