# Pricing warning from KDP.. end of perma free?



## Mark E. Cooper (May 29, 2011)

I just got a worrying email from KDP. Is the end of perma free?


> Hello,
> 
> We want to take this opportunity to let you know about the KDP pricing policy.
> 
> ...


The relevent bit is:

4. Setting Your List Price

You must set your Digital Book's List Price (and change it from time-to-time if necessary) so that it is* no higher than the list price in any sales channel* *for any digital* or physical edition of the Digital Book.

But if you choose the 70% Royalty Option, you must further set and adjust your List Price so that it is at least 20% below the list price in any sales channel for any physical edition of the Digital Book.

*By "list price in any sales channel," we mean the suggested or recommended retail price or, if you sell your book directly to end users, your own sales price, for an edition of the book available outside of our Program.*

When you set your List Price for our EU websites, you have to factor in the additional 3% value-added taxes (the Luxembourg statutory rate effective January 1, 2012) we will add for EU customers, so that your List Price complies with this section after adding these VAT taxes.

I am reading this and thinking that in other words, the price you set at KDP MUST be less than ANYWHERE else. So setting a $0 price could get me thrown out?


----------



## Guest (Jun 26, 2013)

markecooper said:


> I am reading this and thinking that in other words, the price you set at KDP MUST be 20% less than ANYWHERE else if you want to keep getting 70%. That means no setting it at $0 anywhere. Am I right?


You are skipping over the use of the words "PHYSICAL EDITION" An ebook is not a physical edition. They are talking about print. They don't want you setting the list price for the ebook to be the same as the print book. Google Play has the same policy.


----------



## Mark E. Cooper (May 29, 2011)

Bards and Sages (Julie) said:


> You are skipping over the use of the words "PHYSICAL EDITION" An ebook is not a physical edition. They are talking about print. They don't want you setting the list price for the ebook to be the same as the print book. Google Play has the same policy.


Yeah just caught and corrected that. Sorry. But what about the other part about not allowing any price lower than that set at zon.com?


----------



## NathanWrann (May 5, 2011)

Typically, Amazon doesn't concern itself too much if your price elsewhere is free. 

What they are worried about is you pricing it at $3.99 and getting the 70% royalty rate, then pricig it at $1.99 on BN they'll match that price and you still keep the 70%. That's what they don't like.


----------



## Mark E. Cooper (May 29, 2011)

NathanWrann said:


> Typically, Amazon doesn't concern itself too much if your price elsewhere is free.
> 
> What they are worried about is you pricing it at $3.99 and getting the 70% royalty rate, then pricig it at $1.99 on BN they'll match that price and you still keep the 70%. That's what they don't like.


But I price at other places the same as amazon usually. Is that email sent to everyone now, or was I picked out for a reason? I do have a permafree. I am thinking it has to be that.


----------



## Guest (Jun 26, 2013)

markecooper said:


> Yeah just caught and corrected that. Sorry. But what about the other part about not allowing any price lower than that set at zon.com?


That has always been Amazon's policy. That has always been EVERY retailer's policy. Your list price is suppose to be the list price. You really are not suppose to be listing a book for 99 cents at store A, $1.99 at store B, and free at store C.

This is the problem indies often don't understand. Stores offer discounts off of the list price. If the list price is a moving target, a store could be in hot water for fraud and false advertising. For example, let's say you set your price at $1.99 at ABCBooks.com. ABCBooks decides to do a promotion for 20% off all of their titles to drum up business (and hey! You'll still get paid normal. Awesome, right?) But then Jane Doe the Consumer Advocate notices that while ABC Books is showing this:

*List price*: $1.99
*Sale Price:* $1.60 (20% off)

Amazon is showing this:

*List price*: 99 cents
*Sale Price*: 99 cents

Now Jane Doe Consumer Advocate goes to her Consumer Warning blog and posts an article that ABCBooks is engaging in illegal price inflation to create a fake sale price. And by the time ABC Books explains that YOU set the list price, not them, the damage is already done.


