Indie Authors! Self-Publishing Sites Looking to Rip You Off: BookBaby
- sylviakayrose
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Geared to sell, sell, sell, Bookbaby is highly driven by marketing, and pumps up profits by taking advantage of an author's naivete and/or ego. Unless you have too much money and too little brain, seek your fortunes elsewhere. Here's a brief review, based on my own experience as a self-published author.
Bookbaby
Bookbaby sells ebook and print book distribution, along with editing, design, and marketing services. For authors who want a one-stop shop, Bookbaby may seem appealing.
Pricing Structure
Ebook Distribution
Bookbaby charges a fee of $399 ($400) per ebook title for distribution to major retailers like Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. The company does not do its own distributing, but operates through IngramSpark (Ingram), which indie authors can join, and upload their books to the same distribution network, for free.
The basic Bookbaby fee covers setup and distribution, but does not include additional services like formatting, editing or cover design, as below.
Now, add ebook formatting, cover design help, ISBN number, and costs per book skyrocket:
That's just for one little ebook. Now, perhaps you're happy to pay scads of money you'll never make back just to get your name in virtual print, and avoid doing even the simplest work yourself. In that case, this site was made for you. For extra fees they'll even help promote your book.
However, if you're an indie author trying to sell books, and hope to generate a bit of cash, this is definitely the WRONG WAY. Never pay for services on speculation - ie the promise or insinuation you will sell a lot of books on some magic platform, or by so-called experts. Never pay for any service unless you must (ie book cover design, editing, advertising, etc).
Aside: You can distribute both print and ebooks through user-friendly platforms like Draft2Digital, Google Play or Ingram. I use these three, among others, and have had good experiences with the free upload and distribution, and the customer service. I've made modest sales on D2D without much marketing (should do more!). The others are too new to appraise yet. Stay tuned for my reviews of these platforms!
The bottom line is:
The majority of self-published (indie) books sell under 250 copies throughout their entire lifespan, with many selling under 100. Although some authors experience significant success, the median or typical outcome for a new, unmarketed indie book is very low sales, often fewer than 10–20 copies beyond friends and family. Even if you buy the big marketing bundle from this platform, chances are you won't cover your costs.
While purchasing a BookBaby marketing bundle can enhance visibility, it doesn't automatically lead to increased book sales. Bundles like the Bookshop Promotion Bundle can showcase books in newsletters, on social media, and on their homepage. However, achieving success requires integrating these tools with a consistent, long-term marketing strategy.
Print Book Distribution
For print books, Bookbaby tries to get you to buy the books from them. Authors also pay a distribution fee. The print cost depends on page count, trim size, and color options.
Here's the automated quote for 25 print books, 6"x9" paperback:
While you might want to stock up on print books yourself as an indie author, and sell them from websites, or at local shops and book fairs, if you pay this much USD for 25 paperbacks (to start - tax & delivery charges not included) you are howling mad.
Additional Services: Editing, cover design, and marketing packages range from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars, depending on the level of service.
Distribution Fees
BookBaby charges an upfront fee of $199 to set up distribution specifically for their own Bookstore, or $399 for broader distribution including Amazon (again, distribution to Amazon is free through Ingram, or by joining KDP directly). Once listed in the Bookbaby Bookstore, authors earn 50% of the retail price for printed books and 85% for eBooks sold directly through the store.
When I emailed about selling on their website, they quoted me the $200 setup fee. The agent added they also require 25 author copies (costing $300-$400+), a rather large expense I didn't see listed on their website.
BookBaby isn't the only greedy company hoping to reel in the suckers. Other platforms like PublishDrive also charge hefty distribution fees, even through their distribution is done by a third party, Ingram. Watch out for this.
As an indie author, beware of glossed-up websites with a lot of testimonials. Always look for reviews and information, by people who have used the site realistically, before making any investments. Bookbaby will hardly let you take a step without flashing this blurb at you:
It then gives you a form so you can enter your personal information. In my case I was contacted fairly quickly by a Marketing Specialist (ie, a salesman). This definitely confirmed the primary motivations of this website.
But look!
According to their marketing, Bookbaby does not take royalties from sales on 3rd party sites. Authors keep 100% of net sales after retailer fees and printing costs.
Good luck with that!
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