Ashante Thomas's Blog

I promised to share three common mistakes that cripple your book launch momentum and tips to overcome them. (You can check out the first mistake here: https://ashantethomas.com/2025/10/09/building-book-launch-momentum/.)

On to mistake 2! I see plenty of author websites making the same critical mistake: they link exclusively to Amazon. While Amazon certainly dominates the landscape (with some reporting 70 to 80 percent of book sales), it is far from the only game in town.

If you are serious about your book’s success (and want a shot at seeing it in store), you need to link to multiple retailers. Smart authors include direct links to Bookshop.org and Barnes & Noble alongside Amazon.

Think about it from a retailer’s perspective. If a chain or indie bookstore considers stocking your title, they look at your website. If they don’t see you driving book buyers to their site, they skip your book. That’s it! Retailers don’t merely want your book sitting on their shelves taking up space. They want to see them flying off the shelves, which is something that starts with you.

Tip: Link to Bookshop, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble on your book page and push all three on your social media posts.

• If you have an audience in Canada, you can also feature Indigo.
• If you have fans across the Atlantic, make sure Waterstones is on your list.

Note this is not something you can cheat by linking to only one retailer and pasting the logos of others on your website. We want to click on retailer buttons, not static photos of their logos, and get lead to your book page. Otherwise, you’re not serious about your book.

Diversifying your retail links signals that you understand the broader publishing landscape, and you make it easier for shoppers to buy your book.

Happy publishing!