----------



## Mark E. Cooper (May 29, 2011)

Bards and Sages (Julie) said:


> That has always been Amazon's policy. That has always been EVERY retailer's policy. Your list price is suppose to be the list price. You really are not suppose to be listing a book for 99 cents at store A, $1.99 at store B, and free at store C.
> 
> This is the problem indies often don't understand. Stores offer discounts off of the list price. If the list price is a moving target, a store could be in hot water for fraud and false advertising. For example, let's say you set your price at $1.99 at ABCBooks.com. ABCBooks decides to do a promotion for 20% off all of their titles to drum up business (and hey! You'll still get paid normal. Awesome, right?) But then Jane Doe the Consumer Advocate notices that while ABC Books is showing this:
> 
> ...


I see... thanks.


----------



## Guest (Jun 26, 2013)

NathanWrann said:


> Typically, Amazon doesn't concern itself too much if your price elsewhere is free.
> 
> What they are worried about is you pricing it at $3.99 and getting the 70% royalty rate, then pricig it at $1.99 on BN they'll match that price and you still keep the 70%. That's what they don't like.


You don't. You get the 35% as per the TOS.

70%==you get 70% of the actual selling price, not the list price. If the selling price drops below $2.99, you get paid 35%
35%==you get 35% of the LIST price, regardless of the selling price. You get nothing for a free price match.


----------



## Carol (was Dara) (Feb 19, 2011)

Amazon has been sending out a lot of generic emails like this lately, reminding authors of their pricing policy. I could be mistaken but I don't think they're specifically addressing you or any of your titles, Mark. It's just a  general reminder to everybody of the same terms already laid out in their TOS. Nothing new and nothing to do with permafrees.


----------



## DRMarvello (Dec 3, 2011)

markecooper said:


> I am reading this and thinking that in other words, the price you set at KDP MUST be less than ANYWHERE else. So setting a $0 price could get me thrown out?


That's how I read the TOS as well, so I asked Amazon directly. This was their reply:


> Hello,
> 
> No, its not a violation of our Terms and Conditions to offer your book for free on another sales channels.
> 
> ...


----------



## ElisaBlaisdell (Jun 3, 2012)

It seems to me that Amazon would have to be more explicit if it wanted to ban permafree. It'd need to say something like: You are not allowed to offer your book free at another retail site. 

Because, you'd certainly be happy to set it free on Amazon--they simply don't allow you to do it. So, it's not as though you're setting it to a lower price elsewhere, and deliberately keeping it higher on Amazon.


----------



## MQ (Jan 5, 2011)

Well, I'm not sure if it's related but today Amazon took off two of my books from perma-free...they weren't even free for a month


----------



## Some Writer Cat (Sep 22, 2010)

Bards and Sages (Julie) said:


> You don't. You get the 35% as per the TOS.
> 
> 70%==you get 70% of the actual selling price, not the list price. If the selling price drops below $2.99, you get paid 35%
> 35%==you get 35% of the LIST price, regardless of the selling price. You get nothing for a free price match.


Nope:

https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help?topicId=A29FL26OKE7R7B

If you read sections C and E carefully, you'll see that they continue to give you the 70% royalty if they price-match above zero and below $2.99 when you've listed it with the 70% option. And in actual practice, I had it happen a couple times recently when I was doing a promotion and when they automatically price-matched before I adjusted the price. It carried through all the way to payout. And they state it explicitly here:



> *If we price-match your Digital Book, your Royalty will be:
> 
> The Royalty Rate indicated above, multiplied by the price at which we sell the Digital Book, less taxes and Delivery Costs, for sales to customers in the Available Sales Territories. *


What they will do, however, is send you a stern email saying you have to adjust your price within five days or they will take it off sale. I've gotten a couple of those. So you may benefit from it temporarily, but it will never be for long.

_Edited because I realized I pasted in the wrong section._


----------



## Elizabeth Ann West (Jul 11, 2011)

I don't recall authors getting emails before about the pricing policy when they had permafree books. This provision has been HOTLY debated on these boards since I joined in 2011 and the consensus usually goes "If Amazon doesn't enforce their own rules, why should we follow them?" And it circles and circles.

