Summary
Most authors don’t know they can pressure Amazon into price-matching a free eBook. Here’s how one author figured out the magic words to make it happen.
Key takeaways
- Amazon does not allow authors to directly list eBooks for free.
- Authors can publish a free version on competitor platforms and ask Amazon to price-match it.
- Framing your request around Amazon’s “buyer experience” priority can make a real difference.
- Once the price matched, downloads came in from eight different countries within days.
The Loophole Most Authors Don’t Know About
Here’s something most people don’t know about Amazon. They won’t let authors offer their eBooks for free.
But there’s a workaround. If an author publishes the book for free on a competitor’s platform, they can contact Amazon and try to convince them to price-match it.
James: I know this because I spent the past month doing exactly that.
Don’t get me wrong. I love Amazon. The convenience is unmatched. But after making You Don’t Need a Ph.D. to Find G-O-D free on Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and everywhere else, Amazon still wouldn’t match the price. It’s their prerogative, but I was determined.
The Key Phrase That Finally Worked
Then I heard a podcast where a former Amazon employee explained that one of the company’s biggest priorities is the “buyer experience.”
So I reached out one more time. I hammered on that term. I explained that the buyer experience is horrible when readers can get a book free everywhere except Amazon.
Two days later, it was done.
Shoutout to Kapil at Amazon for making it happen.
I opened my dashboard and immediately saw downloads coming in from eight different countries.
Why I Pushed So Hard
This message is too important to keep contained.
I wrote this book for Christians who want to be more confident in what they believe and why they believe it. I also wrote it for skeptics who are honestly searching for truth. It’s a book you can read yourself or hand to the friend you’ve been praying for who isn’t quite ready to walk into church.
You Don’t Need a Ph.D. to Find G-O-D is now permanently free on Amazon.
If someone in your life has been wrestling with questions about God, science, or whether Christianity is actually true, this is the perfect time to send them a copy. It costs nothing, but it could change everything.
James Finke
P.S. If this book has encouraged you, leaving a review is the single biggest favor you can do for me right now. Reviews on Amazon and Goodreads help new readers discover the book every single day. Every review truly makes a difference. Thank you, and God bless.