Where should an author in South Africa sell their book from?
Should be a simple answer right?
Most large local bookstore chains frown on self-publishing authors knocking on their doors, attempting to crowd their already busy shelves. Tired of walking the street and smiling at anyone resembling a small bookstore owner it makes sense that authors are now looking online for access to new readers. Let’s take a look at the online options for our resilient Saffer author looking to spread their literary wings.
Amazon
Are you an author who has one of those fancy eBook thingys? Why not sell your shiny new eBook on Amazon using the Amazon KDP platform for self-publishing authors?
An Author Website
Perhaps you have your own professional author website? This website helps you with the heavy lifting of attracting readers, enticing them to place orders for your books. A author website is a strong option for those of you wanting to launch a career as a fulltime author.
[YouTube Education: Find a clearer explanation selling books from your website.]
What happens however if you are an author without a website? What happens if those Utopian shelves of Amazon remain but a distant dream?
How about something a little more local.
TakeAlot
Below is a written interview I had with industry expert Aziza Baradien from printondemand.co.za
The written interview focusses on how an ordinary author like you can get your paperback book sold from South Africa’s largest online retailer. TakeAlot.
Ready? Let’s go.
PS. Please leave a comment at end of the article to let me know if this helped you? 🥺🙏
The Basics
Q: Give a short description of your business?
A: Print on Demand has been in existence for 7 years and is arguably the biggest technology digital printing company in Africa. Our focus being digital and inkjet print from 1 copy up to 2500 +, and providing client access to global markets. We also offer a variety of services including layout, design, indoor and outdoor branding.
Q: Are you the only business offering authors a link to the TakeAlot platform or are there others?
A: We are the only business offering Takealot with an on demand module, meaning that the titles are always in print and no more wasted time on shipping and expensive import costs. We are also partnered internationally with Lightning Source Ingram and through them we have access to a global network, including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Gardners, Book Depository, to name a few.
Q: How long does on average will it take to get my physical book listed on TakeAlot? (Once you receive my application and files.)
A: The process can be completed within in 5 -7 days. (Depending on how long client takes to sign the contract.)
Q: Will you accept and list titles from authors outside South Africa?
A: Yes, we have many international clients who have signed up with us to service the local SA market
Mind the Gate
Q: Can authors approach you directly to publish a book on TakeAlot?
A: Yes
Q: Does it matter if the author is self-published or traditionally published?
A: We have certain agreements with some publishers that if client has published with them, we will refer back to them. (Client must hold copyright in order for us to assist.)
Q: Do you accept any genre of book for listing on TakeAlot?
A: Yes, subject to title not containing content that may be considered blasphemy.
Q: Does that mean you will list my hardcore erotica vampire fiction trilogy?
A: Yes, this would fall under fiction, however our partners reserve the right to reject a title should it not meet their requirement. Thus far we have not had any such rejections
Fancier Formats?
Q: Can you publish my hardcover book to TakeAlot too?
A: Locally we only upload paperback.
Q: Likewise Coffee-Table books or other image-heavy publications an option?
A: Nope
Q: Aside from my paperback, can you publish my eBook to the TakeAlot platform too?
A: Nope
Q: Will TakeAlot accept Audiobooks?
A: Takealot only accepts paperback however we are partnered with various other audiobook platforms
What Should an Author Have Ready?
Q: Does my book need an ISBN to be listed on TakeAlot?
A: Yes, each format must have its own ISBN
[Note from Dave: Need South African ISBN assistance?]
Q: What (book) files should an author looking to have a paperback listed on TakeAlot have ready?
A: Both cover and text must be supplied as print ready pdf’s, single page format, with 3 to 5 mm bleed.
Q: What metadata (info about the book) should an author have ready?
A: Title, ISBN, Author Name, Genre as per BISAC codes, Description, Publisher information if applicable, publish date, copyright date; keywords
Q: Do you have a specification guide for the cover and interior measurements or quality?
A: We can supply a template for design once we have print specifications
Q: Will my book interior exported from MS Word be accepted?
We would then need to refer to our design department to first quote for updating the layout and design from within Word.