Now, looking at policy changes with Amazon over the last 2 years, it appears to me that the "free" gravy train is going to be severely truncated. Last November, they warned big sites about too many freebies. In March, they changed the rules for all associate sites (most book promotion sites) to limit their freebie downloads to 20,000 a month total on their affiliate tag. Come July, the terms are changing again to reinforce that associates may NOT distribute affiliate links on anything mobile optimized or in an app without Amazon's okay. Amazon has admitted they take a loss on devices to sell content. Barnes & Noble just threw in the towel on making tablets.

It's not the same ecosystem it once was. If your long term strategy is free, you may need to start brainstorming some new ideas because I think change is coming sooner than we think.


----------



## Maggie Dana (Oct 26, 2011)

Amazon doesn't like perma free, which is why they don't offer it as an option.

When a free book is downloaded, it costs Amazon money. (FYI: This information comes directly from a conversation I had with a KDP rep last month.)


----------



## Jay Allan (Aug 20, 2012)

I think it is pretty clear that perma-free is a violation of Amazon's TOS, however it is one they have winked at.  They may continue to do so, or they may decide to crack down and end it.  As long as they think the perma-free works for them (e.g. by bringing more people to the site or promoting Kindle as a format) they will allow it.  When they feel they no longer need it, it will be gone.

Amazon knows better than any of us what drives sales.  They could decide to make exceptions for the first book in a series of a certain length, for example.  Though for now they seem to want to keep officially sanctioned free limited to Select.


----------



## SBJones (Jun 13, 2011)

I find it odd every time one of these threads pop up. It's in the pricing page about free matching and their policy on it. There is nothing wrong with setting a book perma free.

https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help?topicId=A29FL26OKE7R7B

E. Matching Competitor Prices

From time to time your book may be made available through other sales channels as part of a free promotion. It is important that Digital Books made available through the Program have promotions that are on par with free promotions of the same book in another sales channel. Therefore, if your Digital Book is available through another sales channel for free, we may also make it available for free. If we match a free promotion of your Digital Book somewhere else, your Royalty during that promotion will be zero. (Unlike under the 70% Royalty Option, if we match a price for your Digital Book that is above zero, it won't change the calculation of your Royalties indicated in C. above.)

If we price-match your Digital Book, your Royalty will be:

The Royalty Rate indicated above, multiplied by the price at which we sell the Digital Book, less taxes and Delivery Costs, for sales to customers in the Available Sales Territories.

Royalty Rate x (Amazon price - taxes and Delivery Costs) = Royalty

By "price-match" we mean where we sell the Digital Book in one or more of the Available Sales Territories at a price (net of taxes) that is below the List Price to match a third party's sales price for any digital or physical edition of the Digital Book, or to match our sales price for any physical edition of the Digital Book, in any one of the Available Sales Territories.


----------



## Nathan Elliott (May 29, 2012)

Elizabeth Ann West said:


> Come July, the terms are changing again to reinforce that associates may NOT distribute affiliate links on anything mobile optimized or in an app without Amazon's okay.


You're right, but I don't get this. What difference does it make to Amazon whether it is traffic from a web browser on a computer or from a mobile device? Why isn't mobile traffic equally valuable to them? I could see excluding Kindle devices since you might expect their users to tend to shop at Amazon anyway, but why are they targeting mobile devices in general? But if someone points an iPhone user to Amazon, that seems like something Amazon would welcome since it keeps them off the iBookstore, no?


----------



## Elizabeth Ann West (Jul 11, 2011)

SBJones said:


> I find it odd every time one of these threads pop up. It's in the pricing page about free matching and their policy on it. There is nothing wrong with setting a book perma free.
> 
> https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help?topicId=A29FL26OKE7R7B
> 
> ...


No, that's if the sales channel changes you to free. All of the sales channels have in the Terms and Conditions we agree to that they have the power to change our prices at will. Amazon price matching you free doesn't absolve YOU of abiding by #4 on that same page that YOU will not set your price on Amazon higher than anywhere else.

