What to do if an ASIN of an Audible audiobook title is not available in Goodreads, even when there are already a few copies of the same audiobook, with the same details & cover is already there?

[AimingGaining]

I just purchased an Audible audiobook "The Little Prince" from their website. I looked up their ASIN in the url of that title, and this is what I got:
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Litt...

I read online elsewhere that the ASIN of that audiobook should then be B004EVXRRO. However, when I entered that value in the Audible search bar, no results were returned. I then did a manual search for Audible Audio versions, and found three results which had the same cover, same details, from the same publisher and published on the same date.

Also, when I went to the same version on Amazon UK where it confirmed I already purchased that audiobook version from Audible UK ("Our records show that you already purchased The Little Prince"), I noticed that the ASIN was different there. It is: B002SQ3YLQ. This is the link:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Little-P...

How should I proceed? Do I use the ASIN from Audible or Amazon? Do I add a new entry? What's the convention on Goodreads for this issue?

Thank you.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Boo wrote: "Do I use the ASIN from Audible or Amazon? Do I add a new entry?"

We allow editions with both Audible ASINs and Amazon ASINs. It's fine to have either, or both; we just do not edit one to become the other once it has been added.

So in this case, a new edition with that ASIN can be added. Or you can shelve one of the existing editions. Either is fine.

[AimingGaining]

Oh, okay. I think I'll add a new ASIN.

Thank you for your reply.

[Susie]

This was discussed a while ago, that Audible books, on Audible and Amazon, and in different countries, have a different ASIN. What was concluded was that all of these can be added, as required.

One thing that I do is say that it's Audible US edition in the edition field, for example:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

I simply specify whether it's Amazon or Audible, plus the country, so that anyone looking for that specific edition based on the GR listing can find it easier.

It was so long ago, that I can't remember if there was a general consensus on whether to specify which it is?

[AimingGaining]

"One thing that I do is say that it's Audible US edition in the edition field"

Oh, that's a handy tip. I think I'll add location for easier identification if there are same editions. Thank you.

[annob [on hiatus]]

Susie wrote: "One thing that I do is say that it's Audible US edition in the edition field"

It's not a bad idea, Susie, but I see some problems with it.

I'm not a consumer of audiobooks, but as a non-US ebook customer I'm not in favour of this wording if it simply means the edition is listed on the website ending in .com (dot com). Those adresses are usually the ones stores also direct all international customers (from countries that doesn't have a localised store like .de, .ca, .au etc).

Labelling an edition 'US edition' would be false information unless only US residents can buy that particluar ASIN/ISBN, the way I see it.

[Susie]

annob wrote: "It's not a bad idea, Susie, but I see some problems with it.

I'm not a consumer of audiobooks, but as a non-US ebook customer I'm not in favour of this wording if it simply means the edition is listed on the website ending in .com (dot com). Those adresses are usually the ones stores also direct all international customers (from countries that doesn't have a localised store like .de, .ca, .au etc).

Labelling an edition 'US edition' would be false information unless only US residents can buy that particluar ASIN/ISBN, the way I see it."

I mean it in the way that that particular ASIN is only available for purchase on a single store.

Sometimes the same ASIN for an Audible Audiobook crosses different stores, which makes it much easier (I always check and in this case I don't include a note).

It might be something to label it as "Amazon . com" edition instead, but I use "US" to refer to the ".com" store, so it doesn't act as a URL (it usually doesn't in the edition field, mind, but just in case...).

If I add the edition from Amazon US, for example, I usually added the edition from Amazon UK as well, and label that accordingly. You cannot usually use the same ASIN in the UK and US Amazon stores (or Audible), so if someone clicks on the "buy" link and goes to the wrong store, well, that's something I'm trying to avoid.

[annob [on hiatus]]

Susie wrote: "... but I use 'US' to refer to the '.com' store"

I'm aware you're not the only digital book customer who does, but since not everyone do, I don't think the phrase should be added to a book record, mainly because it's not a fact.

Think of the opposite situation; an International customer looking for an available edition to buy but assume what has been marked as a 'US edition' is not accessible for them, even though it is (if they would check in their .com store). Suddenly the helpful can become unhelpful.

There's also a separate issue if the Edition field should be used to signal availability, but I'll leave that part of the discussion to others.

[Susie]

C. wrote: "I know you're just brain storming but the manual specifically says not to include "retail specific info" in the edition field so scratch that idea https://help.goodreads.com/s/article/..."

Normally, yes, but this is a unique situation and I'm considering ways around it. But it is difficult, when what is obvious to one person is completely confusing to another (I'm also thinking of the ACE discussion here, too).

This was talked about a couple of years ago, too (where it was said that all ASINs could be added). I wish I could find the original topic.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

"US Edition" (or "UK Edition", etc.) would be fine to put in the edition field -- regardless of format. It can apply to paperbacks or hardcovers as well.

Neither publisher nor format should be included in the edition field.

[AimingGaining]

rivka wrote: ""US Edition" (or "UK Edition", etc.) would be fine to put in the edition field -- regardless of format. It can apply to paperbacks or hardcovers as well.

Neither publisher nor format should be inc..."

To clarify, in my case, the edition field would be "Unabridged UK Edition"?

[AimingGaining]

Okay, cool, thank you!

[Susie]

rivka wrote: ""US Edition" (or "UK Edition", etc.) would be fine to put in the edition field -- regardless of format. It can apply to paperbacks or hardcovers as well.

Neither publisher nor format should be included in the edition field."

Thanks for clarification on that! Having the country edition should hopefully cut down the work for people searching for the book.


AimingGaining wrote: "To clarify, in my case, the edition field would be "Unabridged UK Edition"?"

You can include a comma in there, for example: "UK edition, Unabridged". When you save the data, it just has a simple comma between all the information, anyway: "Audible Audio, US edition, Unabridged, 13 pages".
See here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Either

Unabridged UK Edition

or

UK Edition, Unabridged

would be fine.

[AimingGaining]

Oh okay. Thank you all for your discussions and inputs. :-)