(NASDAQ:AMZN)—Amazon today announced a new program for Kindle in the US
and UK that allows authors and publishers to reach more readers in a
compelling way: Kindle Countdown Deals. Kindle Countdown Deals provide
readers with limited-time promotional discounts on Kindle-exclusive
books. Customers can see the regular price and the promotional price on
the book’s detail page, as well as a countdown clock telling them how
much time is left at the promotional price. Live Kindle Countdown Deals
can be found at www.amazon.com/kindlecountdowndeals—deals
available today include best sellers like Stop the Wedding! by
Stephanie Bond, Whiskey Sour by J.A. Konrath and The
Millionaire Mind by Thomas Stanley.
Kindle Countdown Deals can be used by any publisher on any book that is
exclusive to the Kindle Store. This includes books published by Amazon
Publishing, as well as independent authors and publishers using KDP
Select.
“We’re always looking to build features that customers love, and to help
publishers and authors get their books discovered—Kindle Countdown Deals
achieves both,” said Russ Grandinetti, Vice President of Kindle Content.
“And with more than 400,000 books available only in the Kindle Store,
there are lots of opportunities to use this feature.”
“Programs like Kindle Countdown Deals are one of the reasons we work to
bring iconic content by authors such as Kurt Vonnegut and Stephen Covey
exclusively to Kindle. Our goal is to bring great books to more readers,
and Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing helps us do this in an easy and
effective way,” said Arthur Klebanoff, CEO of RosettaBooks LLC.
“This exciting new program is exactly why my books are in KDP Select—the
folks at Amazon are always thinking of creative ways to get authors’
books in the hands of new readers,” said Christopher Smith, best-selling
author of the Fifth Avenue series. “I’m thrilled to be part of this new
venture, and the program underscores once again why Select is the way to
go.”
Authors and publishers determine both the length of the Kindle Countdown
Deals promotion and the level of discount, offering them control and
flexibility. KDP Select authors now have more choices for running
promotions: each 90-day term, they can schedule one Kindle Countdown
Deals promotion per available marketplace, or use up to five free
promotion days. For KDP Select books, here’s how it works:
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Time: Publishers control how long the book is discounted,
choosing any time between one hour and seven days.
-
Discount: Publishers set the level of discount, which must be
at least $1 off the regular price.
-
Royalty: Publishers will earn royalties based on their regular
royalty rate and the promotional price. As a result, publishers using
the 70% royalty option will earn 70% even if the price is below $2.99.
-
Reporting: A new KDP report displays sales and royalties at
each promotional price side-by-side with pre-promotion performance, so
it’s easy to compare.
-
Customer Experience: It’s simple for customers to see the great
deal they’re getting, as the regular price is included on the book’s
detail page, right beside the promotional price. Customers will see
the countdown clock with the time remaining for the promotion. It’s
also easy for customers to discover Kindle Countdown Deals on a
dedicated webpage, www.amazon.com/kindlecountdowndeals.
The ability for authors to set Kindle Countdown Deals is the latest
benefit of KDP Select—to learn more visit http://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/KDPSelect.
About Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle,
opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth’s
Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth’s most
customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything
they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the
lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of
unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books;
Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home
& Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health &
Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web
Services provides Amazon’s developer customers with access to
in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon’s own back-end
technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any
type of business. Kindle Paperwhite is the world’s best-selling and most
advanced e-reader. It features new display technology with higher
contrast, the next generation built-in light, a faster processor, the
latest touch technology, and exclusive new features designed from the
ground up for readers. Kindle, the lightest and smallest Kindle,
features improved fonts and faster page turns. The new Kindle Fire HDX
features a stunning exclusive 7” or 8.9” HDX display, a quad-core 2.2
GHz processor, 2x more memory, and 11 hours of battery life, as well as
exclusive new features of Fire OS 3.0 including X-Ray for Music, Second
Screen, Prime Instant Video downloads, and the revolutionary new Mayday
button. The all-new Kindle Fire HD includes an HD display,
high-performance processor and dual speakers at a breakthrough price.
Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com,
www.amazon.co.uk,
www.amazon.de,
www.amazon.co.jp,
www.amazon.fr,
www.amazon.ca,
www.amazon.cn,
www.amazon.it,
www.amazon.es,
www.amazon.com.br,
www.amazon.in,
and www.amazon.com.mx.
As used herein, “Amazon.com,” “we,” “our” and similar terms include
Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates
otherwise.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly
from management’s expectations. These forward-looking statements involve
risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to
competition, management of growth, new products, services and
technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international
expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment and
data center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements,
acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system
interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments
and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect
Amazon.com’s financial results is included in Amazon.com’s filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual
Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.
Copyright Business Wire 2013