yesterday I read a post from Book Riot about the merits or demerits of authors and their sock puppets rating their own books on Goodreads and elsewhere. Lots of insanity there. Lots of authors seem to be clueless about basic rules of the site or the world even. Or they feign ignorance.
I find Amazon more irksome by the day, and by extension, Goodreads... My latest pet peeve is Amazon's inability to find the actual book I'm looking for instead of a bunch of paid advertisements when I search. Sure, three spaces down, after I scroll, I can find the book - maybe if I'm lucky even in the edition I want (but don't bet on that.) Lately I've noticed that I can't count on them having more than one edition of classics. Why? Why not have both Penguin and Oxford classics or Puffin and Penguin or whatever? It is driving me up a tree. Then I go to the reviews to see if anyone notes the translation, etc - and they've put ALL the editions into one pile, so there's no way to tell what edition is being reviewed when someone says the edition is horrible.
About authors - that is so upsetting. Some are inexcusably ignorant, others simply do not care about rules or ethics or consumers at all.
Oh yeah. I've been so annoyed at Amazon and how they'll lump books in together that have real differences, and it matters. It's so frustrating. I've had that issue with a version of the Nutcracker I've read/reviewed. It is illustrated by Maurice Sendak, and the text of the story is unique. The difference is not just pictures. But, it's lumped in with all other Nutcracker books, of which there are a bazillion. And since that's in public domain some are translations others are unique retellings. It matters!
*sigh* I don't think they " listen" to what they are actually saying; really should not harp on things easily disproved like Amazon not requiring verified purchase to review. Makes anything they say that readers might support ignored because not reading past the insistence that only verified purchasers can review. I mean, how many books on Amazon have reviews that don't say "verified purchaser" even if you don't look into all the fine print about review policies?
I actually don't mind friends/family reviews so long as they say they are (doesn't have to be identity theft level of detail in the disclosure, saying you are related to or know the author is sufficient). I'll eyeroll if just gushes without saying anything about the read, but I have enjoyed quite a few of those reviews, Legally on U.S. sites with consumer reviews or what appear to be consumer reviews, connections and potential biases need to be disclosed (definitely applies to Amazon and goodreads) -- those sites, however, might have their own stricter policies including not allowing even the disclosed ones. Unlike Amazon, goodreads currently allows these reviewsbut requires disclosure.
Only verified purchasers *snort* -- too easy to see that's not true if author would only tunnel away from looking just at their book.
This author already had a non-verified purchase review ON HER OWN BOOK!!! I nearly told her that since she obviously couldn't READ I didn't have any confidence her book would be any good. :D
I laugh at the authors that are more disturbed by the fact that Amazon can figure out who their friends and family are, than they are over the fact that they're knowingly and intentionally violating TOS and got caught.
Personally I wouldn't mind friend and family reviews either IF it is disclosed, as you said. However, they never do, and Amazon doesn't allow it, so that is that. On GR it's allowed, but rarely is it disclosed. Because they WANT to mislead people into thinking it's an unbiased, stranger review. On GR when it is disclosed it doesn't bother me.
I also can't help but wonder why this meany is making her "very good friend" BUY her book?!
My bet is because she's stupid and thinks that's required in order for her "very good friend" to leave a review. Wonder if she's further violated TOS by reimbursing this friend for the cost.
I suspect many authors -- and I use the term loosely -- only think of reviews in terms of selling books. That's at least part of the reason behind their insistence on the "verified purchase" nonsense. To them, "buying" and "reading" are interchangeable. They can't comprehend that there are people who read and want to share their experience with other readers outside the straightforward buy/sell transaction. You can almost see the rolling marquee in their minds flashing "Why would anyone want to talk about a book they got at the library?" It's just not part of their existence, so they can't even begin to tie it to that same buy/sell model.
But that also seems to be a major factor behind the problems with Amazon. The model is sell, sell, sell, and so the review process has become so integrated with that function that it has lost much of its original value as a site for discussion. GR lost its authority, too, when it was taken over by AMZ. I have to admit I've been terribly reluctant to recommend BL simply because I don't want to see a flood of idiots roaring in here.
This is awful, but I only tell people I "know" fairly well about BL because I don't want to have to flee here too.
