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I would like to offer the same title in two different formats at Amazon, namely as a printed book generated from a pdf and also as a Kindle-format (kpf) e-book.

The reason for this is that I can do lots of nice stuff with the layout of a pdf that cannot realistically be done for an ebook, given that I would like the ebook to be reflowable in the usual way.

This nice stuff includes for example the precise placement of sidenotes, the control over many other aspects of page design, and the use of my own fonts that I've created using FontForge, which it's easy to embed into a pdf.

On Amazon's page about linking versions of a book together (thankyou @Granite for this reference), the company implies that it won't link versions together, or at least it won't make much effort to, if some details don't match between the printed version and the ebook.

With what I plan to do, many details in one version will not be the same as in the other. These will not include any textual differences. I mean there will be differences of typography and layout.

I am not sure what exactly the company means by "linking", but presumably there is some way to ensure that when a prospective purchaser arrives at an Amazon page mentioning the ebook they can also be made aware of the availability of a POD version, and vice versa?

What disadvantages are there of doing it this way, whatever "this way" actually is? Obviously there will be the time taken to do it, but will there be any disadvantages in, say, the range of available pricing options, or in accessibility and user-friendliness? Really I would like to make it completely and immediately obvious to anyone who is interested in either version of the book that the other version is also available.

tell
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Multiple formats of the same title is fine (and its becoming quite common for publishers to do it today). Each title, print and digital, will need to have its own ISBN and/or UUID [or the Amazon ID# they use for epubs].

For example, Wolverine Publishing sells printed books, while also offering digital eBooks (on another non-Amazon marketplace platform called Rakkup).

Stylism of a print book can be easily mirrored in a 'fixed playout PDF eBook, while in an flowable eBook it will be notably different. Perhaps even using a CSS framework such as Bootstrap/Bulma/W3 is a viable option for an eBook (unless your using a software program (i.e. Adobe/Calibre/etc) to create your epub).

Here's an example of multiple formats for an existing title from 'The Mountaineers', which is a book publisher:

Amazon - Freedom of the Hills

This main Amazon page above has a Kindle version link, a link to a hardcover version, and a link to a paperback version. On the right of this page is "see all formats and editions" and its this link that opens and can show ALL formats (which I presume is another additional means of showing other formats including eBooks, though in this example it does not, yet technically 'other' formats would also include eBooks).

Additional marketing options are beneficial and you do want to plan for it. Having your own social media business account (i.e. on Instagram, Twitter, etc) and posting cover pics, some internal page examples, etc, and web links going over to both formats (print and digital) of the same book title is of key importance these days since so many people use social media as their prime information source for attaining their daily knowledge, news, and latest savvy things the world has to offer.

granite
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