I know over a year ago KDP reps were saying they didn't care about perma free since KDP doesn't give you the option to price free. I remember because these "emails" were thrown in my face when I argued the ethical aspect of breaking terms and conditions if the other party doesn't push back against you (which does NOT need to be rehashed, just explaining why I remember authors were saying that they emailed KDP about being perma free and the response then was they didn't care).

If authors are getting different responses as listed above that is a definite shift in communication.


----------



## Vaalingrade (Feb 19, 2013)

There is literally a column in the KDP reports for permafree numbers.


----------



## Elizabeth Ann West (Jul 11, 2011)

Nathan Elliott said:


> You're right, but I don't get this. What difference does it make to Amazon whether it is traffic from a web browser on a computer or from a mobile device? Why isn't mobile traffic equally valuable to them? I could see excluding Kindle devices since you might expect their users to tend to shop at Amazon anyway, but why are they targeting mobile devices in general? But if someone points an iPhone user to Amazon, that seems like something Amazon would welcome since it keeps them off the iBookstore, no?


It IS equally important to them, more so. Amazon has their OWN advertising arm now and they are doing VERY well. And there are probably a host of other reasons... they didn't tell me why.  All I know is the Terms and Conditions changes effective July 1 specifically strengthen NO MOBILE OPTIMIZED sites...

Old version:
""7.	You will not, without our express prior written approval, use any Content or Special Link, or otherwise link to the Amazon Site, on or in connection with any site or application designed or intended for use with a mobile phone or other handheld device (which prohibition does not apply to any site that is not designed or intended for use with such devices but that may be accessible by such devices (e.g., on a non-mobile-optimized site via an internet browser on a tablet device)), or any television set-top box (e.g., digital video recorders, cable or satellite boxes, streaming video players, blu-ray players, or dvd players) or Internet-enabled television (e.g., GoogleTV, Sony Bravia, Panasonic Viera Cast, or Vizio Internet Apps).""

New version:
"7.	Except as agreed between you and us in a separate written agreement referencing this Participation Requirement, you will not use any Content or Special Link, or otherwise link to the Amazon Site, on or in connection with:

a.	any client-side software application (e.g., a browser plug-in, helper object, toolbar, extension, or component or any other application executable or installable by an end user) on any device, including computers, mobile phones, tablets, or other handheld devices;

b.	any site intended for use with a mobile phone, tablet, or other handheld device, which prohibition does not apply to any site that is not designed or intended for use with such devices but that may be accessible by such devices (e.g., on a non-mobile-optimized site via an internet browser on a tablet device); or

c.	any television set-top box (e.g., digital video recorders, cable or satellite boxes, streaming video players, blu-ray players, or dvd players) or Internet-enabled television (e.g., GoogleTV, Sony Bravia, Panasonic Viera Cast, or Vizio Internet Apps)."

and they've changed the definition of Your Site

Old definition:
""Your Site" means any site(s) and any software application(s) that you link to the Amazon Site."

New definition:
""Your Site" means any site(s) and software application(s) that you own or operate and link to the Amazon Site. Note that software applications are prohibited from participating in the Program unless expressly approved pursuant to the Associates Program Participation Requirements."


----------



## Elizabeth Ann West (Jul 11, 2011)

Vaalingrade said:


> There is literally a column in the KDP reports for permafree numbers.


 That's a column for free downloads, not for perma free, but because of the success and requests from Select authors. IN the early days of select, all of your Sales were just one number, you had no idea of knowing what was free and what wasn't. You guessed from the dollar amount Amazon said was owed to you.


----------



## SBJones (Jun 13, 2011)

Yes, there is a column for perma-free units on a price match as well as one for free units Select Promo.


----------



## NathanWrann (May 5, 2011)

Elizabeth Ann West said:


> That's a column for free downloads, not for perma free, but because of the success and requests from Select authors. IN the early days of select, all of your Sales were just one number, you had no idea of knowing what was free and what wasn't. You guessed from the dollar amount Amazon said was owed to you.


