Like many small publishers, periodically I spot check Amazon's listings of my books. Periodically, like many small publishers, I get a headache while checking Amazon's listings of books.
Normally, I'ld add links to the offending listings but there are too many to list. As of late, Amazon has been listing titles printed through Lightning Source/Ingram as Out Of Stock, Delivery in 1-3 weeks and variations on the same. I suspect the same is true for drop shipped books from Baker & Taylor. Oh, but not for drop shipped books from CreateSpace, the Amazon owned POD printer. For more details, read this blog post.
Then there is the Amazon habit of pulling descriptions and even covers from one title and displaying them on titles published by other companies or even by Marketplace sellers offering original copies of reprinted books. Lately I've been discovering my copyright protected covers popping up on books not of my production. Same goes for the Bowker ISBN descriptions I created.
Even Kindle is getting away with murder. More and more I see Kindle versions of books offered under the listing of a given title when the publisher does not have a Kindle version.
In reviewing my Lightning Source monthly tallies, the June and July numbers have slackened off. Which, funny though it is not, coincides with Amazon's decision to change it's policies, if policies you can call them. I strongly suspect that Amazon wants publishers and booksellers to use it's FBA (Fulfillment By Amazon) service, from which they make more bucks from the hard working backs of the proletariat. Which would mean paying for the books to be shipped to me, then shipping them to Amazon Fulfillment, doubling the shipping costs.
So what's a guy to do? Follow the Plan B scenario as discussed in the aforementioned blog link? Or plan C, which I call the Survivalist Publisher: Stop using any distribution service and sell only through your own website. Many publishers and authors run Plan C with success.
True, I could go with Plan C. I rejected Plan 9 as it has already been done by Hollywood. Although, I am considering Plan 9 as a last ditch solution. I could switch to all Paypal, all the time. Fulfill orders through my Lightning Source publisher's drop ship service or even stock the books and mail them by hand.
Contacting Amazon publisher's service is next to impossible. Getting an answer from them is even more impossible. Don't even think about it.
Till next (in whatever format Next is), Gary