Questions of Quality
Q: Does your company have any (pre-flight) checks to ensure the book interior and cover files I share are acceptable?
A: Yes, we have an automated workflow system built that will pre-flight and check artwork.
Q: If my book files are not up to standard – can you fix/ correct/ update them?
A: Yes we can, our inhouse design team will engage with client to quote on updating the files.
Q: Do the books ordered from TakeAlot, that are printed by you go through a QC process before being delivered to a customer?
A: Yes, each book gets checked by the QC department before being handed to Takealot
Q: Before my book is published live on TakeAlot do I receive a copy to approve?
A: An electronic proof will be supplied, printed proof can be supplied at an additional cost
Q: Are your printing machines able to handle special cover finishes such as UV Varnish or Foiling?
A: We offer lamination, UV varnish and spot UV
Q: For the books ordered from TakeAlot – What are the typical paper quality you would print? (GSM of the Cover and interior paper for example)
A: 80gsm Bond, 74gsm Creamy, 230gsm Cover Board
Q: What is the process (and costs) if I need to update my book interior or cover listed on TakeAlot?
A: It will costs R 250 excl vat per file. ie: R500 excl vat if both cover and text must be updated
Let’s Talk Royalties
Q: What is the percentages that an author will get paid on average from a sale of a paperback?
A: The royalties are not % based. This is determined by the selling price and print cost
Q: Who else gets a cut?
A: Takealot, based on selling price
Q: Can you give a royalty breakdown example on a book sold from TakeAlot @ R250
A: This depends on the print specifications of the book.
Royalty Example: 100 pages, B&W interior, A5, matt lamination. Royalty would be R 113.36 (already includes TakeAlots cut.)
Q: How often are authors paid their royalties?
A: Quarterly
Q: How often do authors receive sales reports?
A: Quarterly
Contract Specifics
Q: What is the process to cancel or remove my book from TakeAlot?
A: Written confirmation
Q: Is there any exclusivity clause if my book is listed by you on TakeAlot?
A: No
Q: How long is the contract between us binding for?
A: Client can cancel at any time but there will be no refunds if cancelled before 1 year has passed
Next Steps for an Author?
Q: What is the first step for an author looking to get their book listed on TakeAlot?
A: Contact us
Q: Who is the best contact person for the author at your company for the TakeAlot book listing process?
Q: Do you have an online application form or downloadable application forms for authors upfront?
A: We are developing our own online system. We are in testing phase and will launch within the next two months.
Dave’s Thoughts on TakeAlot being a viable distribution option for authors?
Authors writing from our neck of the woods need all the distribution options they can to get. No single platform should be considered enough, rather an author looking to make an impact should consider publishing widely to maximise visibility.
- This means having your books on Amazon
- As well as other leading online outlets to satisfy the hungry international market
- TakeAlot can then provide the author an option for local readers who want to order physical books.
Does TakeAlot have it’s issues? Hell yeah it does. I often cannot find an author’s books even when searching for their name together with the book title. Or the lack of author profile on the platform.
However, every platform will have its strengths and weaknesses. TakeAlot simply provides our authors with an avenue to reach local readers. With relatively low barriers to entry, why not give it a go?
You should look into KDP and see how they do it, as their programme and publishing is so easy to use. They are completely more fair compared to the shocking percentage Takealot will get… So for me to sell my colouring in book, I’ll have to make it almost R300 just to make it feel that it’s worth it, yet on Amazon, the same book, I sell for R110, and they take roughly HALF, whereas Takealot will take, what, about 70% of it? When are we to get something like KDP uses, that’s fair and makes selling books worth while?
Hey Luna, hopefully soon!
Hi Dave. If your company helps with the cover design and layout, etc, does the author have to pay for that work upfront? Or do you recover that from sales?
Hey Schalk, thanks for the comment. We try to make it clear in a number of places on our website that we are not a traditional publisher and charge for our services upfront.
Hi Dave my name is Thulane I have just written my first and its my wish to have the book listed on Takealot.com. please provide guidelines.
Hi Thulane, thanks for your comment! Have you tried emailing the address shared in the article?
Hi Dave. Thank you for this.
