What do I need to do to start selling my music and merch with Nimbit?
First you’ll need products to sell(!), then you’ll need to sign up for any of the three different types of accounts offered by Nimbit.
If you are looking to sell MP3s as quickly as possible, Nimbit Free allows you to upload your own MP3s at any time of day, and sell them immediately with the Nimbit OMT. If you would like to sell your physical or digital goods directly or through our digital distribution partners, you’ll need to sign up for either a NimbitRetail
or a NimbitRetailPlus account. Once you have a Nimbit account, you will need to set up your product(s) for sale using your Nimbit dashboard, and, if you are selling physical goods, send us inventory for storage in our warehouse. If you think you will be moving a lot of product, please contact retail@nimbit.com to discuss your options for storing extra inventory. If your stock gets low, you will be prompted to send us more of your product so that we can continue to fulfill your orders on time.
If I use Nimbit to sell my music and merchandise, do I keep the rights?
Yes. We do not take any rights or interests in or to your music or merchandise. You are the owner of your works and products.
What if my content is already being distributed digitally through iTunes or Nimbit’s other digital distribution partners?
You cannot submit albums to online distributors more than once. If you do, you risk having your music removed by them altogether. If you want to distribute through Nimbit to, among other things, take advantage of our commission rates, you will need to ask your current provider to take the album down and resubmit through Nimbit. Before you make any take-down requests, contact retail@nimbit.com.
What happens if Nimbit’s warehouse sells out of my product?
Each time you sell a product, you will receive an email notification. When your stock is running low, you will also receive notice. This is to let you know that you should send more inventory to the warehouse. When you receive this email, you need to send more of the applicable product to Nimbit at the following address:
Nimbit, Inc.
attn: Retail Warehouse
47 Mellen St.
Framingham, MA
01702
How much commission does Nimbit charge for hard goods sales (CDs, Merch, Books, etc.)?
The chart below outlines Nimbit’s commission rates for hard goods sales.
| Product Type | Set Up Fee | Commission | Minimum Sales Price |
| CD – album or single | none | 20% (min $1.00) | $1.25 |
| cassette tape | none | 20% (min $1.00) | $1.25 |
| DVD or VHS | none | 20% (min $1.00) | $1.25 |
| vinyl | none | 20% (min $1.00) | $1.25 |
| book | none | 20% (min $1.00) | $1.25 |
| tickets | none | 20% (min $1.00) | $1.25 |
How much commission does Nimbit take on direct digital sales?
Nimbit’s commission on direct digital sales is 20%.
I’d like to sell on iTunes and/or your other distribution partners. What’s the deal?
With either any paid Nimbit account you have the ability to sell through iTunes and any of our other digital distribution partners. You can elect this option when you are setting up items for sale using your dashboard. Typically, we submit your music to the specified distribution partner within 48 hours of receipt. Once it has been submitted the approval process can take from 4-10 weeks, depending on the outlet. Nimbit takes 0% commission on all sales made through any of our digital distribution partners.
How much commission does Nimbit take on music I distribute to iTunes and other digital distribution points?
Nimbit pays you 100% of the amount we receive from third-party distributors for sales of your music. That’s right… we do not take any commission on your sales through online retailers.
How do I get paid for my sales?
Nimbit sends payouts on the 21st of every month for your previous month sales. There is a default minimum payout amount of $10 which you can adjust higher if need be (adjust in CATALOG>PAYEE). There is a $1 per payout service fee charged to your payout balance. You can elect to be be paid by Nimbit company check or through a PayPal transfer. We default to payout by check. You can change this to PayPal payout by editing your PAYEE info in your nimbit Dashboard, under CATALOG.
NOTE: Each online 3rd party retailer has different payment policies (some make payments within the 6 weeks following the end of each month; others pay on a quarterly or semi-annual basis. Any payments received by nimbit from an online retailer in any month will be included and paid out to you in the following month’s payment. This means that although you may be aware of iTunes purchases made by fans, these sales will not show up in your nimbit Sales report, and therefore not be paid out to you, until 2 months or more after the date of the initial purchase, due to the terms of these 3rd party retailers.
