editorial

Amazon Changes Rules on the Go: Affiliates and Reviewers Are Being Dropped

Irene Watson

Amazon is at it again!  Three weeks ago I first reported that they are removing reviews  off author's book pages and then I updated saying they are denying it. Well, now I have another update from Nicole at Pacific Book Review and it's not good:

One of my customers just emailed me to let me know the review that I had posted for him has been removed and he wants it back up.  When I read this email my heart just sunk because I spent hours and hours and hours of work getting the reviews back on Amazon.  I immediately went to Amazon to my account to see how many reviews total I had and it showed 3.  I really feel like Pacific Book Review is definitely being targeted at this point.  Why?  I have no clue. 

What is going on?  Amazon is yet to tell her. They promised a response within 24 hours and it didn't happen...again.  But, I did find out that Amazon is revamping their review posting rules which will eliminate all posts other than those whereby the reviewer can prove that he or she either purchased the book or was given it as a gift. That is...if they comply by the FTC 16 CFR Part 255 that came into effect December 1, 2009.

There are many other issues going on with Amazon.  You may have heard that Texas "assessed Amazon with $269 million in uncollected sales taxes from online sales, pursuant to that state's sales tax laws."  (Full article.) Furthermore, Amazon terminated all the Colorado affiliates (Amazon Associates Program) because of the passage of their law to collect sales tax.  In early January  Amazon sent an email warning Illinois affiliates that they may be dropped.  California just passed a bill that requires online retailers, e.g. Amazon, to collect sales tax. Other states intend to follow.   I'm in Texas and Amazon hasn't shut me out...yet.

Barnes and Noble is acting fast and is planning to recruit Amazon affiliates that have been terminated by Amazon because of the tax disagreement.  (Full article in The Wall Street Journal.)

So...what is going to happen to us, as reviewers, authors, and publishers, in the Amazon shuffle?  Are we going to make a fast switch to B & N?  I cringe if we have to do that.  B & N's system of posting reviews is very amateur and unproductive. However, I did sign up for an affiliate account with them in the event Amazon drops Texas affiliates or freezes my account as they have done with other reviewers.

I want to hear from you what you think.  Please tell me here.

An Insider’s Guide to Social Media Etiquette

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While Mordred is the only child of King Arthur most people remember, in the Arthurian legend’s earliest versions, Mordred was only Arthur’s nephew, and some traditions suggest he was not even related to Arthur but a rival king. By contrast, ancient Welsh traditions provide King Arthur with three sons: Gwydre, Llacheu, and Amr, and the latter may be the earliest version of Mordred. While the Welsh legends state these sons all died before Arthur, other medieval traditions suggest Arthur’s descendants outlived him.

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