ISBN

What it means

ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. Shops, distributors and libraries use it to order, list and count books. Since 1 January 2007, every ISBN has 13 digits.

Each format gets its own ISBN. The International ISBN Agency says each product form, such as the paperback, the EPUB and the PDF, should be identified separately. So a mystery novel in paperback, hardcover and ebook needs three. A workbook sold as a paperback and a printable PDF needs two. A reprint with a new cover can keep its number, but a new edition with real changes to the text usually needs a new one.

The publisher applies for the ISBN, usually through the national ISBN agency in their country. If you self-publish, you are the publisher.

Why it matters when you sell direct

You do not need an ISBN to sell an ebook from your own store. Amazon’s KDP does not need one for ebooks either. Print is different. KDP asks for an ISBN for paperbacks and hardcovers, and bookstores and libraries order by ISBN.

If you already own ISBNs for your editions, use the same numbers in your store. It keeps your records tidy and helps readers trust they are buying the same book.

How Lanternbee handles it

Each edition in Lanternbee has its own optional ISBN field, so the paperback and the ebook of the same title can carry different numbers. Lanternbee checks the number is a valid ISBN before saving it. The Shopify importer brings ISBNs across when your old store has them.

Lanternbee does not sell or assign ISBNs. Get them from your national agency.