- Pre-orders typically open 60-90 days before launch.
- Pre-order pricing is usually 20-30% below post-launch list price.
- Pre-orders count toward launch-week sales on Amazon (driving sub-category visibility).
- KDP allows pre-orders up to 1 year out; IngramSpark allows up to 18 months.
- Pre-order conversion rates from email lists average 15-30%.
A pre-order strategy is a plan that decides when to open pre-orders, at what price point, and how to drive sign-ups across the 60-day pre-launch window. Most indie authors open pre-orders 60-90 days before publication at a 20-30% discount off list price. Pre-orders count toward Amazon’s launch-week sales rank, which is the algorithm’s primary visibility signal.
Chapter i·Why it matters
Pre-orders are how indie authors compress launch-day visibility. A book that accumulates 500 pre-orders over 60 days "launches" on day one with 500 immediate sales — which lifts Amazon’s also-bought algorithm and sub-category rank in a way that organic launch-day sales rarely match. Skipping pre-orders is leaving algorithmic visibility on the table.
Chapter ii·What to include
- A pre-order open date: 60-90 days before publication.
- A pre-order price 20-30% below list (often $0.99 or $1.99 for ebook).
- A landing page or newsletter signup driving pre-orders.
- Email sequence and social posts during the pre-order window.
- A countdown deal (Amazon-specific) for the final week.
- A pre-order tracker per retailer: KDP, IngramSpark, Apple, Kobo, B&N.
Chapter iii·Example
A self-publishing romance author opens pre-orders 75 days before launch at $2.99 (list price will be $4.99). Over 75 days she drives 620 pre-orders from her newsletter, BookTok engagements, and ARC team. On launch day all 620 sales register at once, the book hits #3 in its sub-category, and the also-bought algorithm starts working in her favor.
Chapter iv·Related questions
WriteLoom’s Sell studio tracks pre-order opens, sign-ups, and pricing across every retailer in one project.
See the Sell studio