No. There is a column in my "Month-to-Date Unit Sales" report that is called "Free Units-Price Match***"

*** Free Units-Price Match: Number of free units sold while a book is made available for free due to matching a competitor's free promotion. 0 (zero) means this book did not have free units sold. Note: No royalties are due for free units sold due to matching a competitor's free promotion. See the Pricing Page for details.

There is also the column "Free Units-Promo**"

**Free Units-Promo: Number of free units sold during a KDP Select scheduled free promotion. 0 (zero) means either this book is not enrolled in KDP Select OR no free promotion campaign was run OR no free books were sold. Note: No royalties are due for free units sold during a KDP Select scheduled free promotion. See the KDP Select Terms and Conditions for details.


----------



## Vaalingrade (Feb 19, 2013)

Yeah, but there's 'free Promo units' and 'free price-match units'. If price-matching to free was against their TOS, it'd be kind of weird for them to integrate it into their own infrastructure.


----------



## Elizabeth Ann West (Jul 11, 2011)

Then I stand corrected. 

But it doesn't change the fact that there are subtle changes happening around free and Amazon. 

I don't quite understand how Amazon knows a book is "perma free" or not since they change the pricing back and forth on books. Unless it just came out of a desire to show that the book was price matched free? 

To be clear... price matching to free is NOT against their terms. If Barnes and Noble or Kobo or Apple put your book FREE then you're not in any violation of anything... it's when YOU put your price FREE there and not on Amazon (because you can't) that YOU are violating the Terms and COnditions you said you agreed to when you published.

It's a big difference.


----------



## Jay Allan (Aug 20, 2012)

The second free column isn't specifically perma-free.  It is price match free.  If you read the TOS carefully, it refers to price matching of free "promotions" elsewhere.  There is a lack of explicit clarity, no question.  But there is a difference between free promotions elsewhere and deliberately setting the permanent list price lower (free) elsewhere.

No matter at the moment, since they clearly wink at it, violation or not.  But they could nix it any time they want.  Whatever any of us think, they will make their own decisions.  Granted, it is a successful strategy for many, but if they wanted it to be widespread, they'd make free an option directly.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Elizabeth Ann West said:


> It IS equally important to them, more so. Amazon has their OWN advertising arm now and they are doing VERY well. And there are probably a host of other reasons... they didn't tell me why.  All I know is the Terms and Conditions changes effective July 1 specifically strengthen NO MOBILE OPTIMIZED sites...
> 
> [snipped]
> 
> ...


I'm kind of confused, because my understanding was that when ordering through mobile devices (such as my iPad), affiliate fees haven't been credited.... Someone posted that in another part of the forum (we have other parts--did you know? ) and Harvey and I ran a test....

Betsy


----------



## Elizabeth Ann West (Jul 11, 2011)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> I'm kind of confused, because my understanding was that when ordering through mobile devices (such as my iPad), affiliate fees haven't been credited.... Someone posted that in another part of the forum (we have other parts--did you know? ) and Harvey and I ran a test....
> 
> Betsy


Betsy I'm not sure what you're confused about. I didn't say we were getting affiliate money from mobile devices, I honestly haven't tested that though I know 40% of my traffic is from mobile devices, just that the terms and conditions have changed specifically relating to those, and they have.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Elizabeth Ann West said:


> Betsy I'm not sure what you're confused about. I didn't say we were getting affiliate money from mobile devices, I honestly haven't tested that though I know 40% of my traffic is from mobile devices, just that the terms and conditions have changed specifically relating to those, and they have.


Sorry; my confusion is that I read Amazon's change (I got the email, as an affiliate) to say that affiliates couldn't use afiliate links in software intended to be used on mobile devices...but affiliate fees weren't paid (as far as I know) for purchases made from mobile devices. I don't understand why Amazon felt the need to make the change. This is really a question for the affiliate forums, I didn't mean to derail the thread...I was just kind of thinking out loud. I thought perhaps I had it wrong, and that fees were paid for purchases from mobile devices. Sorry, as you were... 

