How Will Amazon’s Latest Changes Affect Your Book Sales?

Amazon recently announced that as of June 10, 2025, royalty rates and color printing costs on some books will change. Here’s how these changes may affect your KDP book sales on Amazon.com.

Amazon Royalty Rates Decreasing

In less than a month, Amazon is lowering the royalty an author receives on a paperback book priced below $9.99 from 60% to 50%. According to Amazon, the influx of books in this price range and the costs associated with managing them prompted this decision. However, some speculate that Amazon aims to reduce the number of low-content books.

Depending on the types of books you sell, you may feel indifferent, upset, or even pleased about this change.

• Why you may be indifferent: If your paperback books are priced at $9.99 or above, this won’t have any effect on royalties. 
• Why you may be upset: If you’ve created numerous low-cost, low-content books (like blank journals), your royalties may drop significantly. For instance, a 100-page notebook priced at $5.99 currently earns about $0.75 per sale; after June 10, that drops to $0.16.
  
• Why you may be happy: If you’ve invested in high-quality books (like unique adult coloring books), this change might benefit you. As low-quality competitors increase their prices or leave the platform, your work may stand out more.
  

Amazon Color Printing Cost Decreasing

This second change mainly affects European authors, with little impact on U.S.-based creators.

In the US, the cost of standard color printing is decreasing and premium color is staying the same. In Europe, the cost of standard color printing is staying the same and the cost of premium color is decreasing. Amazon states this change will only affect paperback books at this time, and gives no explanation as to the difference between the two locations.

If you use Amazon.com for production and have a full-color book that is less than 72 pages (which is the case for most children’s authors), there will be no benefit to this change because you are required to use premium color and the reduction only applies to standard color. If you have over 72 pages and use standard color, your print cost will go down less than a penny per page. 

Those producing their books in Europe who use premium color should see a slight decrease in their print cost. The actual amount depends on if your book is being produced by Amazon.co.uk or one of the other European options.

Should You Stop Using Amazon to Print Your Books?

The answer to this often-asked question is still no. Amazon is still the largest book retailer in the world. If you price your paperback book at $9.99 or higher, you won’t lose any royalties. Using standard color printing for books over 72 pages might even increase your profit.

If you have questions about these changes or self-publishing in general, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re happy to help!