Some ebook deals are more complicated than they seem. A distributor’s payment to a publisher is a percentage of what is received from the channel partner, but then it is important to understand the underlying deal; there is no guarantee that all distributors get the same deal. In some cases it is possible for a new ebook publisher to do some channels directly and pay the distributor percentage only on the others. The nuances of these deals will be informed by the vast experience of Constellation, one of the most experienced digital distributors in this very new field.

1. November 2011

2. The only complete digital service
for independent publishers
Not just eBooks, but all things digital
 Digital discovery (SITB, etc.)
 Enables and supports digital printing (POD & SPR)
 Distributes and tracks digital eBooks
 Provides digital marketing tools

3. The only complete digital service
for independent publishers
Not just technology, but an end-to-end service
 We screen and negotiate deals with all Constellation partners
 We setup and manage all interactions with Constellation partners
 You provide title files and distribution preferences
 We ingest your files, convert and distribute as requested
 We monitor, consolidate and report all activity back to you
 We remit sales revenues back to you
 We provide tools to improve efficiency, effectiveness and discovery

4. The only complete digital service
for independent publishers
Digital Service Tools Example: Constellation Dashboard
Goal = complete transparency and tracking
• Accessible from any browser
• Secure password protection (DAM)
• Dashboard view with drilldowns for enrolled titles
• Overviews by digital partner
• Overviews by individual title
• Sales track by title
• Status updates of where the title is as it is being
rolled out and made “live” partner by partner
• Clarity on publisher and Constellation “To Do’s”
• Ability to upload files directly for conversion and
distribution

5. Our Publishers: Over 275 prominent
independent publishers and growing
2.13.61 Busted Flush Press LLC Entrepreneur Press Haymarket Books Menasha Ridge Press Parallax Press Scarletta Press Travel
Abbeville Publishing Group Bywater Books Exterminating Angel Press Healthy Travel Media MFA Publications Parthian Books Seal Press Travelers Tales
Agate Publishing Can of Worms Fang Duff Kahn Hg2 Milkweed Editions PassPorter Travel Press Seren Books Trinity University Press
AK Press Carcanet Press Featherproof Books History Press Monkfish Book Publishing Paul Dry Books Serpents Tail Turtle Point Press
Akashic Books Carousel Press Feral House HJ Kramer Morpheus International PDR Network Seven Footer Press Tuttle Publishing
Allison & Busby Channel Photographics Firebrand Books Holy Cow! Press Muswell Press Pear Press Seven Publishing Two Dollar Radio
Alyson Publications Cherry Red Records Flare Publications HopeRoad Publishing Myriad Editions Pearson Venture Group Shelter Publications Ulysses Press
Anthem Press Childrens Book Press Fledgling Press House of Anansi Press Nation Books Peirene Press Shoemaker and Hoard Underland Press
Arcadia Books Chin Music Press Inc. Floris Books How To Books National Lampoon Press Perseus Distribution Digital Short Books Underwood Books
Archipelago Books Christopher Hurst and Company Food First Books Hundreds of Heads Books Naval Institute Press Peter Glickman, Inc Sierra Club Books University of Michigan
Arsenal Pulp Press Cicada Books Foxrock Books Hunter House Neil Wilson Publishing Plain White Press Sierra Club/Counterpoint Urantia Foundation
ArtNetwork Cicerone Press Frances Lincoln Icon New Horizon Press Polhemus Press Simply Read Books Vagabond Voices
Atlantic Press Cinco Puntos Press Franklin Publishers Ig Publishing New Internationalist Pomegranate Press SLG Books Vanguard Press
Augustus Publishing City Lights Publishers Freight Design Image Continuum Press New Society Publishers Process Small Beer Press Verse Chorus Press
Aurum Press Cleis Press Fulcrum Publishing Impress Books New World Library Profile Books Small Planet Media Waterside Publishing
Avalon Clerisy Press Gallic Books In Easy Steps Limited Newmarket Press Prospecta Press SmartPop Web of Life Childrens Books
Basic Books Columbia University Press Gallup Press Inside Pocket NewSage Press PublicAffairs Soft Skull Press Weinstein Books
Basic Civitas Books Constable & Robinson Geddes Group Insight Editions LLC Nicholas Brealey Publishing Publishing Works Sort Of Books Westview Press
Beast Books Counterpoint Press Gibson Square Interweave Press Nick Hern Pushkin Press Souvenir Press Wharton Digital Press
Beautiful Books Craving Wellness Glasshouse Books John Blake Nicolo Whimsey Press PVG SPCK Whereabouts Press
Beginning Press Crown House Global Travel Publishers Kabbalah Publishing Nilgiri Press Quick Trading Company Sports Books White Cloud Press
Bella Books Crowood Press Gooseberry Patch Kalmbach Books No Exit/Oldcastle Quiller Publishing Sterling & Ross Publishers White Pine Press
Bellevue Literary Press Cursor Green Candy Press Kelcy Press Nolo Press Rat Press Stone Bridge Press Wide World Publishing Tetra
BenBella Books Da Capo Press Greystone Books Kennel Club Books Northumbria Press Ravens Quill Surrey Books Wilderness Press
Bene Factum Publishing de.Mo Design Limited Grosvenor House Publishing Key Porter Books Nosy Crow Re/Search Publications TalentSmart Willow Creek Press
Birlinn Dedalus Groundwood Books Leapfrog Press Notting Hill Edns Regnery Publishing Tanglewood Press Wine House Press
Biteback Publishing Diamedica Grove/Atlantic LifeTime Media nthposition press Robert Hale Templar Wisdom Publications
Bitter Lemon Distributed Art Publishers Grub Street Lilliput Press Occidental Robert Kennedy Publishing The Disinformation Company Wise Parenting Press
Black & White Publishing Domino Recording & Publishing Gryphon House Little Tiger Press Old Street Rodmell Press The Experiment Zephyr Press
Black Rose Books Douglas & McIntyre Gryphon Press Long River Press Open Court Ronin Careers & Personal The Feminist Press at CUNY
Bloodaxe Books Dzanc Books Gurze Books Loose Chippings ORO editions Development The New Press
BOA Editions Ltd. Easton Studio Press Halban Publishers Lumen Books Osho Media International Running Press The Story Plant
Book Peddlers Eland Publishing Harbour Books Mandy and Pandy, Co Outline Press Ltd. Saqi Books Theatre Communications Group
Bookline & Thinker Elliott & Thompson Harvard Business Review Press Manic D Press Inc. Oval Guides Saraband Time Out
BowTie Press Encounter Books Haus Publishing Marion Boyars Owners Manual Press Sarabande Books Tin House Books
British Library Enigma Books Hawthorne Books McWitty Press Papaloa Press Sasquatch Books Totem Books
5