7 years ago
How would the author in question explain reviews on books obtained from outlets like NetGalley and Edelweiss which OBVIOUSLY do NOT show up as verified purchases, since they GIVE THE BOOKS AWAY?
Also, haven't they ever seen people celebrating their local libraries in reviews? I almost always mention if I got my book from the library and I have seen others do that as well. (But I guess if I was on GR or Amazon only looking at MY OWN books/reviews, I wouldn't see these things.)
Oh brother she is so misinformed. Tell her Amazon posted my UNVERIFIED purchase for "Behind Her Eyes" by Sarah Pinborough just yesterday. Or maybe I'm just special?
It's the first one on my profile, along with hundreds of others. I get most of my audio's from the library and rarely post a "verified purchase" review.
Thanks Bark. This author has an unverified purchase review on her own book! If she'd just look at the reviews for her own book she'd see it! Two of us pointed that out to her LOL.
I find Amazon more irksome by the day, and by extension, Goodreads... My latest pet peeve is Amazon's inability to find the actual book I'm looking for instead of a bunch of paid advertisements when I search. Sure, three spaces down, after I scroll, I can find the book - maybe if I'm lucky even in the edition I want (but don't bet on that.) Lately I've noticed that I can't count on them having more than one edition of classics. Why? Why not have both Penguin and Oxford classics or Puffin and Penguin or whatever? It is driving me up a tree. Then I go to the reviews to see if anyone notes the translation, etc - and they've put ALL the editions into one pile, so there's no way to tell what edition is being reviewed when someone says the edition is horrible.
Oh yeah. I've been so annoyed at Amazon and how they'll lump books in together that have real differences, and it matters. It's so frustrating. I've had that issue with a version of the Nutcracker I've read/reviewed. It is illustrated by Maurice Sendak, and the text of the story is unique. The difference is not just pictures. But, it's lumped in with all other Nutcracker books, of which there are a bazillion. And since that's in public domain some are translations others are unique retellings. It matters!
I even got that searching by a specific ASIN .
It just wastes time, causing me to end my session without completing a purchase because got tired of scrolling do much past stuff not looking for.
I know!
I actually don't mind friends/family reviews so long as they say they are (doesn't have to be identity theft level of detail in the disclosure, saying you are related to or know the author is sufficient). I'll eyeroll if just gushes without saying anything about the read, but I have enjoyed quite a few of those reviews, Legally on U.S. sites with consumer reviews or what appear to be consumer reviews, connections and potential biases need to be disclosed (definitely applies to Amazon and goodreads) -- those sites, however, might have their own stricter policies including not allowing even the disclosed ones. Unlike Amazon, goodreads currently allows these reviewsbut requires disclosure.
Only verified purchasers *snort* -- too easy to see that's not true if author would only tunnel away from looking just at their book.
I laugh at the authors that are more disturbed by the fact that Amazon can figure out who their friends and family are, than they are over the fact that they're knowingly and intentionally violating TOS and got caught.
Personally I wouldn't mind friend and family reviews either IF it is disclosed, as you said. However, they never do, and Amazon doesn't allow it, so that is that. On GR it's allowed, but rarely is it disclosed. Because they WANT to mislead people into thinking it's an unbiased, stranger review. On GR when it is disclosed it doesn't bother me.
By the way, the title of this post also applies to the movie I'm currently watching which is making me laugh.
My bet is because she's stupid and thinks that's required in order for her "very good friend" to leave a review. Wonder if she's further violated TOS by reimbursing this friend for the cost.
But that also seems to be a major factor behind the problems with Amazon. The model is sell, sell, sell, and so the review process has become so integrated with that function that it has lost much of its original value as a site for discussion. GR lost its authority, too, when it was taken over by AMZ. I have to admit I've been terribly reluctant to recommend BL simply because I don't want to see a flood of idiots roaring in here.
Also, haven't they ever seen people celebrating their local libraries in reviews? I almost always mention if I got my book from the library and I have seen others do that as well. (But I guess if I was on GR or Amazon only looking at MY OWN books/reviews, I wouldn't see these things.)
It's the first one on my profile, along with hundreds of others. I get most of my audio's from the library and rarely post a "verified purchase" review.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AH2RFTKPBJK75OOBORMYCRRZYWXA?ref_=sv_ys_3&;
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AGUZH3IET2UJ5HQWU5YELKMV7JKQ