Pricing & Royalty
Can I earn money when I self-publish my book with Archway Publishing?
Will I make money when my book is sold online through Archway Publishing?
Will I be paid a royalty even if I live outside the United States?
How is the price of my book determined?
What are the distribution costs in self-publishing?
How does Archway Publishing calculate royalty payments?
Can I receive a volume discount on a large book purchase?
When is the price of my book set?
Can I change the price of my book later?
What payment form will I receive my royalties in?
When am I paid royalties? When do quarters start and end?
How long does it take to receive payment?
Can my royalty check be split between a co-author and myself?
Can I arrange for someone else to receive my royalty payments?
What is the difference between a channel or retail sale and an Archway Publishing sale?
Am I paid royalty on books I purchase?
I've noticed my book being sold as "used" on websites but I have not received payment; why haven't I been paid?
Why is my book listed at a different price on certain sites?
How do I know that I am being paid fairly for my book sales?
How can I track my book sales?
When is my EFT information updated?
Can I earn money when I self-publish my book with Archway Publishing?
Yes, you will have the opportunity to earn money from book sales when you self-publish a book with Archway Publishing. We do not license exclusive rights to publish your book from you, nor do we give you an advance against royalties like a traditional publisher. However you will earn royalties from each book sale; these royalties are taxable income for you. Please read other FAQs below to determine how book pricing and royalty calculations are determined.
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Will I make money when my book is sold online through Archway Publishing?
Yes. When your book is sold through Archway Publishing, another retailer, or a wholesaler you will receive a royalty for that sale.
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Will I be paid a royalty even if I live outside the United States?
Yes, you will be paid a royalty even if you live outside the United States or are not a U.S. citizen. However, we are required to withhold 30 percent of your royalty earnings. This percentage will be withheld unless you apply for a foreign tax number by submitting a W-8BEN. With a foreign tax ID, we're no longer required to withhold taxes. Any money that was previously collected can be reclaimed with your taxes at the end of the year, but we cannot repay it. For more information, or to download a W-8BEN, visit www.irs.gov.
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How is the price of my book determined?
The price of your print book is determined by several factors including: your book's production cost, based on the cover cost and page count; distribution costs, such as order fulfillment and customer support; and your royalty percentage. Together, these are used to determine the Suggested Retail Price ("SRP") or list price for your book. For information on how e-book prices are determined, please see the the FAQs on that topic.
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What are the distribution costs in self-publishing with Archway?
The distribution costs are those costs involved in making your book available for purchase through the various wholesale and retail channels. These costs include maintaining your book in the Archway Publishing bookstore, keeping your book and author information current, order fulfillment, customer support and any other processes to ensure that your book is available to others.
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How does Archway Publishing calculate royalty payments?
Royalties are based on the net payments we actually receive from the sale of printed or electronic (e-book) copies of your book, minus any shipping and handling charges or sales and use taxes. Since retail and wholesale customers purchase at a discount, the royalty amount you receive depends on what types of customer bought your book, the channel through which they purchased, and any discount they received.
Here are two examples of common sales transactions.
The cover price (list price) for your book is $17.95. Your Archway Publishing royalty rate is 50 percent.
Wholesale Example:
A retailer places an order for your book through Ingram Book Company, a wholesaler. Ingram, in turn, purchases your book from Archway Publishing at a discount. Your royalty on this sale is calculated as follows:
$17.95 (SRP "Suggested Retail Price")
- $9.87 (55% Wholesale Discount)
= $8.08 (Net after Wholesale Discount)
- $4.97 (COGS "Cost of Goods Sold")
= $3.11 (Net after COGS)
x 50% (Royalty Rate)
= $1.56 (Royalty Earned from a retail sale)
Web Sale Example:
Another scenario occurs when a consumer comes to the Archway Publishing bookstore and purchases your book directly. Your royalty on this sale of the same book is calculated as follows:
$17.95 (SRP "Suggested Retail Price")
- $4.97 (COGS "Cost of Goods Sold")
= $12.98 (Net after COGS)
x 50% (Royalty Rate)
= $6.49 (Royalty Earned from a web sale)
Please be aware that the largest retailers, including Barnes & Noble and Amazon, place orders for print copies of Archway Publishing titles through Ingram, so those orders will appear as wholesale sales on your royalty statement.
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Can I receive a volume discount on a large book purchase?
Yes. As an Archway author, you are able to purchase copies of your book for a discount off the list price. You'll receive a larger discount as you order a greater number of copies. The discounts also vary depending on the book format.
