From your website
to a reader’s device.
You’re already sold on direct sales. This page explains exactly what happens — the transaction flow, the money, the narrator contracts, and the tools — from the moment a reader clicks “buy.”
What actually happens when someone buys.
Most authors already have landing pages for their books. HANDS adds — or replaces — the Amazon/Audible link with a direct purchase path. Here’s the full journey, end to end.
Reader lands on your book page
Nothing changes here. Your author website, your book landing page, your cover, your sales copy — all yours. You’ve done the promotional work that brought this reader here.
Reader clicks your HANDS buy link
Instead of — or alongside — an Amazon link, your page includes a direct purchase link to the HANDS storefront built on FluentCart. The reader stays within your ecosystem, not Amazon’s.
Reader completes the purchase
Payment is processed through FluentCart’s integrated payment system. You never touch the merchant account, sales tax management, or payment processor setup — that’s all handled within the HANDS infrastructure.
BookFunnel delivers the file
Immediately after purchase, the reader receives an automated email from BookFunnel with their download link and device-specific instructions. BookFunnel handles ebooks and audiobooks across every major device — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Audible-compatible apps, and more.
You see the sale — and own the customer
Your sales dashboard shows the transaction in real time. You receive the purchaser’s name and email address — something Amazon never provides. That reader is now in your ecosystem, reachable directly for future releases, newsletters, and promotions.
Exactly what gets deducted and when.
Net revenue is gross sales minus two small deductions. Here’s the full breakdown for a $14.99 ebook under each plan, so there are no surprises.
| Item | Plan 80 | Plan 60 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cover price (example) | $14.99 | $14.99 | You set the price |
| BookFunnel delivery fee | ~3% | ~3% | Covers file delivery & customer support |
| Payment processor fee | ~2.9% + $0.30 | ~2.9% + $0.30 | Standard card processing rate |
| Campaign expenses (Plan 60 only) | — | Variable | Ad spend, promotions — agreed in advance |
| You receive (approx.) | ~$11.04 | ~$8.28 | On a $14.99 sale, before narrator split |
How the Royalty Payoff works.
The Royalty Payoff arrangement solves the biggest barrier to working with a human narrator: the prohibitive upfront cost. Instead of paying a flat Per Finished Hour (PFH) fee before the audiobook earns anything, the narrator accepts a royalty split until their agreed PFH amount is paid off through sales.
After the narrator’s PFH amount is fully paid off, 100% of net revenues flow to the author. The narrator has been fairly compensated; the author now owns the full upside of a book they didn’t have to self-fund.
HANDS can execute disbursals based on any arrangement the author and narrator agree to — from simple royalty splits to serialization deals, narrator buyouts, or hybrid arrangements. The contract arrangements spreadsheet documents the full range of options.
Royalty Payoff
Narrator earns a revenue share until their PFH amount is recouped, then revenues revert fully to the author.
Per Finished Hour (flat fee)
Author pays narrator a fixed rate per finished hour of audio upfront. Narrator has no ongoing royalty stake.
Ongoing royalty split
Author and narrator split revenues at an agreed percentage indefinitely — no payoff threshold.
Hybrid / custom
Any combination the parties agree to — partial upfront payment, tiered splits, serialization deals, etc. HANDS can administer it.
Example uses approximate figures. Use the payment calculator spreadsheet for precise modelling at your price point and split rate.
Why BookFunnel handles delivery.
BookFunnel is the standard for direct ebook and audiobook delivery — used by the vast majority of authors selling direct. Here’s what it actually does for your readers and for you.
Any device, no friction
BookFunnel sends readers step-by-step instructions for their specific device — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, phone, tablet. They’re never left figuring it out alone.
Piracy protection
Digital rights management is built in. Your files are protected without readers needing to do anything special — no DRM friction on legitimate purchases.
Audiobook support
BookFunnel handles audiobook delivery just as cleanly as ebooks — compatible with every major listening app and device readers already use.
Reader support included
BookFunnel’s customer support handles any delivery issues directly with your reader. You don’t field “I can’t download my book” emails.
Group promotions
Under Plan 60, HANDS uses BookFunnel’s group promotion and author list-swap tools to expand your reach beyond your existing audience.
Integrates seamlessly
BookFunnel connects directly to FluentCart — when a reader completes a purchase, delivery is triggered automatically. No manual fulfilment.
Earn up to 20% recommending books you actually love.
HANDS runs a grassroots affiliate program for book reviewers, bookstagrammers, BookTok creators, bloggers, and anyone with an audience that trusts their reading recommendations. Word-of-mouth is how books find their readers — and we pay for it accordingly.
Base Commission
Earn 10% on every sale you refer through your affiliate link — on any book in the HANDS catalog, as soon as you’re accepted in the program.
Active Affiliate Commission
Earn 20% on select books when you’re an active affiliate
Amazon pays book affiliates 4% at best — and often less. If you’re already recommending books to your audience and linking to Amazon, you’re leaving the majority of your referral value on the table. HANDS pays 5 to 10 times more per sale on the same recommendation.
Pick books you want to read
Browse over 40 titles across science fiction, crime fiction, paranormal horror, westerns with romantic elements, and more at handsdp.com/shop.
Get any book at no cost
As an affiliate, you receive complimentary copies of any titles you choose to review. Read or listen for free before you recommend anything to your audience.
Share your honest opinion
Post your review on Goodreads, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, your blog — wherever your audience is. Negative feedback goes directly to the author for improvement; positive feedback goes public.
Get paid on every referral
Share your unique affiliate link. When a reader buys through it, you earn 10% — or 20% if you’re active. No minimum threshold, tracked automatically.
40+ books across four genres.
Every book in the HANDS catalog is human-written and human-narrated. You can read or listen to the entire catalog in your preferred genres — free, as part of your affiliate membership.
Browse the full selection at handsdp.com/shop
Staying active in the program.
- Actively reviewing any book of your choice, in any format.
- Positive reviews go to your platform of choice — Goodreads, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, your blog, or anywhere your audience follows you.
- Negative feedback is sent directly to the author — not posted publicly. It’s genuinely useful for improving the book and completely valid participation.
- No minimum audience size — we care about genuine recommendations, not follower counts. A trusted voice in a small community is worth more than a hollow post to millions.
- Active affiliates earn 20%. Let your review cadence slip and you revert to the 10% base rate until you’re active again.
This is word-of-mouth at scale. HANDS is a grassroots effort to compete with the marketing infrastructure of Amazon — the same company that uses book profits to send wealthy tourists to space. If you recommend books and you’d rather your referrals support human authors and narrators directly, this is for you.
The specifics people ask about.
Ready to see it in action?
The mechanics are straightforward. The harder part is getting accepted — HANDS is selective because the platform only works when every author is actively promoting. If that’s you, apply.