How to make an Amazon KDP account

 Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

To sell your book through Amazon’s online retailing platform, you have to make an Amazon KDP account. Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is Amazon’s book distribution platform for self-publishing authors.

1. Getting started

To set-up your own KDP account follow these steps:

1. Go to the KDPwebsite and click on the “Sign up” button.
2. Click on the “Create your KDP account” button.
3. Enter your name, your main email address, and a secure password to establish your account.

Simple as that! Now that you’ve created your account, the next steps are to enter author/publisher information, payment details, and your tax information.

Back to Contents

2. Filling out your author/publisher information

The next step is to set up your account profile. You’ll be prompted to do this once you’ve completed the sign up process:

1. Add your full first and last name, or the name of your publishing company. This field requires your legal name for the purposes of payments and taxes, so don’t enter your pen name (if you have one). There will be an opportunity to give your pen name later.
2. State your business type (individual or corporation).
3. Give your date of birth if you use your first and last name. Alternatively, you can give the date of incorporation if you’d like to use the name of your publishing company instead.
4. State your residential country or region.
5. Enter the mailing address that you want to be used for tax reporting purposes your royalty payments.
6. Once you’re done, click the “Save” button.

Back to Contents

3. Setting up your payment details

Now it’s time to input your payment details so that you can receive your royalty payments. KDP offers a few different methods of receiving payments. This process includes direct deposits, wire transfer, or receiving a physical check. To add your bank account to your KDP account, complete the following steps:

1. Open up your browser and sign in to your KDP account. This will likely include completing a two-step verification process.
2. Under the heading “Getting Paid”, click on the “Add a bank account” button.
3. Input your bank account information in accordance with your country or region requirements.

If you don’t see your country or region, Amazon likely doesn’t support direct deposits or wire transfers to that location, so you will have to go to KDP Payment Options to find out what payment options are available to you.

Also note that the name you give for account holder’s name under “Tell us about your bank” must match the name associated with the bank account. You may not receive payments if the name doesn’t exactly match your bank records.

4. Click on the “Add” button to save your bank account information. A green tick will appear to notify you that you’ve successfully added your bank account information. If anything goes wrong, double check your information and try again.
5. Once you’re done, click the “Save” button.

Back to Contents

4. Filling out your tax information

Whether you are publisher, individual, or non-for-profit/tax-exempt organisation, you are required to provide a valid taxpayer ID to use Amazon KDP. To input your tax information, complete the following steps:

1. Open up your browser and sign in to your KDP account. This will likely include completing a two-step verification process.

2. Select “Tax Information”.
3. Click on the “Complete Tax Information” button. As a publisher outside of the US, if you’re interested in claiming tax treaty benefits to reduce your withholding, you will need to provide a tax identification number (TIN).
4. Enter your “Tax Interview” information.
5. Once you’re done, click on the “Exit Tax Interview” button to save.

To learn more about taxes in regards to your KDP account, go to their Tax Information page.

Back to Contents

5. Compare Amazon KDP and IngramSpark

Amazon KDP and IngramSpark are both POD and distribution services, but they differ in their capabilities and services.

Amazon has a distribution and POD service that is exclusive to their platform, allowing authors to distribute their book online via all Amazon marketplaces and reach a global audience for both print and eBook formats. On the other hand, IngramSpark opens up a broad range of distribution channels for books printed and distributed through their system. These channels are inclusive of brick-and-mortar bookstores who are signed up to their system and multiple online platforms, including Amazon, Booktopia, and Dymocks Online.

A benefit of using Amazon KDP is that you receive a higher-than-average royalty rate for each sale of your book (usually around 60 – 70%). However, they control the prices for their products and can often set them much lower or much higher than the author wants. Contrastingly, IngramSpark authors have more control over their book’s RRP and can set it at a price reflective of their book’s worth. However, IngramSpark may give out lower royalties compared to Amazon KDP.

Back to Contents