Cartoon strip creator Scott Adams self-published an ebook and found it connected with a larger audience than he expected, '"eBooks have been a substantial portion of my total book sales. I've reached a lot of readers who don't like the higher cost of hardcover books." Adams' eBook sold a substantial volume of downloads and placed his work on the eBook Best Seller list.

It is estimated that consumers spent in excess of 12 million dollars in eBook purchases in 2004 with a 20% growth pattern in 2005 and similar growth in 2006.

Major authors are finding significant sales of eBooks in tandem with their hardback or softback print editions. Authors like George Lucas and Dan Brown are to be found at the top of the best-seller lists for eBooks.

When the notion of an eBook in online marketing is discussed it is often treated with the same type of respect one might have felt in the 70's when they subject of 'mood rings' came up. Sure it's a novel approach to marketing, but how effective can it be?

If you have a product or service that has a very systematic approach and may assist your customers in providing details on something you've learned about the product or service it might make sense to develop an eBook available for a paid download.

Many savvy netrepreneurs have spent time unlocking information about wealth building opportunities. In turn, they make this information available for purchase through eBook technology.

Many of these same individuals find they can make a significant amount of money simply through the sale of their eBook.

However, it could be that you have valuable information that you wish to extend to your customers as a good-will gesture. The very act of producing a comprehensive eBook for customers to freely download may help to instill a sense of trust in your online business.

You might also make the download of a complimentary eBook a perk at the point of sale. In other words, you supply your customer with a free code for downloading the eBook once a purchase has been made. This may provide a selling point with additional marketing capabilities in the form of the information you extend to your customers through the eBook.

It is clear to see that eBooks are a mechanism for financial gain and the development of an eBook is a highly simplified process when compared to standard printing techniques. Best of allthere's no shipping required.