The idea of selling books directly to readers can sound like a revolution—until you realize revolutions usually come with paperwork.

For indie authors, “selling direct” tends to conjure two equally intense reactions: excitement about control and profit… and anxiety about what they might have to give up. It’s no wonder. For years, we’ve been trained to optimize for platforms that reward exclusivity, limit access to readers, and obscure data behind dashboards we can’t control.

So when a platform like Direct2Readers enters the scene, offering direct sales without the usual headaches, it’s natural for authors to ask questions—sometimes nervous ones.

Here’s what you should know.

Let’s Start with the Big One: Do You Have to Leave Amazon?

No.
Not even a little.

Direct2Readers is not a platform that requires exclusivity. It doesn’t force you to abandon retailers or change where you currently sell. It’s not an alternative to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, or Apple—it’s an addition to the way you connect with readers.

You can keep your KU titles where they are. You can continue running promotions through your wide distributors. And you can still link your newsletter or social followers to the stores you already use.

What Direct2Readers offers is choice. For each title you list, you decide how it’s sold:

• You can link to your preferred retailer,
• Or to your own existing storefront,
• Or enable direct checkout through D2R.

There’s no penalty for mixing and matching. No algorithm punishing your decisions. Just a flexible system built around what works for you.

Will Readers Be Confused by Multiple Buy Options?

Not likely—especially not the ones who discover you through Direct2Readers.

Readers who arrive at your D2R listing see one clear call to action for each book. You control that link. If it goes to your direct checkout page, great. If it goes to a retailer or delivery platform, that works too.

The idea isn’t to overwhelm your audience with options. It’s to give you the freedom to tailor each title’s buying path without building an entirely new system to manage it.

One book might be enrolled in a Kindle Countdown Deal—so you link to the product page. Another might be part of a pre-order bundle you’re selling direct. You decide what makes sense, and update links anytime.

You stay in control. The reader sees one button. Clean. Simple. Effective.

What If You’re Not “Techy”?

This might be the most common—and valid—concern among indie authors: the fear that selling direct requires a technical background. And if you’ve ever tried to set up a self-hosted store, that fear is justified.

The difference with Direct2Readers is that you’re not building a store.

There’s no plugin to install. No checkout process to configure. No digital delivery tool to manage.

When you enable direct sales through D2R, the platform handles:

• Payment processing
• File delivery
• Purchase confirmation
• Optional email opt-in

All you need to do is upload your files and set your price. Direct2Readers takes care of the rest.

If you don’t want to sell direct? That’s fine too. You can just link your titles to wherever they’re already for sale and still benefit from the platform’s discovery engine.

Will This Cannibalize My Other Sales?

Not unless your other sales depend entirely on you being invisible.

Here’s the thing: discovery and access are not the same.

Retailers are where many readers buy, but not necessarily where they look. Direct2Readers acts as a discovery-first platform—designed to help readers find books that match what they’re in the mood for: specific tropes, vibes, characters, or formats.

Once they find your book, you decide what happens next. Whether they’re sent to Amazon or offered a direct download, the purchase still happens on your terms. You’re not taking sales away from one channel to give to another. You’re catching the ones that might otherwise never have found you in the first place.

And if you’re nervous? Start small. Enable direct sales on a single title. Watch what happens. Adjust as you go. You’ll learn what works for your audience without having to uproot your entire publishing strategy.

The Real Question: Are You Ready to Own the Relationship?

This isn’t just about where the sale happens. It’s about what that sale allows you to do afterward.

When you sell through most retailers, you make a transaction and move on. When you sell directly—whether through D2R or your own site—you make a connection. You get the reader’s email (with permission). You can follow up. Offer more. Build trust. Build momentum.

That’s how businesses grow.

You don’t have to change everything overnight. But if you’re looking for a way to earn more, learn more, and keep more control without abandoning the systems you already use, Direct2Readers is designed to meet you exactly where you are.

No ultimatums. No exclusivity. Just opportunity—on your terms.