How To Buy Your First eBook

If you're new to ebooks, it can seem a little tricky to make your first purchase. But once you know how, it's quick and simple. There are a number of places you can purchase ebooks from, but as my ebooks are available on Amazon, I'll describe that process here.

There are 3 main steps.

The first thing you need is an Amazon account.

to set up a free account go to www.amazon.com and find the button marked 'Hello / Sign In / Your Account'. It's on the right hand side of the web page, near the top of the screen.
when you hover over it you should see the options 'Sign In' or 'New Customer - Start Here'. Click on 'New Customer - Start Here'
enter your email address then check the box for 'No, I am a new customer'
click 'Sign in using our secure server'
on the Registration page enter your name, email address, and password, then click 'Create Account'
that's it - you now have your own Amazon account!

Assuming you do not own a Kindle eReader device, the next thing you need is a Kindle Reading App. Think about where you would like to read your ebooks - on your smartphone, tablet, computer, or anywhere you can access the internet. Download the relevant app for each of the devices you own, and read your ebook when and where it suits you. 'Buy once, read everywhere'

go to Amazon's Kindle App page
enter your email or phone number to be sent a download link, or click on the 'Download' button to get the app for the device you are using right now
if you chose the email option, open the email on the device you want to install the app, and follow the instructions.

Now that you have your Amazon account and your Kindle reading app, you need to do just one more thing: buy my eBook!

go to Amazon and log in to your account
in the large search bar near the top of the screen enter the name of the book or author, eg 'hidden diffability' or 'Lyndel Kennedy'. Click 'Go'
in the search results list, click on the title of the book you wish to look at
your options now are to read the information about the book and author, read any customer reviews, click on 'Look Inside', 'Download a Sample' or 'Buy Now with 1-Click'. If you choose 'Look Inside' a new window will open on your screen, showing the first 10% of the book. If you choose 'Download a Sample' a sample file will be sent to the device for which you downloaded the app earlier. The sample will contain the first 10% of the book.
when you are ready to buy the book, click 'Buy Now with 1-Click'. You will be asked to enter your billing address, then click 'continue'
now you need to select your payment details. Options are credit card or gift certificate code.
before entering your credit card details, make sure the web address in your browser shows the padlock symbol and starts with 'https://amazon.com' etc. This tells you it is a secure encrypted site.
click 'Place your order'
confirm your billing address by clicking 'Use this address' (this step is more relevant if you are purchasing a physcial item, but still needs to be completed the first time you purchase an ebook)
your credit card will now be charged. A thank you message will then appear, telling you that your book is now available to read on your selected device.

That's it - you have now purchased your first eBook.

If you chose Kindle Cloud Reader as your reader app earlier, you can read your ebooks whenever you have access to the internet and log into Amazon using your Amazon account. For all other options the ebook will have been sent to your device via Amazon's Whispernet technology.

If you wish to give an eBook as a gift, follow steps 1-3 above. Instead of clicking 'Buy Now with 1-Click', click on 'Give as a Gift'. You will then be asked to enter the recipient's email address and a personal message, before selecting 'Place your order'. At this point your credit card will be charged.

I'd love to hear from you if you have any questions - just click here to c ontact me via email

Happy eReading!