ISBN
Buy Your ISBN Here!
Congratulations! If you are on this page, you are probably in the process of finishing your book. Now, you are thinking about all those things you need to get your book on the shelves, found, and purchased. As the official ISBN Agency of Australia, THORPE-Bowker's Identifier Services is ready to help you take that next step.
Why You Need an ISBN?
ISBNs are linked to essential information allowing book-sellers, and readers, to know what book they are buying, what the book is about, and who the author is.
- ISBNs are the global standard for identifying titles ISBNs are used world-wide as a unique identifier for books. They are used to simplify distribution and purchase of books throughout the global supply chain.
- Most retailers require ISBNs to track book inventory Without an ISBN, you will not be found in most book stores, either online or down the street from your house. Buying an ISBN is your first step to insure that your book is not lost in the wilderness.
- Buying an ISBN improves the chances your book will be found Buying your ISBNs and registering your titles on My Identifiers, insures information about your book will be stored in our Books In Print database. This opens up a world of possibilities that your book is listed with many retailers, libraries, Bowker Books In Print, Bookwire, as well as online services like Google Books, Apple’s iBooks, and many others!
Over 100 million people access this data when searching for books; and it all starts with buying an ISBN.
To make a long story short…
Buying an ISBN Is The First Step To Getting Your Book Found…
How many ISBNs Do I Need To Buy?
The purpose of the ISBN is to identify one specific version of a book. If you wish to have a hard bound copy, a soft bound copy, an ePUB, a PDF, a MOBI, or even register a new version, you will need a unique ISBN for each version. This allows retailers to help the customer understand exactly which version of a title they are purchasing. To make it easier, we have bundled groups of 10 ISBNs for the price of 2.
Click Here To Buy Your ISBNs Now!
| Buy Your ISBNs Now: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single ISBN | $44.00 | Add to Cart |
| 1 ISBN + 1 Barcode | $89.00 | Add to Cart |
| 10 ISBNs | $88.00 | Add to Cart |
| 10 ISBNs + 1 Barcode | $133.00 | Add to Cart |
| 100 ISBNs | $480.00 | Add to Cart |
| 1000 ISBNs | $3,035.00 | Add to Cart |
| Buy Your ISBNs Now: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single ISBN | $44.00 | Add to Cart |
| 1 ISBN + 1 Barcode | $89.00 | Add to Cart |
| 10 ISBNs | $88.00 | Add to Cart |
| 10 ISBNs + 1 Barcode | $133.00 | Add to Cart |
| 100 ISBNs | $480.00 | Add to Cart |
| 1000 ISBNs | $3,035.00 | Add to Cart |
Frequently Asked Questions About ISBNs
What Is The ISBN For?
An ISBN is a 13 digit number product identifier used by publishers, booksellers, libraries and internet retailers and other supply chain participants for ordering, listing, sales records and stock control purposes. The ISBN identifies the registrant as well as the specific title, edition and format being printed, packaged, made available for sale, and ultimately purchased by your readers.
Do I need a Barcode with an ISBN?
If your book is being printed and will be sold through a bookstore, and is a physical object your customer will receive (hard back, soft bound, etc.) then yes. You will need a barcode encoded with your ISBN. Barcodes are not necessary for ISBNs which are being used for electronic versions, such as MOBI, EPUB, PRDF, etc.
Click here to add printer quality Barcodes to your shopping cart!
How Many ISBNs Do I need?
You will need an ISBN for each unique version of your book. For example, if you plan to release a hardback edition, softbound edition, EPUB edition, MOBI edition, and PDF edition, then you will have 5 unique versions of your book.
Bowker currently sells 10 ISBNs for the price of 2 Single ISBNs. Click this link to add 10 ISBNs to your shopping cart.
How Does The ISBN Help My Book Get Discovered?
When you register your ISBN with title data, you are adding Title Data (another word for metadata) is added to your registry. This registry is made available globally by the International ISBN agency, as well as companies like Barnes And Noble, Chegg, Books-A-Million, Google Books, Apple iBook, and across many services that allow you to search Library systems.
Most importantly, your book will be listed in Books In Print. Books In Print is the quintessential book listing, used by those who buy and sell books commercially.
Bowker forms relationships with many companies who purchase ISBNs on your behalf, as part of their many other publisher services. There are also many companies not affiliated with Bowker who purchase them in their names and package them in their service.
Before you buy an ISBN from anyone, find out who will be the registered owner of the ISBNs you purchase. If your are not the publisher, the company who provides you with an ISBN is required to provide your Title Data. Many people struggle to get their Title Data added or updated when they do not control their own ISBNs.
What are the common pitfalls of self publishing?
While Bowker does not endorse any specific service, we often hear many of the issues many self publishers encounter when embarking on self publishing. The important questions you need to answer for yourself when you embark on the effort of getting your book in print are:
-
Have you done your research on the company you are talking to?
A simple Google search will likely display all the positive and negative remarks on the services you are considering. -
As a publisher will you retain control over your ISBNs?
Many services purchase the ISBNs, and they are held in THEIR names. Quite often these services do not register your ISBNs with titles and other Title Data (metadata). Only the official holder of an ISBN can register data to their title, and if this service does not offer this, then you will likely end up with a book that will never be found, with no rights as a publisher to remedy that situation. - What services are you paying for? Printing, editing, marketing, distribution. Has anyone specifically reviewed these services online?
In short, Bowker recommends doing your research before embarking with any service that promises to publish your books.