Betsy


----------



## Mark E. Cooper (May 29, 2011)

DRMarvello said:


> That's how I read the TOS as well, so I asked Amazon directly. This was their reply:


Awesome! I was too scared to ask in case they said, "What! You HAVE a permafree? PERMABANNED!"

This is a load off my mind... (goes back and puts it free again)


----------



## Terrence OBrien (Oct 21, 2010)

> "Sorry; my confusion is that I read Amazon's change (I got the email, as an affiliate) to say that affiliates couldn't use afiliate links in software intended to be used on mobile devices...but affiliate fees weren't paid (as far as I know) for purchases made from mobile devices. I don't understand why Amazon felt the need to make the change. "


Is it a problem with Apple? A while back there was a problem with Apple and Amazon facing off over Kindle iPad apps.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Terrence OBrien said:


> Is it a problem with Apple? A while back there was a problem with Apple and Amazon facing off over Kindle iPad apps.


Yes, Apple wouldn't let Amazon have direct links to their store from the Kindle App. Perhaps this is payback...and unrelated to the affiliate fees themselves....

Betsy


----------



## AkBee (Aug 24, 2012)

I think, after talking with them recently about affiliate links in email (which the rep said was a no-no), that they may be unable to track affiliate traffic from mobile browsers correctly as well. Or not. But it sounds as plausible as anything else.


----------



## Guest (Jun 27, 2013)

Scott William Carter said:


> Nope:


Keep reading:



> iv. Non-Compliance: If at any time your Digital Book does not meet the requirements for the 70% Royalty Option, the Royalty for the Digital Book will be as provided in the 35% Royalty Option and we can adjust previously reported or paid Royalties based on the 35% Royalty Option.


As soon as it drops below $2.99, you no longer meet the requirements for the 70% option and are in non-compliance, triggering the 35% option.


----------



## DRMarvello (Dec 3, 2011)

Elizabeth Ann West said:


> 7.	Except as agreed between you and us in a separate written agreement referencing this Participation Requirement, you will not use any Content or Special Link, or otherwise link to the Amazon Site, on or in connection with:
> ...
> b.	any site intended for use with a mobile phone, tablet, or other handheld device, which prohibition does not apply to any site that is not designed or intended for use with such devices but that may be accessible by such devices (e.g., on a non-mobile-optimized site via an internet browser on a tablet device); or


7b is a little disturbing to me. We are in the middle of switching our sites to use "responsive" design, which is a relatively new site design technique that makes a site look good on a full-size monitor as well as small displays. As you shrink the display, the page elements rearrange so they fit the screen.

Is a site that uses responsive design "optimized" for mobile devices? Maybe. The whole point of responsive design is to make a site look good on mobile devices as well as larger screens without using separate style sheets or code. I would say it isn't specifically optimized for mobile because the site is actually being optimized for all screen sizes. But what I think doesn't matter. It's what Amazon thinks that matters. I guess it's time for another email to Amazon.


----------



## Guest (Jun 27, 2013)

DRMarvello said:


> 7b is a little disturbing to me. We are in the middle of switching our sites to use "responsive" design, which is a relatively new site design technique that makes a site look good on a full-size monitor as well as small displays. As you shrink the display, the page elements rearrange so they fit the screen.
> 
> Is a site that uses responsive design "optimized" for mobile devices? Maybe. The whole point of responsive design is to make a site look good on mobile devices as well as larger screens without using separate style sheets or code. I would say it isn't specifically optimized for mobile because the site is actually being optimized for all screen sizes. But what I think doesn't matter. It's what Amazon thinks that matters. I guess it's time for another email to Amazon.


An "optimized" site would be one specifically designed for a mobile device. For example, how certain sites have a different web address when accessed by mobile devices. The site is specifically designed for mobile devices and not actually accessible from a computer. This is more about apps and things like that.


----------



## DRMarvello (Dec 3, 2011)

Bards and Sages (Julie) said:


> An "optimized" site would be one specifically designed for a mobile device. For example, how certain sites have a different web address when accessed by mobile devices. The site is specifically designed for mobile devices and not actually accessible from a computer. This is more about apps and things like that.


