Ebooks vs Paperbacks⦠what actually sells more? šš
Iāve been getting this question a lot lately, and recently posted by @Mk Duma and I think thereās a big misconception around it. Some people assume that physical books are fading out and everything is moving digital⦠but thatās not what Iām seeing at all. In my own numbers, I consistently get more paperback sales than ebooksāand thatās not by accident. Itās part of how I structure my strategy. The truth is, people still want physical books. Thereās something about holding a book, flipping through pages, highlighting, or even just having it sit on your shelf that makes it feel more valuable. Itās also easier to gift, and for a lot of readers, it creates a better overall experience. And if you zoom out for a second, the market is showing us the same thing. Barnes & Noble is actively expanding again. Theyāre opening new stores, investing in high-traffic locations, and doubling down on the in-store experienceāincluding a major new presence in downtown Chicago. Companies donāt invest millions into retail space unless thereās real demand. That alone should tell you that physical books are far from deadātheyāre actually gaining momentum again. Now, letās bring this back to KDP and how this affects your strategy. With ebooks, your royalty is capped. You only earn 70% if your book is priced between $2.99 and $9.99. If you go outside that range, it drops to 35%. So youāre already working within tighter margins. Paperbacks, on the other hand, give you more flexibility. You can price them higher, they feel more premium to the buyer, and you typically earn more per sale. This is why I donāt focus my ads on ebooks. A lot of people assume lower price = easier conversion, so they push traffic to the ebook. But even if it converts, youāre making less per sale. Instead, I run ads to my paperback. That way Iām optimizing for: - Higher perceived value - Better profit per conversion - Stronger overall momentum across formats The ebook is still there, but itās not the main driver.