Get your CDs into Walmart, Target, Rasputin, and other brick and mortar stores not online digital which have low returns and NO MARKETING except what you do for yourself. . . that's what i am talking about. For every runaway bestseller in the indies, there are a thousand who don't sell on Amazon. You don't realize that. You think that's "marketing" but it isn't. That's putting your car on a corner with a "For Sale" sign and waiting for someone to call you and ask about it. You just don't have a clue about what Marketing is all about. Not at all.
Go back and read what HamiltonJay posted to you above and learn something. . . then read what I have been posting to you about GAAP and learn more. You keep spouting ignorance and spouting and spouting and spouting. It's tiring.
Amazon's help is NOTHING. You said it yourself. The Indy has to do it himself.
Ahh why? With Amazon can reach far more people with far less money involved. You really are clueless about Indie music aren't you. An Indie group would need to lay out hundreds of thousands of dollars or more to put music inside all those brick and mortars and for what reason? That is why Indies sell CDs on Amazon. Or CD Baby etc.
They can do small runs and still make a chunk of change.
One of my friends in an Indie band does a hand written note to everyone who orders their CD online. How would he accomplish that with Wal-Mart or Target?