I once published an ebook on Amazon and was about to publish a paperback this time around. The cost of printing and shipping to SA looked a little too heavy for what I’d like my readers to pay, so I nearly gave up till I found your article.
Thank you.
Glad it helped you Sechaba 🙂
Hi Dave, does the author decide on the price for the book, or Print on Demand? I have a text book I have written for SAPS, Social Workers, Counsellors, etc. I believe my research (spanning two decades) is worth asking R450 or more for the book. Is this possible?
Hey! The author does decide on the price, yes. Downside is that from each sale a fair percentage goes to TakeAlot, as well as the Print on Demand business to fund the printing service. If you feel strongly about reaching a wider audience, consider publishing as eBook using Draft2Digital.com too.
Published on Amazon but the books in Afrikaans. Can you help me to publish the book on Takealot please.🙏.
Hallo Wikus! Getting your Afrikaans title listed on TakeAlot should not be too tricky at all. Contact the business listed in this article and follow their expert guidance. This should be a good distribution channel for you. Unfortunately, the profits however may be a little disappointing. (Amazon likely pays much better.)
Thank you, helpful.
You = welcome.
Very helpful Dave, thank you!
Do you convert a hardcover to paperback of a book that is already on Amazon?
Great question Bongiswa! The interior should be able to remain as is (if your trim size is a larger one, not 8″ x 5″.) The cover might need a slight update to cater for the hardcover measurements however.
I have reached out to POD to print and distribute with them. TakeAlot takes 14% of your asking price, then 15% VAT for that. Then they take an order fulfillment of about R35, and adds 15% VAT to that. This comes down to the author paying about half of their printing cost to TakeAlot. IE, if the printing costs you R100, and you ask R200, TakeAlot is bagging R32.2+R40=R72.2. Which means, you’ll end up with R27.8 royalties, minus the banking fee. This is “OK-ish”, apart from the fact they’re getting more than double what you are and you’re walking away with a measly 13.4% royalties (compared to their 36.1% cut). But this becomes an impossible sum when the printing cost goes higher. For example, if your book print costs R250 to produce, you need to ask R390.64 JUST to break even. I hope Amazon comes soon and rubs their nose in the filth.
I am in your corner Klara. OK-ish is a very generous way to describe royalties earned from most traditional publishing contracts, including with TakeAlot! Is your book being sold elsewhere in other online retailers?
Hi I would like to make sure I understand correctly. So I create / write an eBook and it is sold on TakeALot as a print on demand book?
Nope. TakeAlot can only publish a physical paperback. If you are creating a digital eBook then Amazon might be a better place to sell from.
Hi, Have just published a 250 page book with P.OD/Takealot. Selling at R250 I see I only get R51.91 per book. You take nearly R200 a book. Considering that is a pretty good profit for you, do you do anything to promote or market ?
Morning Maureen, thanks for leaving a comment! I think you might have misunderstood -The MYeBook team does not benefit at all from you listing your book on TakeAlot. This article was written to help new authors understand the process, however we are not part of TakeAlot at all. Hope this clears things up – If you need, please pop me an email and let me know? PS, I would be happy to chat about some marketing ideas to help if, if you wanted.
@Dave, I would like to chat with you regarding publishing books and marketing books in South Africa.
I am fairly new in publishing in South Africa. If at all possible, could you contact me directly?
I always enjoy a good chat. Sure, my advice would be to drop a contact form submission directly from our website [/contact] – this will put us in touch.
Hi Dave thanx so much for the article, it helps alot. I would however like to know, when it comes to printing ,you said that sif a customer were to buy a book they basically pay for the printing of that said book. So say for instance the cost of the book is R150 what would the royalties work out to, after take alot and the printers have taken their cut.
Hey Odile! So the royalties are what’s left after (TakeAlot)+(Printers) +(VAT) have been subtracted from the list price of your book. The more pages your book has, the higher the printing costs, and the less you might earn. I am busy listing two titles on TakeAlot for the authors currently and the royalties for the books (List prices are between RR250 and R300) are roughly R60-70 Rand.
