One-star Ratings on Amazon for Book Without Kindle Version

By Hannah Johnson

The recently released book, Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin (published by Harper), was well-received by newspaper and online book reviewers for its examination of the 2008 presidential campaign in the USA and how Obama won the election.

So why does this book have a 2/5 star-rating on Amazon.com?

It has nothing to do with the content. Kindle users are upset over the delayed e-book release of Game Change and they have collectively given the book one-star ratings in protest.

However, this has also sparked a debate in the book’s discussion forum about the fairness of this tactic and whether ratings should pertain only to the book’s content or also to its format. Readers without Kindles are upset by the ratings manipulation, and some are calling for Amazon to delete the one-star ratings for this book.

As more consumers start reading e-books, I think we can expect this type of debate to intensify. The good news is that readers are still passionate about their books, no matter which side of the debate they are on.

About the Author

Hannah Johnson

Hannah Johnson is the publisher of international book industry magazine Publishing Perspectives, which provides daily information and news about book markets around the world. In addition to building partnerships with international cultural and trade organizations, she works with the Frankfurt Book Fair to organize and support a number of its overseas initiatives. Hannah has also worked as the managing editor for an online media company, The Hooch Life, focused on craft distillers and cocktail experts. Prior to that, she worked as a project manager for the Frankfurt Book Fair’s New York office, managing various business and marketing activities.