Stop Press:
I’ve just discovered that The Guest Who Stayed is being featured on The Fussy Librarian tomorrow for the first time. ( www.thefussylibrarian.com ) Is this the big break through? I’ll report back.
Main Topic.
For new readers of this blog, the purpose is for me to unload my feelings of panic, desperation and occasional euphoria as I travel my three year journey from unknown self-published author to international global phenomenon. This is day 17 of 1095.
My ‘quibble’ today is about the way Amazon treats reviews. I mean a review is a review (good or bad) wherever it comes from. Now I’m in The UK and so my 14 reviews (which are generally great) appear on Amazon.co.uk. But until recently I had no reviews on Amazon.com and understandably no sales. I mean who is going to buy a book that doesn’t have a review – unless it’s your Mum.
However, Amazon.co.uk does provide the option to see the reviews on Amazon .com but not vice versa. I don’t see the point of this as it clearly restricts sales of UK books in the US and after all – everyone is out to maximise sales.
This came to a head recently when I was contacted by an author in Australia (the network is beginning to work). Brian Robertson has published a book called ‘Diggers Story’ – an amazing account of an Australian POWs incarceration by the Japanese in World War Two -providing great insights into the relationship between captor and captive. (highly recommended).
Like me, Brian is a new comer to marketing in the self-publishing environment and so we’ve been swapping tips. We both agree that good reviews are vital. So in the spirit of international fraternity we would read each-others books and post reviews. As I had already purchased a copy of Brian’s book from Amazon.co.uk he agreed to gift me another copy from Amazon .com so I could post a review there. However, Amazon wouldn’t let me accept the gift because it knew I had already purchased the book from Amazon.co.uk. Instead it offered me a gift voucher.
Undaunted, I tried another tack. I have a second e mail address which I used to register on Amazon.com with a pen name. And hey presto it worked. I could accept the gift and can presumably post my review which will be accepted as an ‘Amazon Verified Purchase’.
So I got thinking. It’s not difficult to set up any number of alias e mail accounts………………..do you get my drift?
But wouldn’t it be simpler if Amazon just allowed all reviews to be posted on all sites?
Anyone from Amazon out there listening? …….hello
Check back in a couple of days to see how my ‘Fussy Librarian’ listing went.
Thanks for reading.
Roger Penfound
I’ve just discovered that The Guest Who Stayed is being featured on The Fussy Librarian tomorrow for the first time. ( www.thefussylibrarian.com ) Is this the big break through? I’ll report back.
Main Topic.
For new readers of this blog, the purpose is for me to unload my feelings of panic, desperation and occasional euphoria as I travel my three year journey from unknown self-published author to international global phenomenon. This is day 17 of 1095.
My ‘quibble’ today is about the way Amazon treats reviews. I mean a review is a review (good or bad) wherever it comes from. Now I’m in The UK and so my 14 reviews (which are generally great) appear on Amazon.co.uk. But until recently I had no reviews on Amazon.com and understandably no sales. I mean who is going to buy a book that doesn’t have a review – unless it’s your Mum.
However, Amazon.co.uk does provide the option to see the reviews on Amazon .com but not vice versa. I don’t see the point of this as it clearly restricts sales of UK books in the US and after all – everyone is out to maximise sales.
This came to a head recently when I was contacted by an author in Australia (the network is beginning to work). Brian Robertson has published a book called ‘Diggers Story’ – an amazing account of an Australian POWs incarceration by the Japanese in World War Two -providing great insights into the relationship between captor and captive. (highly recommended).
Like me, Brian is a new comer to marketing in the self-publishing environment and so we’ve been swapping tips. We both agree that good reviews are vital. So in the spirit of international fraternity we would read each-others books and post reviews. As I had already purchased a copy of Brian’s book from Amazon.co.uk he agreed to gift me another copy from Amazon .com so I could post a review there. However, Amazon wouldn’t let me accept the gift because it knew I had already purchased the book from Amazon.co.uk. Instead it offered me a gift voucher.
Undaunted, I tried another tack. I have a second e mail address which I used to register on Amazon.com with a pen name. And hey presto it worked. I could accept the gift and can presumably post my review which will be accepted as an ‘Amazon Verified Purchase’.
So I got thinking. It’s not difficult to set up any number of alias e mail accounts………………..do you get my drift?
But wouldn’t it be simpler if Amazon just allowed all reviews to be posted on all sites?
Anyone from Amazon out there listening? …….hello
Check back in a couple of days to see how my ‘Fussy Librarian’ listing went.
Thanks for reading.
Roger Penfound
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