I do hope you are right. Isn't it amazing how Terms of Service, which are supposed to clarify the rules, often do the opposite? I suppose the terms aren't causing the confusion so much as the fact that people read the same rules and *interpret* them differently. Fortunately, we have KB to argue the interpretations.


----------



## Jennifer R P (Oct 19, 2012)

MY issue with Amazon's new TOS is that now I can't post affiliate links to my blog because it's on blogger. Blogger is mobile optimized.

So, ladies and gentlemen, is Facebook.

Tumblr.

Google Plus.

Myspace.

If they really mean this the way it's written, the affiliate program just became completely useless. I want to post buy links to Amazon when I review books on my blog.

Now I can't because it's against the TOS. And I can't properly mobile optimize my own website or I lose Amazon affiliation there. But if I don't, I lose SERP.

Amazon's going to have to change this if they want people to continue to use the program at all.


----------



## Terrence OBrien (Oct 21, 2010)

Those services each have multiple applications. Some are optimized for mobile. Others are not.


----------



## Guest (Jun 27, 2013)

Terrence OBrien said:


> Those services each have multiple applications. Some are optimized for mobile. Others are not.


Exactly. If I post a link on my FB page from my computer, I'm not embedding anything into an app specifically to be used on a mobile device. FB may take my post and reconfigure it so it reads better on their mobile version, but that isn't the same thing as specifically posting to a site that is optimized.

This is really geared toward links put inside apps and programs specifically designed to run on mobile devices, not links that are merely readable on a mobile device through a browser.


----------



## Monique (Jul 31, 2010)

Bards and Sages (Julie) said:


> Keep reading:
> 
> As soon as it drops below $2.99, you no longer meet the requirements for the 70% option and are in non-compliance, triggering the 35% option.


And yet, it my experience, that's now how it works, or at least worked. 70% was paid.


----------



## Some Writer Cat (Sep 22, 2010)

Bards and Sages (Julie) said:


> Keep reading:
> 
> As soon as it drops below $2.99, you no longer meet the requirements for the 70% option and are in non-compliance, triggering the 35% option.


Well, we'll see, I guess. The key word there is "can," not "will," meaning they _can _adjust previously reported sales if they so choose. So far, they've always maintained the 70% payout all the way to the deposit in my bank account. But perhaps it's changed in the past few months. Either way, as I said, they usually send you a five-day warning email, so it's not like you benefit from it for long.


----------



## Guest (Jun 27, 2013)

Monique said:


> And yet, it my experience, that's now how it works, or at least worked. 70% was paid.


Amazon's written policies and their implementation of those policies have always been two different things. This entire thread is evidence of that!


----------



## Monique (Jul 31, 2010)

Bards and Sages (Julie) said:


> Amazon's written policies and their implementation of those policies have always been two different things. This entire thread is evidence of that!


True! But the implementation so far has been to pay 70%. Although, as others have pointed out, they now send a nastygram.


----------



## Some Writer Cat (Sep 22, 2010)

Elizabeth Ann West said:


> But it doesn't change the fact that there are subtle changes happening around free and Amazon.


I second this. We always knew Amazon would move from focusing on selling e-readers to selling content. Now that the initial early adopter phase is over (I'd actually argue we're beyond late adopter and into the "laggard" phase), they're not as interested in their Kindle owners just loading up on free books all the time, since they make no money that way. All the changes they've made lately (hiding the "free" lists, making it harder to game the rankings, etc) make sense when looked at this way.


----------



## Ethan Jones (Jan 20, 2012)

Hi everyone:

I got a similar e-mail this morning, since one of my books is offered at a lower price on another retailer. I've gone through Smashwords to get to that retailer, so it takes some time for them to correct their prices. I guess my options are: 1. Pull the book out of that retailer 2. Lower the price on Amazon to match that retailer.

I've already done 1. Will to 2 unless the price changes or the book is pulled out before the Amazon's five-day grace period.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Ethan


----------

