Good eReader first met ebook developer and retailer at BookExpo America several years ago, and in that time the German ebook retailer has been quietly growing its brand and its user base. BookRix emerged at a time when ebooks were still not catching on among German readers, largely in part due to the odd tax laws that made ebooks fall under an almost punitive taxation rate as they were considered to be software downloads rather than books.
Now, BookRix made an announcement today concerning two new ways it is helping authors and readers. The first is a collection of over one million stock images that authors can use for free in order to create their book covers, and the other is an increased royalty rate and the pending switch to monthly payouts of those royalties.
For the covers, BookRix will be partnering with Getty Images to allow open access to license-free photographs and images from the Getty collection. Getty has been a long-time supporter of accessibility of this kind, and only requires credit given within the front matter.
“The cooperation with Getty Images gives us the possibility to enhance our book cover editor in a way which enables authors to create affordable, professional, and commercially usable book covers with just a few clicks,” explains Nils Oppermann, Director of Marketing at BookRix, in the first of two press releases today.
As for pricing, beginning in October BookRix authors will enjoy a 70% of net royalty rate, as well as the ability to sell their books for free, something that few platforms offer or that is limited to only so many days per calendar period. This will be a pleasant surprise for the 500,000 BookRix self-publishing users who rely on the platform to make their work available in online outlets outside of Germany.
“We are continuously improving and optimizing BookRix, always taking the needs of our authors into account. As a result, we always offer our authors the best service,” continued Oppermann in a press release on the royalties.
Mercy Pilkington is a Senior Editor for Good e-Reader. She is also the CEO and founder of a hybrid publishing and consulting company.