Kindle Unlimited Behind The Curtain: Why Books You Want Aren't Available

By Robert Bacal

In July Amazon unveiled Kindle Unlimited, a program that allows subscribers to read, free of charge, books on their Kindle, provided they pay the $9.99 per month subscription fee. Sounds great, until you see what's behind the curtain, because it may be that the books you'd really like to read are not available within the program.

Things You Need To Understand About The Kindle Unlimited Model

1. Publishers need to opt-in to include their titles in the program so you can read them free. If publishers choose not to do so, their books will not be available. 
2. Large publishers will likely have to sign an individual blanket agreement with Amazon to be included, and currently many publishers (McGraw-Hill, my main publisher has not, so my McGraw-Hill titles aren't available, as an example).
3. Independent authors and publishers (small houses, and individual authors) also have to sign up to be part of the Kindle Select program to be included in the Kindle Unlimited Model. As you'll see below, this is important because of an exclusivity provision to enter the program.

The upshot is that publisher involvement and consent is required so you can read their titles in the program. Amazon's relationships with the major publishers are exceedingly rocky to say the least, with Amazon already being sued (along with Apple) for trying to drive e-book prices down (parts of the case was settled out of court). The fight continues and its become extremely dirty.

Amazon's Heavy Hand With Independent Publishers: Demanding Exclusivity

Bacal & Associates publishes a number of titles both in print and in Kindle format. We will NOT be part of the Kindle Unlimited program, and here's why.

One of the conditions of being part of the Amazon Select program for publishers, and by extension part of the Kindle Unlimited program is that the title may NOT be sold, or given for free in any other digital format or on any other site or retailer. That means it cannot be sold at Barnes and Noble, for example, or given away or distributed anywhere in PDF format.

Amazon encourages publishers to enroll with various claims that granting exclusivity will result in higher royalties and visibility and that may or may not be true. Usually, when one grants exclusivity one receives a significant bonus for doing so, and that is NOT the case here.

Beyond that there's the principle of the thing, and good business practice. We will not agree to that exclusivity clause, because it's simply wrong and poor business to grant that exclusivity to Amazon. We will not contribute to Amazon's effort to monopolize the e-book industry by demanding that exclusivity without significant UPFRONT payment, much as would be the case when one gets published by a book publisher that buys exclusive rights.

Why would any publisher or author choose to restrict themselves, and not be able to sell their own books from their own sites or other venues? It doesn't make sense.

At this point independent authors and publishers are experimenting with being part of the program, but you should also know that many of those folks are the people that have been selling their self-published Kindle books at 99 cents or a similar low price.

Bottom Line On The Program

Amazon deserves huge credit for pioneering and in effect, creating an entire industry -- the ebook. That's a boon for readers, many writers, and some publishers.

However, be aware that many many books are not available in the program, and that you may find that the quality of the books included does not satisfy you. Or maybe it will. It all depends on the genre and your interests. However, if you think you are going to get major non-fiction books that sell in print for $20 for free, you'll probably be disappointed.

One thing though, you will NOT find my books included, or at least the one's we have control over. And there are many other publishers that are not part of the program.