Making Money Online: Selling eBooks
People search the Internet for information on all kinds of topics, from how to start an import business to growing organic vegetables. You can profit from this thirst for knowledge by either writing and selling your own ebooks or selling ebooks that have already been written. For just a small initial investment--perhaps as little as $20 USD--you can potentially earn hundreds of dollars or more.
How It WorksYou can choose to write your own ebook, market and sell it online. But if writing is not your forte, you can buy ebooks from others and stock them in your online shop. The amazing thing about this business is that you only need to purchase one copy with master resell rights, and then continue to sell it to willing buyers.
To get started, follow these steps:
1.Identify your niche
Just like printed books, ebooks come in hundreds of genres. You need to decide on the kinds of ebooks you want to sell. You can choose books on pets, fashion or management. Be sure that the ebooks you purchase have resale rights to avoid any legal challenges to your business. Resale rights allow you to sell the same ebook as many times as you want.
2.Get a website
You need a website to sell your ebooks. It can be a site you already have or a host/affiliate website. Some affiliate sites charge a small commission on every sale.
3.Find ebooks to sell
This is perhaps the most important component of your business. You need to find a source for your ebooks at the most competitive prices. Two sites to consider are:
- Seymour Products stocks over 2,000 ebooks at $1 USD per book. You can resell them at any price you want.
- InDigital Works also offers a collection of over 2,000 books. To get started, sign up for membership. There are three membership options to choose from: Silver membership which is free, Gold membership for a sign up fee of $47 and Gold Pro membership with a sign up fee of $147. Privileges vary with the membership option.
Select from a number of ebook categories, such as ebooks with resell rights, ebooks with master resell rights, ebooks with private label rights, ebooks with give away rights and ebooks for personal use.
Sites to Sell Your ebooks
Other than on your own website, here are three sites through which you can sell your ebooks.
1.Lulu
Through this website, you can sell your ebooks and other digital products. All you have to do is set up your account and upload your products. Lulu charges a commission of $20 per sale. You receive payments though PayPal.
This is an affiliate merchant website where you can set up an online store to sell ebooks and other digital products. Payments are processed and sent instantly to your PayPal account.
Through this site, you can sell your ebooks in a variety of formats. You will be charged a commission of 15% for every sale and receive payment through a merchant account.
Selling ebooks online is a fast-growing and potentially profitable business that you should consider as a source of extra income. To achieve the highest possible sales for your ebooks, take advantage of ebook directories that accept submission from authors. Then begin making money online from the comfort of your desktop.
Last update: Oct 14, 2010
