Buck Books Results

How to read those numbers

I present the performance of my books sales before and after my cooperation with Archangel Ink.

Keep in mind that they all were refurbished before launching via Buck Books.

I was publishing my books gradually over the course of more than a year. One was on the market longer than a year, another shorter than a quarter. So the total amounts are more of a tidbit than any serious indicator.

The same goes with the ‘after publisher’ period. They were published separately, using different strategies on different dates. Where the table itself cannot provide all the details I describe them in text.

Pay attention to the average royalties. Even with my publisher’s fee taken off them they are significantly higher in all cases but Master Your Time. In fact, due to tax issues and exchange rates, they are only close estimations of my royalties.

To make it even more unbelievable, the royalties from the ‘before’ period are summed up from all Amazon markets.

The ‘after’ royalties refer only to Amazon.com in plain ol’ simple bucks and are exact for the given period. The average sales from the ‘Buck Books Results’ part applies to sales at $2.99 and KU/KOLL units from the promo till the 21st of September.

And by ‘royalties’ I mean the net amounts I receive: after deducting Amazon fees, tax withholding and my publisher’s share.

Book #1

A Personal Mission Statement: Your Road Map to Happiness
Past Performance	Launch date:	05/26/2013
	Total sales (05/26/2013-09/01/2014):	1038
	Total royalties (05/26/2013-09/01/2014):	$245
	Price:	$1
	Average daily sales:	2.28
	Average monthly royalties (all markets):	$16.15
Buck Books Results	Launch date:	09/04/2014
	Buck Book sales (09/04/2014):	135
	Total royalties (09/04/2014-10/02/2014):	$73.49
	Standard price:	$2.99
	Average daily sales:	4
	Average monthly royalties:	$76,02

 

 

Book #2

To gauge sales and revenues I used only the data from the period when the book was in the paid store. Due to quirks in Amazon’s rules, the book was still selling a few copies each month when it was permafree. I ignored these data.

The Fitness Expert Next Door
Past Performance	Launch date:	07/13/2013
	Total sales (07/13/2013 – 04/09/2014):	211
	Total royalties (07/13/2013 – 04/09/2014):	$50.64
	Price:	$1
	Average daily sales:	0.79
	Average monthly royalties (all markets):	$5.71
Buck Books Results	Launch date:	09/04/2014
	Buck Book sales (09/04/2014):	136
	Total royalties (09/04/2014 – 10/02/2014):	$54.92
	Price:	$2.99
	Average daily sales:	4
	Average monthly royalties (Amazon.com):	$56.81

 

Book #3

This book was promoted twice: on August 13 2014 during the Buck Books event and together with books #2 and #4 on September 4 2014.

Learn to Read with Great Speed
Past Performance	Launch date:	10/23/2013
	Total sales (10/23/2013 – 08/09/2014):	762
	Total royalties (10/23/2013 – 08/09/2014):	$183
	Price:	$1
	Average daily sales:	2.66
	Average monthly royalties (all markets):	$19.2
Buck Books Results	Launch date:	08/13/2014
	Buck Book sales (08/13/2014):	420
	Buck Book sales (09/04/2014):	230
	Total royalties (08/13/2014 – 10/02/2014):	$288.65
	Price:	$2.99
	Average daily sales:	8
	Average monthly royalties (Amazon.com):	$169.79

 

Book #4

Release Your Kid’s Dormant Genius
Past Performance	Launch date:	12/23/2013
	Total sales (12/23/2013 – 08/23/2014):	156
	Total royalties (11/23/2013 – 08/23/2014):	$38.6
	Price:	$1
	Average daily sales:	0.65
	Average monthly royalties (all markets):	$4.825
Buck Books Results	Launch date:	09/04/2014
	Buck Book sales (09/04/2014):	135
	Total royalties (09/04/2014 – 10/02/2014):	$47,4
	Price:	$2.99
	Average daily sales:	3
	Average monthly royalties (Amazon.com):	$49.03

 

Book #5

I divided past data into 2 periods to illustrate the sales decrease and Buck Books impact.

Master Your Time in 10 Minutes a Day
Past Performance February -May	Launch date:	01/19/2014
	Total sales (01/19/2014 – 05/31/2014):	2052
	Total royalties (01/19/2014 – 05/31/2014):	$2716.68
	Price:	$3
	Average daily sales:	15.43
	Average monthly royalties (all markets):	$613.46
Past Performance June -September	Total sales (06/01/2014 – 09/03/2014):	528
	Total royalties (06/01/2014 – 09/03/2014):	$625.52
	Price:	$3
	Average daily sales:	5.56
	Average monthly royalties (all markets):	$197.53
Buck Books Results	Launch date:	09/11/2014
	Buck Book sales (09/11/2014):	199
	Total royalties (09/11/2014 – 10/02/2014):	$148.69
	Price:	$2.99
	Average daily sales:	10
	Average monthly royalties (Amazon.com):	$202.76

 

Book #6

From Shy to Hi
Past Performance	Launch date:	06/23/2014
	Total sales (06/23/2014 – 08/29/2014):	102
	Total royalties (06/23/2014 – 08/29/2014):	$135.84
	Price:	$3
	Average daily sales:	1.48
	Average monthly royalties (all markets):	$59.06
Buck Books Results	Launch date:	09/03/2014
	Buck Book sales (09/11/2014):	137
	Total royalties (09/03/2014 – 10/02/2014):	$82.37
	Price:	$2.99
	Average daily sales:	5
	Average monthly royalties (Amazon.com):	$82.37

Three reasons why you should actively promote Buck Books for authors

1. They provide the results to indie authors.

Numbers instanced in this post illustrate just my isolated story. Buck Books does the same for every author who participates in the alliance. They put books in the top 100 and top 10 on Kindle multiple times. They even reached #1 once.

2. They provide good books to readers.

There’s no shame in cooperating with Archangel Ink. They have clear guidelines as to the quality of books they promote. They want to ally only with authors who have loyal followers (ergo: they write great books engaging their readers).

3. They let you use their list to promote your books.

(The confidential tidbit I ripped away from my publisher: in July 2014 they got 7k new subscribers; they seem to grow all the time.)

They don’t do it out of the goodness of their hearts, but it’s a healthy exchange: you give them leads; they give you the results. It’s much healthier than the other model I stumbled upon time after time trying to promote my books: you give your money and the marketers promise you results (which will materialize or not; your money is certainly spent).

Affiliation

At last I find a really valuable offer in the Kindle publishing area I can recommend to both readers and authors with no remorse. And by doing so I work to my advantage—the larger their list the bigger my reach in terms of readership will be.

Now they crudely pay for recommending new subscribers. It’s win-win for everyone. Readers get cheap books; AI gets subscribers and traffic; you get the increase in sales.

And the more people you refer to them, the better your results with Buck Books will be when you promote your book, because they will use their extended list to do that.

 

Don’t hesitate to ask any questions about the above numbers, Buck Books’ affiliate program or Buck Books events in the comment section. I’m here to help.