Paperback
Discounts:
|
|
Book Quantity
|
Discount*
|
1-24
|
30%
|
25-49
|
35%
|
50-99
|
40%
|
100-249
|
45%
|
250-499
|
50%
|
500-999
|
55%
|
1,000-1,999
|
60%
|
2,000+
|
Call for a Quote
|
Hardcover / Color
Book Discounts:
|
|
Book Quantity
|
Discount*
|
1-24
|
20%
|
25-49
|
30%
|
50-99
|
35%
|
100-249
|
40%
|
250-499
|
45%
|
500+
|
50%
|
* Orders must be for a single title, of the same same print format and shipped to single address; we cannot accomodate mix and match orders. All volume discount orders must be prepaid, and shipping charges are not included. Author purchases do not generate royalties and are non-returnable. These purchases do not include author event discount purchases.
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When is the price of my book set?
The price of your book is set after the manuscript and cover are approved, because the final page count, cover and book size help determine the price.
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Can I change the price of my book later?
Archway Publishing will attempt to accommodate your request to change the price of your book, provided the new price is within the allowable range established by Archway.
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What payment form will I receive my royalties in?
Your royalties from book sales are paid to you by mailed check on a quarterly basis (four times a year). Royalties are paid when your royalty earnings reach $75.00 or more.
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When am I paid royalties? When do quarters start and end?
First Quarter: January 1 to March 31 (checks are mailed in late May)
Second Quarter: April 1 to June 30 (checks mailed in late August)
Third Quarter: July 1 to September 30 (checks mailed in late November)
Fourth Quarter: October 1 to December 31 (checks mailed in late February)
You are only paid for the books sold and shipped in the given time frame. If a book was purchased online on March 30, but the book was not actually printed and shipped until April 2, then you would be paid in the second quarter, not the first, since the book did not ship until the second quarter. E-book purchases are recorded when the sale is made, not when the file is recorded.
Please note that you will only generate royalties from the original book sale. For instance, if a book is resold in any kind of second-hand store, you will not earn a royalty on that sale. Also, for retailers, you earn a royalty when the book is sold to a retailer who purchases your book for their store, not when a consumer actually purchases the book from the retailer.
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How long does it take to receive payment?
It takes about two months after the quarter closes until the royalty payments are sent to you. First Quarter checks are mailed in late May, Second Quarter checks are mailed in late August, Third Quarter checks are mailed in late November, and Fourth Quarter checks are mailed in late February. (See specifics in the FAQ above.)
The two-month time frame is necessary because we do not receive final sales reporting information until 30 days after the close of the quarter. We then need additional time to verify, compile and send out the information to you.
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Can my royalty check be split between a co-author and myself?
No, because of tax restrictions we cannot offer a split royalty payment between individuals. Of course, when the payment comes to you, you choose to split the amount with another party.
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Can I arrange for someone else to receive my royalty payments?
Yes, but only by transferring all rights of your agreement with Archway Publishing to that person. That person will also hold the copyright for the book. If you would like to arrange this, please contact your publishing consultant.
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What is the difference between a channel or retail sale and an Archway Publishing sale?
When a book is sold through the Archway Publishing bookstore, it is considered an Archway Publishing sale. A retail, or channel sale, occurs when the book is sold through any retailer other than Archway Publishing (like Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com). The list price for your book must be the same for both Archway Publishing and retail sales, but you will earn a different royalty amount depending on the type of sale.
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Am I paid royalty on books I purchase?
Royalty payments on books you purchase depend on how you place the order. If you place an order for copies of your book through an e-mail to Archway Publishing and receive your author discount, then no, you will not receive a royalty payment for that order. However, if you order directly through the Archway website or another retailer, then yes, you will receive a royalty payment for that purchase.
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I've noticed my book being sold as "used" on websites but I have not received payment; why haven't I been paid?
If a retailer or third party is in fact selling a used copy of the book, you would have already been paid a royalty for the original sale.
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Why is my book listed at a different price on certain sites?
When you publish with Archway Publishing, your book is circulated to various retail channels through Ingram, our book distributor. Most retailers adhere to the suggested retail price. However, some retailers may choose to list the book higher or lower than the suggested retail price, which is completely within their rights. Regardless of what price a retailer sells your book for, you will receive the retail royalty to which you are entitled.
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How do I know that I am being paid fairly for my book sales?
You will be provided with a royalty statement showing book sales and royalty payment details each quarter. The statements are compiled and cross-examined by multiple parties to ensure an accurate record of your royalty payments.
Both our printer and distributor employ independent auditing firms to verify the book sales data. Additionally, a globally recognized accounting firm conducts yearly audits of our finances to ensure accuracy.
However, if you feel there has been an error in your royalty payment report, you can contact your publishing consultant to look into the matter more thoroughly.
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How can I track my book sales?
Book sales are recorded in the Sales and Royalties section of the Author Center. Please note that because it can take time for external retailers to report sales information to us, this page is not updated in real time. It may take up to 60 days after the close of the royalty quarter for sales information to be posted to the Author Center.
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When is my EFT information updated?
We update new or modified EFT information on January 31, April 30, July 31 and October 31. To ensure your royalty funds are transferred to your preferred account, please make sure your account information is accurate prior to these dates. Changes made after these dates will be reflected on the following pay cycle.
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