How to Leave Amazon KDP Without Losing Your Readers
You're losing money on Amazon. A lot of it.
Not because your book isn't good. Not because you're bad at marketing. But because Amazon's entire business model is designed to extract maximum value from you while giving you as little control as possible.
Let's talk about the real math:
Amazon pays you 35% royalty (or 70% with strict conditions that most authors don't qualify for)
You never get the reader's email address
You can't upsell them on your other books
You can't offer bundles, courses, or premium content
When they buy your book, they're Amazon's customer forever — not yours
The result? You make $2-$3 per book sale, lose the relationship, and Amazon makes billions.
But here's the thing: you don't have to stay.
Thousands of indie authors are leaving Amazon KDP and building sustainable, scalable author businesses on their own terms. This guide will show you exactly how to do it without losing your audience in the process.
Why Authors Are Leaving Amazon KDP
- You Don't Own the Relationship
When someone buys your book on Amazon, you get a one-time payment. Amazon gets the customer.
They can:
Recommend your competitors' books immediately after purchase
Offer your readers Kindle Unlimited (where you make $0.004 per page read)
Email them about similar books (not yours)
Use their data to launch competing titles
You can't:
Email them about your new releases
Offer them special deals
Build a community around your work
Upsell them on audiobooks, courses, or other content
The lifetime value of a reader is 10-20x higher when you own the relationship. Amazon knows this. That's why they'll never give you customer data.
- The Royalty Structure is Designed to Keep You Poor
Amazon's 70% royalty sounds great until you read the fine print:
Book must be priced between $2.99-$9.99 (no premium pricing)
Only available in select countries
Delivery fees deducted (yes, Amazon charges YOU to deliver your own ebook)
You can't price your book lower anywhere else (most-favored-nation clause)
Most authors default to 35% royalty because:
They want to price above $9.99
They sell in non-qualifying countries
They offer discounts elsewhere
Real math for a $15 book:
Amazon gives you: $5.25 (35%)
You keep after taxes/fees: ~$4.50
Amazon keeps: ~$10.50
On your own platform:
You set price: $15
Platform fee (Shocraft 12%): $1.80
You keep: $13.20
That's 3x more money in your pocket.
- Amazon Can Change the Rules Anytime
Authors have woken up to:
Royalty cuts with no warning
Algorithm changes that tank visibility
Books removed for vague "quality" violations
Accounts suspended over false plagiarism claims
KDP Select exclusivity requirements tightening
You're building your business on rented land. Amazon can bulldoze it whenever they want.
The Right Way to Leave Amazon KDP
Step 1: Build Your Email List (Start Now)
Before you leave Amazon, you need an audience you control.
How to start:
- Add a "Reader Magnet" to your book's back matter
- "Get the first 3 chapters of my next book free"
- "Join my newsletter for bonus content"
- "Download the character guide + map"
- Set up a simple landing page (Carrd, Beehiiv, or Shocraft)
- Clean design
- Clear value prop ("Get exclusive content")
- Email capture form
- Drive Amazon readers to your list
- Every book ends with a CTA
- Author profile links to your site
- Social media bios point to newsletter signup
Goal: 100-500 emails before you make the switch.
Step 2: Choose Your New Platform
What you need:
eBook delivery (PDF, EPUB, MOBI)
Payment processing
Email capture built-in
Ability to upsell (audiobooks, bundles, courses)
Control over pricing
Analytics (see who's buying)
Options:
Gumroad
Pros: Simple, 10% fee
Cons: Limited customization, no built-in marketing tools
Patreon
Pros: Subscription model, engaged community
Cons: 8-12% fees, not ideal for one-time book sales
Shocraft
Pros: Built for creators, 3-30% fees, email capture, upsells, community features
Cons: Newer platform (but that means better support)
Self-hosted (WordPress + WooCommerce)
Pros: Full control
Cons: Technical setup, maintenance, security
Pick based on:
Your tech comfort level
Your business model (one-time sales vs subscriptions)
How much control you want
Step 3: Migrate Your Catalog
Don't just upload and hope for the best. Do this:
- Start with your best-seller
- Prove the model works before going all-in
- Use it to build email list momentum
- Bundle strategically
- "Complete series" bundle (Amazon won't let you do this)
- "Book + audiobook" package
- "Book + deleted scenes + character art"
- Price higher (yes, really)
- You're offering more value (direct relationship, bonuses)
- You keep more margin (so readers get better content)
- Premium pricing signals quality
- Add bonuses Amazon wouldn't allow
- Exclusive chapters
- Author Q&A
- Community access
- Early access to new releases
Example: SSgt JKH moved his memoir from Amazon ($9.99, $3.50 profit) to Shocraft ($15, $13.20 profit). Included audiobook version + vet community access. 5x revenue in 3 months.
