Another Day - another rejection

[Vivienne]

Okay I received another rejection.

No swears, no ‘exchange for an honest review’ just received an eARC.

I am flummoxed.

I did mention Covid-19 in review as it’s mentioned in the plot. Could this be a new trigger word? Or ‘violent’ used to describe a death in police raid.

It’s clearly something. If anyone wants to look at my review it’s for Containment by Nick Thacker.

I have advised the publisher about the issue and emailed Amazon community help asking for clarification.

[MissBecka]

Try resubmitting with DRC replacing eARC. I find ARC tends to get rejected more often than not.

[Sarah]

I use ‘review copy’.

[Vivienne]

Both good suggestions. Looking at other early reviews I am seeing more just leaving out the disclaimer.

The publisher of this particular book suggested this saying Amazon just keep moving the goalposts, so not mentioning ARCs or NetGalley at all is good advice.

It can continue on Goodreads and private. Blog posts

[Dee]

if you don't declare on amazon then you are violating all kinds of FTC requirements and can get in trouble down the road however

if the publisher is saying that, they are requesting that you circumvent policy which means maybe they have something going on internally that may be triggering additional watchfulness - i wouldn't risk not declaring - publish on GR/B&N etc

do a chat to amazon and ask them why it was rejected - what specifically - typically its a bot that does the posting and asking for clarification can get stuff overturned

[Dee]

are you trying on amazon.uk or amazon.com - could that be causing the issue

[Vivienne]

FTC is for USA so likely not an issue for U.K. resident. Only posting to Amazon U.K.

[Vivienne]

I have opened a support request with NetGalley about the disclaimer issue in U.K. seeking clarification about legal requirement.

[Dee]

but the publishing company is in the US, however

while this talks to larger social media footprint its pretty clear that if you get a product for free in the UK you have to disclose it:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publica...

Any form of reward, including money, gifts of services or products, or the loan of a product, is ‘payment’ – whether you originally asked for it or got sent it out of the blue (e.g. ‘freebies’). Influencers receive freebies because of their high public profile and because brands or businesses hope they might post about them in return. If you have not purchased a product or service yourself, but received it free, make this clear.

[Dee]

netgalley likely won't know - only amazon can tell you why the review was rejected

[Vivienne]

I meant about the legal requirement in U.K. not why.it was rejected

So are we totally damned if we declare or rather rejected by Amazon or if we don’t then in another kind of trouble?

Bookouture does have a London address for its U.K. publications including this one even if its parent company is USA based.

[Vivienne]

Oh looking at those U.K. government guidelines when I post on social media or my blog I would always include a disclaimer about ARC.

Amazon is a consumer site not social media so technically not covered by this.

Publishers push for Amazon reviews likely more than blog post from minnows like me. So some kind of compromise needs to be found

[Dee]

amazon falls into the same rules as the social media sites - the regulations apply across the board

[Vivienne]

So then they should abide by those rules and allow disclaimers rather than punishing reviewers in this time wasting way.

[Vivienne]

Well here is a Catch 22 situation....advice anyone?


I've reviewed your ‪Amazon.com‬ account, and I see you received the Containment: An utterly gripping thriller about a deadly pandemic (A Jake Parker Thriller) for free or at a discount. We couldn’t accept your review(s) because we do not permit reviews that are posted in exchange for compensation of any kind, including free or discounted copies of the product. 

Yet:

From Amazon guidelines:
Book authors and publishers may continue to provide free or discounted copies of their books to readers, as long as the author or publisher does not require a review in exchange or attempt to influence the review.

[Vivienne]

And in another WTF moment


My review has appeared ......okay it’s time for a huge drink

[Vivienne]

NetGalley Support say that they are aware of Amazon changing posting rules in an inconsistent way and causing problems for member despite their review guidelines saying publishers and authors are able to make available review copies.

So it’s a Catch-22 situation.

Think the key is to drop terms like eARC, ARC and NetGalley and just indicate in a more subtle way as others have suggested.

[Karren]

I post my reviews on Amazon Australia and I say. I have been given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and they now accept them.

[Barbara]

Interestingly, if Amazon applied their own rules, nobody would ever be able to review their monthly Amazon prime free books or anything that they didn't buy at full price including all the library books, borrowed books and gifts received from others.

[Vivienne]

As the publicist I communicated with at Bookouture quipped Amazon be crazy 😹

Really chaotic rules.

[Barbara]

Amazon get a bug in their ear if they think anybody else - like NetGalley- is getting some kind of advantage without paying them for it.

[Vivienne]

Yeah even though reviews on publication day likely to encourage people to buy said books.

They clearly don’t understand the publishing industry. Review copies have been distributed for ages. I was the review editor for a small specialty magazine and we were inundated with review copies and proofs.

[Chelle - FlowerChildReads]

Interesting, the hypocrisy just drips. Amazon owns Goodreads. When you win a giveaway through Goodreads I’ve gotten not so subtle reminder emails prompting me to post my review if I haven’t by X date. I don’t have an issue, just making a point. I also review for Netgalley and LibraryThing. Only the Amazon affiliated program ‘virtually nags’ me for a review making it a very implicit part of the bargain. This doesn’t even touch the idea of Amazon’s Vine program, the number of Amazon orders I get with coupons included if I leave a 5 star review, or the follow up emails I get from vendors after I order asking for 5 star reviews.

Now we all know when we accept an ARC the idea is hopefully we will read it and review, creating interest, etc. As Vivienne shares its worked like this for ages. I post reviews on Amazon because it’s a major platform. Personally when I’m looking at book reviews, recommendations it’s the last place I’m going. I’m looking at Goodreads, talking to my indie bookseller, my librarian, my Bookclub peeps, a few trusted bloggers.

Sorry, let me tell you how I really feel. ;-) It’s so much red tape after we’ve obtained/been sent an ARC, read it, written a review, tried posting, and the big A decides they’re the only ones that can premarket or work with reviewers.