The challenges facing independent publishers are well-known and mounting – fewer physical bookstores, higher printing costs, and money tied up in slow-moving inventory. Amazon and other online distributors can be both a boon and a bane: on the one hand, publishers can reach far-flung readers who have never lived near a bookshop, but on the other, margins are shrinking. Moreover, Amazon holds all the power – publishers have no idea to whom their books are being sold.
With Stck, publishers can build a direct-to-fan sales channel that they own entirely. It is an industry-changing prospect because, for the first time, small imprints can offer digital, paperback, and hardback editions to readers worldwide via their own website and app. No technology integration or coding is required. Moreover, publishers set the price and retain all intellectual property (IP) rights. There is no exclusivity, so existing sales channels and revenues remain unaffected. The software, which takes only minutes to set up, includes everything required straight out of the box – a world-class digital reading experience, payments, printing, and shipping. There are no up-front or hidden fees: only a monthly subscription and a transaction fee.
The difference between this direct model and the traditional approach is revolutionary. Publishers retain 75–90 percent of the earnings. In the traditional retail model, when selling through Amazon, other major retailers, or via IngramSpark, the margins are often less than 20 percent. This is true even of the largest publishers, as once discounts, inventory costs, and distribution are taken into account, not much of the cover price remains for them or the author. The economics of digital are worse, as the vast majority of books on Kindle are bundled into ‘all-you-can-eat’ schemes that yield no earnings at all.
In addition to receiving only a thin slice of revenue, publishers must wait several months for payments to arrive, especially on global sales. With Stck, publishers collect their earnings every month; they know who bought their books and have access to readers’ e-mail addresses. This transparency is fundamental to building a long-term, sustainable model based on loyal readers. This is why many independent powerhouse publishers are already using Stck to reach their readers directly around the world.
We’re heading to Frankfurt! If you are at Frankfurter Buchmesse from 15 to 19 October 2025, drop by to say hi, or write to us at publishers@stck.me to set up a meeting.
This is a partnered post with stck.me.