The third-party vendors might have purchased them at a discount from a number of legitimate sources. If that’s the case, you have been credited with the appropriate royalty.<\/p>\n

2. You might not make any money from those books sold in the buy box.<\/h3>\n

If some of the new books available from outside vendors were review copies, for example, you won’t be paid for them.<\/p>\n

3. You should encourage all book buyers — not just your readers — to look for the “Prime\/Sold by Amazon.com” purchase option.<\/h3>\n

This is the only way they can be certain that the book they’re buying is new. And, it’s the only way you’ll be certain that you’ll earn royalties from sales.<\/p>\n

Think about it: If you’ve already been paid for the book sold in the buy box — or you’re not going to be paid because of the way the vendor acquired it — you’re not going to make any more money on buy box books. To continue to earn royalties, you need people to buy directly from the publisher, whether that’s a\u00a0big-name outfit like St. Martin’s Press\u00a0or your own imprint.<\/p>\n

The more people know to look for and buy from the “Prime\/Sold by Amazon.com” purchase option, the more money you’ll make on Amazon.<\/p>\n

4. Some people will always buy the lowest price product.<\/h3>\n

They don’t care if the book is new, like new, or used. They just want the lowest price.<\/p>\n

Those buyers hunted for the best price before this buy box change made it easier for them to find it. You’ll never escape that.<\/p>\n

5. As individuals, self-published authors have no clout with Amazon.<\/h3>\n

A common reaction among self-published authors to this and other Amazon practices they consider frustrating is, “This isn’t fair! We need to change this!”<\/em><\/p>\n

Good luck with that.<\/p>\n

Large publishers might be successful winning back the buy button through negotiation or the natural flow of things, but individuals won’t get anywhere protesting. Amazon is in business to make money, not keep self-published authors happy.<\/p>\n