Writer Sanctum

Corporate Sector => IngramSpark => Topic started by: Mark Gardner on August 22, 2020, 01:36:29 AM

Title: Ingram Spark makes it difficult to set up books now
Post by: Mark Gardner 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.
Title: Re: Ingram Spark makes it difficult to set up books now
Post by: Eric Thomson 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.
Title: Re: Ingram Spark makes it difficult to set up books now
Post by: Mark Gardner 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.)

Quote from: Eric Thomson 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.
Title: Re: Ingram Spark makes it difficult to set up books now
Post by: Eric Thomson on August 22, 2020, 02:13:00 AM: I have several dozen titles with them.
Title: Re: Ingram Spark makes it difficult to set up books now
Post by: alhawke 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.
Title: Re: Ingram Spark makes it difficult to set up books now
Post by: KateG 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...
Title: Re: Ingram Spark makes it difficult to set up books now
Post by: Mark Gardner on September 15, 2020, 02:21:37 AM: Quote from: KateG on September 11, 2020, 05:18:50 PM
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.