Can I use reviews from Amazon/Goodreads on my website?

[Erica]

I would like to have a page on my website that lists reviews I have received. Am I allowed to copy and paste reviews from Amazon or Goodreads or do I have to receive permission from the reviewer first?

[Amy]

Good question. I've often wondered that. Awaiting answer...

[Theodore]

I don't know about posting reviews in their entirety...Amazon will most likely claim the copyright. However, you certainly can post excerpts.

[Wolfen]

If we're talking from people you've given review copies to, Amazon itself states you shouldn't repost more than a sentence or two on your author page -- I would assume one's website should follow the same guidelines. Technically, this would qualify as "fair use" and does not require permission.

However, if we're talking the reviews by "regular" people (as opposed to professional reviewers), I would err on the side of politeness and ask them -- it may not occur to them that they might be quoted.

I write for a webzine which has reviews; we get quoted fairly often (sometimes even on book covers), and are almost never asked -- we understand that it's part of the gig. But we DO require permission and link-backs for entire reviews (or at least sizable portions) being posted elsewhere.

If you want to use MORE than a line or two, from anyone, do ask -- I'd say odds are good the person will grant permission. :) But always link to the source!

[Wolfen]

Amazon does not hold the copyright to any reviews that are not written by their editorial staff -- they are copyrighted to the people who posted them. They are granting Amazon permission to have it on their site, but not giving up their copyright.

[Carole]

Good advice, Wolfen.
I never know people are using part of a review I've written on their cover, until I buy the book. lol.
Some places have taken my review and put them up without telling me
Julie will put a great review on Facebook- but link it back to the Amazon page it is on.
So, I think Erica- you can copy the review but put the link where it is found. ON each of our Amazon pages, I have taken highlights from many of the reviews I've read in other places and put them in the editorial section. Most times, I just write one line, the reviewers name and where I got it (Goodreads, a website).

[Theodore]

Wolfen wrote: "Amazon does not hold the copyright to any reviews that are not written by their editorial staff -- they are copyrighted to the people who posted them. They are granting Amazon permission to have it..."

Just found this:

http://www.thepassivevoice.com/2012/0...

I stand corrected. Amazon does not claim the copyright on your reviews. You may use them as you wish:

"REVIEWS, COMMENTS, COMMUNICATIONS, AND OTHER CONTENT

"Visitors may post reviews, comments, photos, and other content; send e-cards and other communications; and submit suggestions, ideas, comments, questions, or other information, so long as the content is not illegal, obscene, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, infringing of intellectual property rights, or otherwise injurious to third parties or objectionable and does not consist of or contain software viruses, political campaigning, commercial solicitation, chain letters, mass mailings, or any form of "spam." You may not use a false e-mail address, impersonate any person or entity, or otherwise mislead as to the origin of a card or other content. Amazon reserves the right (but not the obligation) to remove or edit such content, but does not regularly review posted content.

"If you do post content or submit material, and unless we indicate otherwise, you grant Amazon a nonexclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, and fully sublicensable right to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, and display such content throughout the world in any media. You grant Amazon and sublicensees the right to use the name that you submit in connection with such content, if they choose. You represent and warrant that you own or otherwise control all of the rights to the content that you post; that the content is accurate; that use of the content you supply does not violate this policy and will not cause injury to any person or entity; and that you will indemnify Amazon for all claims resulting from content you supply. Amazon has the right but not the obligation to monitor and edit or remove any activity or content. Amazon takes no responsibility and assumes no liability for any content posted by you or any third party."

The point is, anyone posting a review "owns" the copyright, and so, posting a reviewer's entire review on a Website would require their permission. As for excerpts, I believe this falls under the "fair use" doctrine.

[Wolfen]

Most sites don't doesn't distinguish among page contents, but if you look at their TOS, the TOS will state that users retain the rights to their content. On Amazon (bolding and italics by me):

"If you do post content or submit material, and unless we indicate otherwise, you grant Amazon a nonexclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, and fully sublicensable right to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, perform, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, and display such content throughout the world in any media. You grant Amazon and sublicensees the right to use the name that you submit in connection with such content, if they choose. You represent and warrant that you own or otherwise control all of the rights to the content that you post; that the content is accurate; that use of the content you supply does not violate this policy and will not cause injury to any person or entity; and that you will indemnify Amazon for all claims resulting from content you supply. Amazon has the right but not the obligation to monitor and edit or remove any activity or content. Amazon takes no responsibility and assumes no liability for any content posted by you or any third party."

"Right to USE" is not the same as *copyright*. If they took the copyright, it wouldn't be non-exclusive.

[Erica]

That helps. Thank you everyone! I feel the most polite action would be to ask permission first, regardless of the amount of the review I plan to post. Off to start sending messages and emails. :)

[Theodore]

Wolfen wrote: "Most sites don't doesn't distinguish among page contents, but if you look at their TOS, the TOS will state that users retain the rights to their content. On Amazon (bolding and italics by me):

"If..."

LOL We must have found and posted the material at precisely the same time. Yes, you were correct...the reviewer retains the copyright.

So, to the question: can you post an entire review to a Website. Yes...with the reviewer's permission.

[Carole]

Thanks!!

[Justin]

There's a widget on here that allows you to post your reviews from your books onto your website. I used to use it until HTML became a premium feature on my site.

[Amy]

That's very interesting info. Thanks. I've only ever quoted half a dozen words from a review for social media quotes. I assumed there was a fair use thingy.