Selling Documentaries Through Online Vendors (Kunaki, etc.)
 

Hi everybody,

I recently got an e-mail from a representative of Universal Tapes. Its main contents are below.

“How do I become a vendor with your company? We replicate CDs, DVDs, and Video Formats, and offer full printing, packaging, and fulfillment services. We are the largest replicator on the east coast. We will BEAT any competitor’s price. Please call or email me the information. I greatly appreciate it.”

I’m guessing this is basically semi-irritating advertising via cold e-mailing. It makes me skeptical. Is anybody familiar with Universal Tapes? Their website seems kind of convoluted. Also, can you really make much money selling an obscure wildlife documentary through some online distributor? My product is my documentary available here: www.tristanhowardproductions.com. I mean, if few people know about my product, it seems like the chances are slim. Actually, I’ve already got my project uploaded to Kunaki and have ordered copies from them. They seem like an okay place to deal with.

Has anybody used their “publish your CD/DVD product at no cost to you” service? I already sell my DVD on a website, so I’m not sure if Kunaki selling it on their own page would do much better. Also, they offer a deal where they sell through Amazon (but fees are higher). Anyway, has anybody here ever done that? I think if my product was more recognizable, this stuff might work. But for now, I’m not sure. Anyway, if anybody has any input, feel free to share it here.

Thanks,
Tristan

I don’t know anything about them but you can always try having FilmBaby sell your DVDs. They only take $4 a copy. Also, they will waiver the one time $40 setup fee if your discs were made by DiscMakers.

I use kunaki for my doc, link to the sales page thru my site, it doesn't seem to show up in their "gallery" even though I have checked that selection.
They just upped their prices slightly but it's still a great deal. I uploaded a DVd for a client night before last, it said it would ship today, but it arrived this evening via UPS. ( kunaki is in brooklyn and I am at the jersey shore so that speeds up delivery time) but i have been extremely pleased with the service and quality. Marketing and sales is up to me, kunaki is really just a machine. ;-) They don't reall "sell" it for you, the publish at no cost program allows me to link to the sales page and visitors to my site buy thru them and once a month they send me a check after deducting their fees.

I haven't put in on Amazon because the return would be extremely small with Amazon's fees.

Amazon recently has ventured into in-house duplication and online distribution of independently produced DVDs and CDs. I looked at their site for it a few weeks ago and it seemed pretty reasonable. I don't have the link right at hand but a search should turn it up easily enough.

Thanks Bill for explaining the "publish at no cost" deal that Kunaki has going on. I didn't fully understand that. Since I have a website that uses paypal, I guess I'll stick with using Kunaki just for duplication. Also, Steve, thanks for mentioning that stuff about Amazon. I didn't know they did duplication. I'll consider looking into that. And Paulo, thanks for your input as well.

www.createspace.com

Used to be www.customflix.com

Tristan, I recently started selling my instructional dvds on amazon. If your already replicating the dvds, or even if your burning your own copies, your better off just listing them on sale at amazon, and shipping them yourself.