Step 4: Tell Your Readers
Email announcement (if you have a list):
Subject: "I'm leaving Amazon (here's why)"
"Hey Name],
Big news: I'm moving my books off Amazon.
Why? Because Amazon takes 65% of every sale and I never get to talk to you again after you buy.
I want to own my relationship with readers (that's you). Which means:
Lower prices for you
More content for you (bonus chapters, audiobooks, community)
More money for me (so I can write more)
Starting next week, all my books will be here: your link]
If you bought on Amazon, I'm offering a free migration. Just forward your Amazon receipt and I'll hook you up.
Thanks for supporting indie authors.
Your Name]"
Social media post:
"After 3 years on Amazon KDP, I'm out.
Why?
Amazon gives me 35% and keeps my readers.
On my own platform, I keep 88% and YOU get better content.
Same books. Better bonuses. Direct relationship.
New home: link]"
Step 5: Keep Amazon as a Funnel (Optional)
You don't have to go cold turkey.
Strategy:
Leave Book 1 of your series on Amazon (priced at $0.99 or free)
Back matter: "Get Book 2 here: your site]"
Amazon becomes a lead gen tool, not your main revenue source
Why this works:
Amazon's algorithm promotes free/cheap books
Readers discover you there
They migrate to your platform for the rest
You convert Amazon traffic into owned customers
Result: Amazon does the marketing, you get the long-term revenue.
What to Expect After You Leave
Month 1: Revenue Dip (Normal)
Amazon sales drop as you transition
Your platform sales are slow at first
Don't panic. You're rebuilding on owned land.
Month 2-3: Stabilization
Email list grows
Direct sales pick up
You start seeing repeat customers (impossible on Amazon)
Month 6+: Revenue Surpasses Amazon
Subscribers buy everything you release
Upsells and bundles drive revenue higher
You're not fighting Amazon's algorithm anymore
Real data from authors who made the switch:
Average 3-6 month payback period
2-5x revenue by month 12
10x higher lifetime value per reader
Common Fears (And Why They're Wrong)
"My readers won't follow me off Amazon"
Wrong. Your true fans will. And those are the only readers who matter long-term.
Casual browsers who bought your book on impulse? They weren't going to buy book 2 anyway.
Your engaged readers — the ones who love your work — will follow you anywhere. You just have to tell them where to go.
"I'll lose Amazon's marketing reach"
Amazon isn't marketing your book. Their algorithm is.
And that algorithm prioritizes:
- Amazon's revenue (not yours)
- Titles that already sell well (rich get richer)
- Authors who play by their rules (pricing, exclusivity)
You're not losing Amazon's marketing. You're escaping their chokehold.
"Setting up my own platform sounds hard"
It's easier than you think.
Platforms like Shocraft, Gumroad, and Patreon let you upload a book and start selling in under 10 minutes.
If you can publish on Amazon, you can publish on your own platform.
The Bottom Line
Amazon KDP was great in 2010. It gave indie authors a way to reach readers without traditional publishers.
But it's 2026. You don't need Amazon anymore.
You need:
A platform you control
An email list you own
Pricing power
The ability to upsell and bundle
Direct relationships with readers
Amazon will never give you those things.
Your move:
- Start building your email list today
- Pick a platform (Shocraft, Gumroad, self-hosted)
- Migrate your best-seller first
- Tell your readers where to find you
- Watch your revenue 3-5x within 6 months
Thousands of authors have already done this. You're next.
Ready to Take Control?
See how it works in practice: SSgt JKH went from $450/mo on Amazon to $2,200/mo on Shocraft in 3 months. Same book. Same marketing. 5x revenue.
The difference? He owns the relationship now.
Your move: Create your Shocraft page in 60 seconds →
You've got the readers. You've got the books.
Time to own your business.