Yes, of course.
Option 1: Set a Future Sales Date for Completed Ebooks
If your ebook is completed and ready to go, upload it to PublishDrive. Then, set the publication date on the book upload page. If you give a future date, your book will be automatically set for pre-order in the stores where this function is available (see below for participating major retailers).
This allows your readers to pre-order your book, but they can only download it on the publication date set by you, which is when the book will actually be released to the public.
We recommend that you upload an EPUB file that is as close to your final version as possible. However, you can easily change the actual EPUB file close to the release date without having to withdraw the book (we recommend 1-2 weeks in advance to ensure the updates get processed everywhere).
Option 2: Upload a “Dummy” Ebook with a Future Sales Date
If your ebook isn’t complete yet, you can still set your book for pre-order. Just upload a “dummy” file to PublishDrive as if you were uploading a regular book. Then set a future publishing date, and your book will be automatically set for pre-sale in the stores where this function is available (see below for participating major retailers).
Just don’t forget to upload your real EPUB file 14 days before the release date. We suggest that if you have a book with a strict publication date, you upload it at least two weeks in advance.
NOTE: If you’re uploading a “dummy” file, we can disable the preview function on Google Play Books and Apple Books.
Stores
Pre-orders work seamlessly in the following stores:
- Apple Books
- Google Play Books
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
Timing
The maximum length for a preorder is 366 days in the Apple Books store, 180 days on Amazon, and 6 months for both Kobo and Barnes & Noble.
Sales
You can see sales statistics of your pre-orders made in the Apple Books and Google Play Books stores. These sales data will not be live though, we will add all of them at once on the release date.
Pre-orders for POD books
Currently, Ingram and Amazon Print accept pre-orders for print-on-demand books. If you wish to sell your book in these stores before the release date, select a future date on the book upload form and submit it for publication.