Hi Dave, I have already published some 60 books which \i print myself. Would take-alot market these books. No printing or editing costs involved for them The books are complete and ready to go out. Only marketing required. Would that be something they would consider doing, and if so, what returns (royalties) would I get – seeing that I carried all the costs except for transport and marketing)?
Hey Henry, TakeAlot won’t be helping with the marketing of your books at all. They facilitate the printing of the paperback, together with the transaction itself but the marketing of the paperback would rest with the author. If you already had an extensive library of 60 titles then I consider running paid promotions either within Amazon, or Google – directing traffic to your own author website.
Thanks so much. Really useful article. We’re going to give it a test run as we’d like to recommend this to our writers.
Only a pleasure Trish – let me know if your writers have additional questions I can help with?
Thanks Dave for enlightening me about these two facts:
1. Website publishing is so effective in Marketing my books. No waste of time and money by knocking at Book stores. Website Marketing is an online approach in the modern World. I like that idea so much.
2. The idea that Takealot accepts books written in different languages gives me more courage as an Author already to share knowledge with all people in different languages. Bravo to you Dave. Bravo to Takealot.
Love your comment! Thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback 🙂
Hi, I’d like to know about printing costs. Do we get charged upfront or do we only get charged when we make a sale like KDP does?
For TakeAlot, it works similar to Amazon. The reader who buys the paperback funds the printing + shipping costs. This means no upfront fees per sale on TakeAlot. Although there is a once-off fee to list AND a yearly fee to keep your paperback listed on the website.
What is the yearly cost and once off fee?
Hey Jay, last I checked the yearly listing fee was about R300 and the once-off listing fee was about the same. Hope this helps.
How long does it take for Takelot to respond after you applied via the email address supplied to begin the process to have your published book listed?
What information are needed in the initial email?
Hey there Jay, remember that throughout the whole “listing your paperback on TakeAlot” process you never actually chat with TakeAlot at all. All comms should be directed to the team at the local business called PrintonDemand. They take care of the listing work. Pop them an email and they should advise you on the information they need.
I emailed the provided email to get my book on print on demand on takealot but I got no response.
Damn, that is not great. Try visiting their website to see if the contact details are correct? [printondemand.co.za]
Hi Dave!!
Awesome, thank you so much for such a detailed information. You have helped me a great deal and cleared my mind of many questions.
It is great to hear my articles are helping Bongi! Would you mind helping by sharing the article far and wide?
Thanks for such useful information Dave. Much appreciated. I would like to know the best option to consider if I want my book to be available in Afrikaans and iZulu. Any advice you can share in this regard please.
Hi Rashree, thanks for the thanks! Obviously, Takealot can publish the paperback versions of both. This will satisfy local readers. For readers further afield, I would recommend Amazon for the Afrikaans book. For the isiZulu title you could look at publishing the eBook through a platform such as Smashwords or Draft2Digital. TakeAlot is not a viable option for anything eBook. Otherwise you could always use an author-website to directly sell and market to readers?
Perfect – you are a star Dave. Thanks for your support.
Thank you for the guidance
It is an absolute pleasure! Please let me know if there was anything else I could answer for you?
Thank you for this Q&A Dave. Quite insightful and opens another avenue as we strive to reach as many readers as possible.
You are a living book superhero! For real though😇
Thanks so much, love your comment!
This was such an insightful and easy to read article. It clarified how I can approach the takealot aspect should I decide to use this route. Thank you so much for assisting and guiding us as first time self-published authors.
You are most welcome Bongeka! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment 🙂
Very helpful Dave, thank you.
I have priced my book as affordable for aspiring entrepreneurs. Would you recommend revising this should I use Takealot?
Hey Steve, I would consider two variables in the answer to your question. (1) Is the Profit vs Exposure calculation, where a cheaper price on your paperback encourages those readers we call “grazers” (people browsing the shelves for a new book, without something set in mind.) A higher profit discourages new readers slightly however might earn a bit more (in the short run.) The second calculation is what money would be left in your pocket after the printers and TakeAlot have taken their share. I would really on decide on the final price after hearing what would be earned from each sale. Hope this helps you!
This was interesting. Broaden my knowledge of self publication. Good format.
Thanks for taking the time to comment! Glad it helped you and best of luck with the book 🙂