Can I split sales of my products?
Accounting to several different rights holders can be confusing and time consuming.
We can help! Using your nimbit account, you can set up split payments and we will cut separate payment checks to all of the parties you identify. So, you own the first album outright, but you’re up to your ears in partners on the new one? Don’t worry, the split payout can be setup on a product by product basis and can be changed whenever you choose. We do not allow split payments on single tracks within a digital album.
Split payments are processed in real-time as each sale occurs. For example, split payments will be processed and accounted for in your statement from the moment you setup the payee. As with all reports in the Nimbit system, you can not make changes retroactively. We keep all transaction “transparent” making sure you as well as any partners know exactly what is going on with YOUR accounts!
Setting up split payments is easy:
Log into your nimbit account and, once in your dashboard, click on the ‘Catalog’
view
Click on the ‘payees’ link on the left side of the dashboard
Add and edit payees
Can I set my product prices to non-US currency?
All prices on CDFreedom and the OMT are set in US dollars.
When you set up your product, you must set the price in US dollars. Sales made to customers outside of the US are converted into USD. Checks sent out to the artist for any sales made are also in USD.
How long does it take for an album to go live on the digital distribution portals, including iTunes?
Typically, we submit your album to all of the distribution points within 48 hours of receipt of your CD. Once the distribution points have your mp3s, activation is at their discretion, usually between 4 and 12 weeks.
I would like to sell my CDs through Nimbit. How many do I need to send in?
Typically, we request that you send us 11 CDs initially. 10 are for storage in our warehouse, and one is used to create samples and MP3s.
How do I add a product for sale?
Click here for your answer.
Can I upload my own MP3s for sale?
Yes. You can upload your own MP3s for digital sale through your Nimbit OMT.
What should the bitrate of the mp3 file I upload be?
If I have Nimbit upload my mp3s for me, what bitrate will the files be?
How can I create mp3 files for sale?
You can convert many audio files into mp3 files using iTunes, downloadable here.
What’s the difference between MP3s and MP3 samples?
MP3s are full-length versions of your songs in DRM-free MP3 format. MP3 samples are 30 second clips fans can listen to as a preview before they buy.
How can I change the price that I would like my MP3, CD or merch to sell for?
Log into your Nimbit account and, once you are in your dashboard, click on the ‘My Catalog’ view. Click the ‘edit’ link next to the applicable product and enter the new price into the appropriate field.
Can I sell ringtones with Nimbit?
Yes. Several of our distribution partners allow you to sell ringtones.
How do I track my sales?
You can view your sales report by logging into your account and, once in your dashboard, clicking on the ‘My Catalog’ view, and then clicking on the ’sales reports’ link in the left column.
I sent inventory in to Nimbit already, but I don’t see my products for sale on cdfreedom.com yet. What’s the deal?
It normally takes 2-3 business days from when we receive your product to when it is available for sale. If it has been longer, check your product catalog to make sure that the product you set up in your catalog matches exactly the product you sent into us.
How do ticket sales work through my Nimbit account?
Click here for your answer.
Whatis the commission rate for selling tickets through my Nimbit account?
Click here for your answer.
What is Nimbit’s POS solution?
POS (or point-of-sale) is a way for our clients to accept credit cards for sales at their shows. Click here for more information.
Is POS included with my Nimbit account?
POS is available in every paid Nimbit account, and requires an additional one time fee of $20. Click here for more information.
What is the commission rate for POS sales?
How do I sign up for Nimbit POS?
If you have a paid Nimbit account, you can sign up for Nimbit POS through your dashboard. Log into your account and, click on the ‘Catalog’ view. Click on the ‘show sales terminal’ link on the left side of your dashboard and complete the POS order form.
What does Nimbit do to promote my music on cdfreedom.com?
Artists are featured cdfreedom.com. If you feel you should hold one of these spots, email retail@nimbit.com and argue your case!
How is cdfreedom.com promoted?
All of our artists promote cdfreedom.com by directing their fans to the site to buy their products. Occasionally, we conduct marketing campaigns to promote brand awareness.
