Comments on: One-star Ratings on Amazon for Book Without Kindle Version

By: Why Amazon Rankings Can Be Deceiving | Market My Novel

Why Amazon Rankings Can Be Deceiving | Market My Novel — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:39:31 +0000

[...] One-Star Ratings on Amazon for Book without Kindle Version (GREAT post from Publishing Perspectives) [...]

By: Kristen McLean

Kristen McLean — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:41:00 +0000

This is a structural issue with Amazon’s ratings. Amazon goes to great lengths not to meddle with the crowd-source function, even in cases where the ratings are not accurate for one reason or another. This leaves authors and publishers wide open for cyber-attacks in the case of customer frustration, ignorance, or plain old ill-will. I appreciate the message Kindle users were sending about wanting a K-version, but there needs to be a different feedback loop for that. Otherwise readers looking for a book will have their opinions skewed by those protest votes that have nothing to do with the value of the content. I DO believe this issue could be managed is Amazon introduced some more structure into the review mechanism. What about a Consumer Reports type system where there are ratings on the technology separate from the content. This will become increasingly important over time as different platforms fight it out for the digital marketplace. As it is, no one is being well served….the reader, the author, or the publisher.

By: Consider the Customer and Other Lessons from the DLD Conference

Consider the Customer and Other Lessons from the DLD Conference — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:02:00 +0000

[...] This represents a shift in the way businesses develop new content and products. “The consumer is squarely in charge,” said Nike CMO Trevor Edwards during a panel about marketing strategy, and “each consumer has a lot of influence” (think one-star ratings for Kindle-less books). [...]

By: Andrew Malkin

Andrew Malkin — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:32:50 +0000

We are experiencing a somewhat similar consumer reaction to our iPhone app that just was released. We have over 350 ratings many of which are 4-5 stars but magazine readers want their preferred magazines on the app NOW. We aren’t delaying, just simply getting as many up as quickly as possible. Consumers should be pushing the content creator/owner. Look for hundreds more magazines across categories in the coming month with books to follow.

By: Hannah

Hannah — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:10:42 +0000

Many publishers delay the e-book release to boost sales of the hardcover edition, from which they make more money. I think Kindle users are trying to show publishers that they have the ability to influence book sales as much as print buyers and that they are unhappy with publishers’ decisions to delay the release of e-book versions.

By: Unhappy Kindle users unleash a flood of one-star reviews for title with no e-book editon | Quill & Quire

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:14:00 +0000

[...] at Publishing Perspectives, Hannah Johnson highlights an interesting phenomenon surrounding a book called Game Change, the controversial political tell-all about how Barack Obama [...]

By: marita

marita — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:08:09 +0000

I don’t know much about how publishers decide to release Kindle versions, but it seems to me that a book with a 2-star rating would not be a top priority. The ratings are probably slowing the whole process down. Don’t rate the book if you haven’t read it, jerkfaces!