I’ve done several videos in the past about KDP Expanded Distribution. This was something I saw advertised by KDP and the way it read it seemed like a solution to the biggest problem that authors face publishing their books with Amazon: getting other retailers to sell it. Well, I put Enemies of Peace into that program back in 2018, and as you may remember from my video on the topic, it was NOT a big success. It just allowed third party retailers to pick up my book, one was listing it for $40! So I took my paperback out of Expanded Distribution with KDP and went back to the drawing board on how to get my print books out wide. I have been using Smashwords to get my eBooks out wide since I started self-publishing in 2015.
Well, fast forward a few years and I discovered IngramSpark and realized some great success listing my print books, both paperback and hardcover, through their network.
So with a baby due in the fall and a backlist of print books that were only available on Amazon, I decided it was time to do some backlist maintenance and get all of my paperbacks on the IngramSpark network as well. That way Bookshop.org, IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, etc could all list my print books.
Well, this was easy for all of my backlist expect for… Enemies of Peace. Even though I had taken it out of expanded distribution with KDP back in 2018, it was still blocked from going into IngramSpark’s expanded distribution network. So here is the step by step process that I took to bring my paperback to IngramSpark after having been in Expanded Distribution. You can learn from this experience so you can do the same with your print books.
First, you have to submit a form to IngramSpark, you can find it here in this link: https://help.ingramspark.com/hc/en-us/articles/211155403-How-to-Transfer-a-Book-From-One-Account-To-Another-Account
Next, it is time to reach out to KDP and IngramSpark. Submitted ticket to KDP on 8/21/20. Submitted to IngramSpark on 8/21/20. Heard back from KDP right away. They released the book without any issues.
Didn’t hear back from IS within 20 business days so I reached out and asked for an update. I was told they were backlogged, and it would take up to 30 business days. Right around that time frame I did get a message. My form wasn’t completed correctly. So pro-tip on the form, it needs to be SIGNED or you need to use an official eSignature, not just a typed out signature.
Once the corrected form was submitted the title was added to my list of titles on IngramSpark within an hour. It was great.
One thing I didn’t like is that the entire book was added without having the chance to select categories, keywords, or even uploading the IngramSpark cover in their template. So I did go in and resubmit my files and then approved and then I was able to correct the metadata.
The process itself was relatively painless, but it did take a while. So I wouldn’t go into this thinking you’re going to be able to do this within 24 hours. This will take time, PACK YOUR PATIENCE.
Okay, so what questions do you still have about taking a book that was in expanded distribution with KDP and listing it with IngramSpark? Let me know in the comments.
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Please help! My book is on Amazon. I’ve been trying to add it to Ingram for months – answers feel impossible to find. Thus, I’m reaching out to a stranger on the internet! After months of going back and forth via slow responses from Ingram, all potential issues preventing transfer into their system have been removed, (though I believe they never really existed!) but Ingram still requires I transfer title from KDP to them. This book has never been in expanded distribution and I own the ISBN through Bowker.
Should I transfer title? ALL I want to understand is this: What does transferring title from Amazon to Ingram “actually” mean? How does this effect me the author, ownership of rights, what does it *mean* for them to have title, what am I giving up by providing Ingram title, etc…? I never thought of KDP as owning title. I thought of them as a service provider. Thank you in advance for your help.
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Hi Jennifer, No worries. The customer service teams for both IS and Amazon are usually overloaded and I get the feeling any time they get a question about connecting listings from other services they default to “ask the other guy.” So, even though you never enabled expanded distro with Amazon it sounds like they have the distribution of record (not sure how it happened). Completing the title transfer form with IS is super simple (although give them 30 business days to process) and it still means you own your ISBN. It just says that they have your express written permission on a signed form (so no one is trying to pirate your book) to have them distribute your book. All it means is that Ingram is allowed to distribute your book. You lose no ownership and you can elect to take the book off of Ingram later. I hope this helps! – MK
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What do I do AFTER my book is transferred from KDP to IngramSpark for wide distribution?
I made the mistake of choosing wide distribution with KDP but realized my mistake when I tried to set up with IngramSpark. The title was held in suspension until it was released from KDP. So, I waited about 30 days for the transfer, and once done, IngramSpark created a duplicate Title! I had to delete the original title and work with the duplicate one. That title looked as if everything was set up already except for the “enable distribution.” Once I toggled this to “ON” it went straight to orders. I was finally able to figure out what to do on my own, but I’m still not sure if the setup was done correctly or not. Now, I cannot find where to submit the $49.00 payment – that is a mystery. Other than your instructional videos, I cannot find a video to walk us through what to do in this scenario. So frustrating. I do wish you could do a video to help us understand what happened and how to ensure the book has been correctly uploaded to IngramSpark once it is transferred from KDP, how to edit the information correctly, if we can ensure the interior and cover is correct and the pricing with discounts can be adjusted. Again, how to submit the $49.00 payment. I really don’t think we’re the only ones who’ve had to go through this. Thanks for your great videos, btw! Thank you.
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Hi Donna,
Glad you got the title transferred. If the book is enabled for distribution and it is showing on retailer websites correctly… stop looking to submit payment. If there is a glitch in IS’s system and you didn’t have to pay then that’s on them. If it is not distributing then send an email to IS CS and ask for it to be enabled or open the pay screen. (They’ve bene responding much quicker of late.)
As for editing or confirming it is correct, I did do a video on editing metadata on IS late last year that you can check out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyOdXThq_d0
I believe you can go to the “Print Info” tab as well to download a proof and confirm the cover and interior are correct.
Best of luck!
M.K.
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