Should I Do a KDP Preorder for My Book?

If you’re publishing a book, you may wonder if setting up a KDP preorder is a good idea. Why wouldn’t you want to extend your selling window and rack up sales before your book has even been published?

In fact, there are mixed opinions on preorders, and the conclusion we’ve drawn may surprise you. In this post, we’ll break down the pros and cons so you can make the best decision for your book.

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Topics Covered in “Should I Do a KDP Preorder for My Book?”:

What Is a KDP Preorder?
KDP Preorders Aren’t the Same as “Schedule a Release”
     Pros and Cons of KDP Preorders
     Pro: KDP Preorders Can Be Loooong
     Pro: Early Marketing Can Result in Sales
     Pro: Readers Don’t Have to Wait until Publication Day
     Con: You Could Be Penalized
     Con: Preorders Aren’t Available for Print Books through KDP
     Con: Preorders Can Hurt Your Amazon Rankings
Is a KDP Preorder Right for You?

What Is a KDP Preorder?

We’re all familiar with traditional preorders: you place an order for a book before it’s actually on sale, and when publication day finally arrives, the book is shipped to you. That’s how KDP preorders work too. Readers can purchase your book during the preorder window and receive it on publication day.

If you’re considering setting up a preorder with KDP, there are a few things you should know.

KDP Preorders Aren’t the Same as “Schedule a Release”

There is some misunderstanding out there about whether KDP’s “Schedule a Release” accomplishes much the same purpose. Unfortunately, it does not. This option allows you to set up your book files and go through the file verification process ahead of time. However, it is not a preorder, and your book listing won’t be available to readers until the release date.

Pros and Cons of KDP Preorders

On paper, there are definitely benefits to KDP preorders. But—spoiler alert—there are also downsides, and in our opinion, those downsides outweigh the potential benefits for most authors. Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of setting up a preorder so you can decide for yourself.

Pro: KDP Preorders Can Be Loooong

Ebook preorders on KDP can be set up a year in advance. And because you can upload new files any time before the 72-hour pre-publication window, all you need to get started is the front cover and your sales copy. 

However, if you do a preorder, it’s best to limit your preorder window to a few weeks at most. (We’ll get into why a little bit later.)

Pro: Early Marketing Can Result in Sales

If you have a large platform and a robust advertising plan, preorders are a way to create a linkable sales page. With that link, you can ramp up your promotion efforts well before publication day and send readers right to your sales page.

Without a preorder, your next-best option is to inspire people to join your mailing list. But then you have to inspire them again to buy your book upon its release, which is no easy task.

Pro: Readers Don’t Have to Wait until Publication Day

I’m generally at least a year or two late to see new movies. I may be excited enough about a trailer to want to check out the movie, but two things are working against me. First, I have to wait to see the movie, and I may not be as excited about it by then. Second, by the time it’s out, I’ve probably forgotten about it or don’t have time to get to the theater.

Book preorders solve a similar problem with new releases. Readers can take immediate action on a book they’re excited about; they don’t have to remember to do it later. And because KDP preorders are only available for ebooks, the file will be delivered directly to their device.

Con: You Could Be Penalized

KDP isn’t messing around with their preorders. You don’t need finalized ebook files before you set up your preorder, but KDP expects you to upload them at least 72 hours before your scheduled publication date. If you don’t—or if you cancel your preorder—you’ll be banned from creating another preorder for a whole year.

KDP does offer a single “reset” period where you can change the date of your preorder. After that, you’ll be penalized for canceling or changing your release date. However, this penalty is easy enough to avoid. Just don’t set up a preorder until you can accurately estimate your publishing timeline, and add time for unexpected delays.

Con: Preorders Aren’t Available for Print Books through KDP

At least as of this writing (April 2024), KDP preorders are available for ebook only. Technically, there’s a workaround for this: IngramSpark offers preorders for print books, so you could set yours up there.

However, there’s a reason we recommend our authors publish with both KDP and IngramSpark. We like IngramSpark to take care of all the “traditional” distribution channels, and we like our authors to control their own KDP accounts so we can optimize them for Amazon. IngramSpark preorders throw a wrench into that plan.

If you set up a preorder from IngramSpark, that preorder will show up on Amazon. But then IngramSpark will be the one setting up your sales page. You won’t be able to choose your Amazon categories, optimize your sales pages, or access the book through KDP. Because you’ll have less control over your book on Amazon, we don’t typically recommend using IngramSpark preorders.

Con: Preorders Can Hurt Your Amazon Rankings

As Penny Sansevieri of Author Marketing Expert explains in “A Beginner’s Guide to Amazon Pre-Orders,” if your book fails to attract attention during your preorder window, “it’ll quickly plummet [after Amazon launch day] due to low sales, which is really hard to recover from.” This is the main reason we at Spoonbridge Press don’t recommend preorders for most authors. 

This is a very real concern—and Penny isn’t alone in recommending that most new authors skip the preorder. Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur (affiliate link), the program we use to research KDP keywords and categories and optimize sales pages for every book we publish, has done a ton of research into KDP preorders, and he’s come to the same conclusion.

In his excellent five-minute video, “Preorder Your Book: Why I Don’t Recommend It,” Dave explains how preorders extend the window of time that Amazon uses to determine if your book is popular and relevant. If you aren’t showing consistent preorder sales, it will take even more sales after launch day to combat this lull. And if you’re a new author, this uphill battle probably isn’t one you want to have to fight.

Is a KDP Preorder Right for You?

Preorders can work for some authors, but if you’re like most authors, preorders can actually work against you. That’s why, if you don’t have a huge following or a comprehensive marketing plan, preorders are probably not for you. 

Instead, spend your energy on great cover design, professional editing, and category and keyword research that will help you optimize your sales pages and make the most of Amazon’s algorithms. By focusing on what really matters, you can reduce your stress, be more effective, and have a better self-publishing experience.