CreateSpace authors can buy their books for less money from Amazon than from CreateSpace

I recently arranged for Amazon's CreateSpace subsidiary to print and distribute my new Internet Hell paperback. The book quickly reached high positions on two Amazon bestseller lists. That doesn't mean I'm getting rich, but it feels good.

It's an important book that should be read by both public people (especially writers) and by private people.

Every author needs copies of books, for error-checking, gift-giving, reviews and just keeping around.

Amazon sells this book for $9.95. With sales tax and free "Prime" second-day delivery, my total price is $10.58. With next-day delivery, the price is $15.57. 

As the book's publisher, I earn a royalty of $3.71 per book, lowering my delivered cost to just $6.87 or $11.86.

Naturally, I could order a book directly from CreateSpace. My "direct" price per book is a very reasonable $2.26.

However, unless I can tolerate pokey ten-day delivery, my cost from Amazon is less than from CreateSpace.

The fastest "priority" delivery from CreateSpace takes six days, and costs much more than Amazon's one-day or two-day delivery.

 Standard Shipping $3.59 Estimated Delivery Date: May 14, 2016

 Expedited Shipping $11.18 Estimated Delivery Date: May 11, 2016

 Priority Shipping $15.98 Estimated Delivery Date:  May 10, 2016