Amazon author looking for some tips (newbie)

Hello, I'm new to this site and forum.

I'm a self-published author and have been selling my books on Amazon, vis their Amazon Advantage program So far, I really like the way they do business (esp compared to the other standards, like Baker and Taylor).

A couple of questions:

a. Does anyone know the cheapest solution *and* sources for packing material for books. My books are hardcover, and often need quite a bit of protection around them. I currently am using #2 Jiffylites for the 1-3 book orders, and an odd assortment of peanuts and bubble wrap for the case orders. But some books still get dinged and sent back. I'm ready to find a better solution. As well as a source for these things.

b. Anyone heard of Amazon's new Extended
Forecast Ordering. Here's the skinny: "Extended Forecast Ordering will create two large orders to cover
forecasted demand for a twelve week period based on historical
demand in the past six months. Currently, ordering occurs on a
weekly basis and can sometimes happen twice within the same week to
cover demand. There is a small cost of $0.10 per unit for each unit
ordered under this plan."
What I'd like to know is if this is simply a better way to ship larger orders to Amazon (for just a dime more), or are there any disadvantages that I'm not seeing? It seems like a great deal to me (save on shipping and handling). As long as it doesn't harm sales in any way, it strikes me as a good game to play.

Thanks. Let me know if I posted this on the wrong forum, and if there's other forums that would better answer this kind of query.

Tuqqer

 

I'm not sure that you'll find an answer here. This board is about the Amazon affiliate program. All of us here are webmasters that promote amazon products, like your books.

Hardly any of us if any of us actually write and sell books!!!

 

This question can be better addressed at a real store owners forum.
http://www.ystoretools.com/forums/default.asp

 

thanks, fatinfo. I'm checking out that forum now.