6. Constellation Partners:
Powerful…
Look Inside

7. Selling eBooks direct or through a
Distributor
70% Isn’t Always What it Seems:
Understanding Distribution Deals and
Sales Models
70% of Net Revenue vs. x% off of the Digital Retail Price

8. Selling Direct or through a
Distributor
Selling direct could be a good way to start, but there are many
advantages to working with a distributor:
•Availability – when you want your eBooks sold through more than one vendor
•Merchandizing – for eBooks that require a promotional push
•International distribution – managing title rights and multiple currencies
•Contract negotiation – knowing what to look for in the fine print
•Working with new vendors – moving to the ‘front of the line’
•Reporting – dashboard, sales reports, statements, checks
•Consultation and Expertise – valuable advice and technical support
•Education – keeping you informed in a rapidly evolving digital world

9. Digital Partner Checklist:
Do They…
 Offer multiple conversion options for creating ePubs and enhanced ePubs?
 Warehouse all of your digital files and metadata?
 Distribute your digital files and metadata and follow-up on your behalf?
 Reach both North American and International retailers and markets?
 Merchandise and promote your e-books via an experienced sales force?
 Collect sales data and provide sales reports and feeds?
 Supply a Dashboard interface that gives you complete transparency?
 Negotiate and problem-solve with vendors on your behalf?
 Employ experienced client service and vendor managers?
 Really understand independent publishing, .i.e., are they an independent publisher themselves?
 Educate you with regularly scheduled seminars, webinars, newsletters?
 Organize publisher working groups by category?
 Provide digital marketing tools that help drive sales?
 Think about future digital services for you and with you, e.g. digital workflow, pricing analytics?