Writer Sanctum
Corporate Sector => What are Amazon doing now? [Public] => Topic started by: notthatamanda on December 27, 2019, 10:49:37 PM
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I was just kind of stunned by that number. Less than 350 reviews on Goodreads. They are running a special on preorder $1.99 from $4.99.
Audio is $22, paperback $15.
I wonder what method they are using to get the reviews on there. I thought you could release ARC copies and the reviews would show up the day of the release.
I'm not trying to imply anything hinky is going on, I just found it interesting. I don't generally worry about the number of reviews since I don't do ARCs or pursue them in any other way, I have no one to blame but myself that I don't have them. But there has to be a subliminal effect when someone looks at a book page and there are that many reviews.
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700+ reviews on a book not yet released?
How does that not say BOUGHT?
It implies they gave out more ARC copies than most #1 sub-category books sell in the first week.
If I saw that on a book I was looking at, it would put me right off.
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I agree there is a strong subliminal effect when there are over 100 reviews on a book, BUT if they're all 4- and 5-star reviews, I discount them.
Amazon must do something specific regarding the First Reads audience to get so many and to have perfect timing, too, because ordinarily a pre-release title can't have a review. What are the odds that 700 people remembered to post their review on the exact release day? Very poor, I'd say, without some manipulation/coordination by Amazon. Hurray for those authors.
Yes, it could be manipulation by the author, but then that author must have an extremely large and obedient ARC team. Possible, of course.
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My guess it that it is a First Reads thing. I wasn't trying to imply that the author did anything to make this happen.
Edit - 700 + is ratings not reviews. I'm not used to that system yet, sorry. But there are written reviews on it as well.
Edit - It is NOT released yet, just to be clear.
Edit again - Maybe Amazon is having First Reads readers rank the books they are putting in their queue like Goodreads does? Maybe they are encouraging it? I know nothing about how First Reads works, sorry.
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I don't know about Amazon's First Read system specifically, but in other circumstances (such as Kindle Scout and ABNA), Amazon distributed a ton of free copies prior to release. There's really nothing nefarious about that, but almost no indie author is going to have an ARC team big enough to come anywhere close to that effect. And I doubt a trad would want to give away that much free product.
But if you wondered why free copies count as verified purchases, this is most likely the reason. Amazon wants all these reviews to get VP badges.
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I get first reads books because I have a Kindle and am a Prime member. You choose one a month before the release date. So there are tons of readers getting these books. I wait till the end of the month to choose usually because I'm lazy. Which reminds me that I haven't chosen my December book yet. Better do that today so I don't miss it. :D
Here's what my email says:
Choose from eight pre-release books
Get early access to one of eight Kindle books, FREE for Prime members and only $1.99 for everyone else.
I've been getting these for years. Every so often they even offer two free instead of one.
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If you figure out if Amazon is having you rate it before you get it, I'm curious to know.
I just looked at the Goodreads for this book again, to try to sort out ratings from reviews. 4600+ ratings, almost 400 reviews.
The ratings started in June of this year. The first written review was in October.
Oh and if you read the fine print, if you buy the book at $1.99 now, you are joining Amazon First Reads for free. Doesn't give any details on the membership though.
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All I remember is that it used to be called Kindle First, then they renamed it First Reads. I started getting them after I got my first Kindle back in 2012 or 2013, can't remember exactly when. I don't even remember if being a Prime member was part of the reason I was sent the emails at the time or not.
Yes, you can write reviews for these books before their official release dates.
It will totally let me write a review for the one I just picked up that releases in January.
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All I remember is that it used to be called Kindle First, then they renamed it First Reads. I started getting them after I got my first Kindle back in 2012 or 2013, can't remember exactly when. I don't even remember if being a Prime member was part of the reason I was sent the emails at the time or not.
Yes, you can write reviews for these books before their official release dates.
It will totally let me write a review for the one I just picked up that releases in January.
I'm pretty sure First Reads was for prime members only. I've been getting those emails for years, too. I used to try to pick one every month but found I really didn't enjoy whatever I picked. We had a thread for First Reads every month on KB and most of the posters were getting unhappy with the choices. I've stopped even opening the email anymore.
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All I remember is that it used to be called Kindle First, then they renamed it First Reads. I started getting them after I got my first Kindle back in 2012 or 2013, can't remember exactly when. I don't even remember if being a Prime member was part of the reason I was sent the emails at the time or not.
Yes, you can write reviews for these books before their official release dates.
It will totally let me write a review for the one I just picked up that releases in January.
I'm pretty sure First Reads was for prime members only. I've been getting those emails for years, too. I used to try to pick one every month but found I really didn't enjoy whatever I picked. We had a thread for First Reads every month on KB and most of the posters were getting unhappy with the choices. I've stopped even opening the email anymore.
Sometimes the choices are very blah. But this month's had a Lee Goldberg book and I happen to like those so I keep opening, and I usually pick.
I think I skipped one or two that just didn't have anything that appealed to me but most of the time, I do pick one.
I haven't read that many of them, to be honest. Maybe ten in total. :D
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Follow up - TIL that advertising on a hot Prime Reads book is a really good way to piss away some money. YMMV
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First in the paid store right now, a First Reads book that's being released on 2/1 and has almost 1500 reviews/ratings already. I'm noting on my calendar to check what it does next week, not that it can go higher than 1. Also glad I came here to post this because I was ready to start an AMS campaign on this but saw my last post.