Author Topic: Ingram Spark makes it difficult to set up books now  (Read 1623 times)

Mark Gardner

Ingram Spark makes it difficult to set up books now
« on: August 22, 2020, 01:36:29 AM »
I was helping a friend set up her paperbacks with Ingram Spark, and made her pretty interiors print ready for ingram and KDP.

Ingram now forces new titles to use their sh*tty book builder crap software. No way to upload print-ready interiors, so no custom font size or spacing. plus their book builder crap produces, well, crap.
 

Eric Thomson

Re: Ingram Spark makes it difficult to set up books now
« Reply #1 on: August 22, 2020, 01:55:37 AM »
It is crappy alright, but I wasn't forced into a shi*ty book builder crap when I began setting up my newest title in PB and HC yesterday. I reached the upload print-ready interior and cover page...

Edited to add: just successfully uploaded my print ready pdfs - interior and jacket

But my is the new process bad. Bad, bad, bad. If anyone from IngramSpark is reading this:

FAIL! MASSIVE FAIL!

Fire your developers, get a few who can actually write clean code and imagine what the end user needs. Then hang the project manager that oversaw this nightmare.
« Last Edit: August 22, 2020, 02:00:08 AM by Eric Thomson »
 
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Mark Gardner

Re: Ingram Spark makes it difficult to set up books now
« Reply #2 on: August 22, 2020, 02:11:05 AM »
Did you already have titles with ingram? I ask, because I was able to upload an interior to an existing book, but my friend was brand new to Ingram. (I warned her about there predatory shipping policies.)

It is crappy alright, but I wasn't forced into a shi*ty book builder crap when I began setting up my newest title in PB and HC yesterday. I reached the upload print-ready interior and cover page...

Edited to add: just successfully uploaded my print ready pdfs - interior and jacket

But my is the new process bad. Bad, bad, bad. If anyone from IngramSpark is reading this:

FAIL! MASSIVE FAIL!

Fire your developers, get a few who can actually write clean code and imagine what the end user needs. Then hang the project manager that oversaw this nightmare.
 

Eric Thomson

Re: Ingram Spark makes it difficult to set up books now
« Reply #3 on: August 22, 2020, 02:13:00 AM »
I have several dozen titles with them.
 

alhawke

Re: Ingram Spark makes it difficult to set up books now
« Reply #4 on: August 22, 2020, 01:48:36 PM »
It's a confusing system. I noticed a glitch this week when entering prices. I had to keep resetting the system.

I'm lucky, I guess, because they accepted my PDF this last past week. I create pdfs with vellum and it hasn't effected me ... I hope. I haven't checked the proof.
 

KateG

Re: Ingram Spark makes it difficult to set up books now
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2020, 05:18:50 PM »
I've just been to IngramSpark for the first time in several months, and  :shocked:
I haven't yet found my way to the place (which hopefully still exists) to upload my print-ready files.

Can you elaborate on the predatory shipping policies, please, Mark? I haven't used them enough to know...
Genres: f/f historical, contemporary, and fantasy romance.
 

Mark Gardner

Re: Ingram Spark makes it difficult to set up books now
« Reply #6 on: September 15, 2020, 02:21:37 AM »
Can you elaborate on the predatory shipping policies, please, Mark? I haven't used them enough to know...
They charge a handling fee, and if you select the cheapest shipping, they refuse to share the tracking ID with you. If your shipment is lost, they absolutely refuse to issue a refund. I had to file a dispute with my credit card when my shipment was lost by the ever-bumbling USPS.