Received: from nobody by stodi.digitalkingdom.org with local (Exim 4.92) (envelope-from ) id 1i3Ner-0006Jg-T1 for lojban-newreal@lojban.org; Thu, 29 Aug 2019 09:52:25 -0700 Received: from mail-3-191.rch001.net ([52.124.3.191]:58651 helo=mail-1-191.rch001.net) by stodi.digitalkingdom.org with esmtps (TLSv1.2:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:256) (Exim 4.92) (envelope-from ) id 1i3Neo-0006Iu-6R for Lojban@lojban.org; Thu, 29 Aug 2019 09:52:25 -0700 From: "Martin Foner" To: Reply-To: Subject: 50 Ways and Whys to Leave Amazon-Part Four X-BPS1: 7228831 Feedback-ID: 2346180:e3f358ff3e2f409298df36d6dac03a14:marketing:reachmail X-BPS2: 73291 Message-ID: List-Unsubscribe: , List-Unsubscribe-Post: List-Unsubscribe=One-Click X-Mailer: RM Mailer (v5.4.1008.0) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="=-V7cnV1xGP4A09a54Q7xE7A==" Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2019 11:52:22 -0500 X-Spam-Score: -1.9 (-) X-Spam_score: -1.9 X-Spam_score_int: -18 X-Spam_bar: - This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --=-V7cnV1xGP4A09a54Q7xE7A== Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Having trouble viewing this mail? Click here to view it in your browse= r. http://link.rm0004.net/v/R0WNvqvBN73ybCu8GJs9Xg2 Make sure that you always get our messages: Add mfoner@nplconsult.com = to your contacts. Click here to unsubscribe or update your email address. http://link.rm0004.net/subscription/?t=3DR0WNvqvBN73ybCu8GJs9Xg2 MARTIN FONER'S PUBLISHING NEWSLETTER Either You're Serious About Success in Publishing... Or You're Not Volume 24, Number 16 50 WAYS (AND WHYS) TO LEAVE AMAZON - PART FOUR (A Six Part Series on Publishing Success) Hi, Everyone... Another short newsletter focusing on the issue of the 800 pound elepha= nt in the room... AMAZON. Publishers say they can't live with them and= they can't live without them. I asked you to read this article in the last three issues. I know thou= sands of you did just that (happy that so many of you were so apprecia= tive and make my work worthwhile) and I applaud you! I strongly recomm= end you read it if you haven't, AND APPARENTLY A NUMBER OF THOUSANDS O= F YOU STILL HAVEN'T!, please re-read it before going on to the next pa= rt of the newsletter. Read This... Very Critical Read the latest Amazon crime blotter from the NY Times: http://link.rm= 0004.net/go/R0WNvpdDUbsCRrJg3ZQRyQ2/ http://link.rm0004.net/go/R0WNvpd= DUbsCRrJg3ZQRyQ2/ And from reader Nate Butler... this article about just how much can be= earned on Amazon before someone discovers you are selling fakes: http://link.rm0004.net/go/R0WNvpaQ_RzwYfDB2BcOAA2/ I won't bore you with all the articles from the last newsletter... suf= fice to say Amazon has issues. Even Consumers Report, the highly respe= cted consumer focused magazine around for years, has its issues with A= mazon (article repeated in full here): If you've ever come across an Amazon listing with a stellar 4- or 5-st= ar rating and wondered if it's legit, your instinct may be right. Consumer Reports' latest investigation has found that a loophole in Am= azon policy lets sellers hijack other company's positive ratings to bo= ost their own product's image. Here's how it works: An unscrupulous Am= azon seller finds well-reviewed products, scoops up those positive cus= tomer ratings, then dumps them under their own review section to boost= their star ratings. Maybe you've noticed it. You're looking at headphones, but the positiv= e reviews below include unrelated items such as dish soap, garbage bag= s, and vitamins. These hijacked reviews can even earn 1-star rated pro= ducts the coveted 'Amazon's Choice' label - tricking you into thinking= you're buying a well-reviewed product! This latest revelation adds to the growing concern that Amazon doesn't= have control over the quality and safety of many of the products sold= on its site. Just last month, Consumer Reports uncovered that various= bike helmets being sold on Amazon failed to meet federal safety stand= ards, and sellers only removed them after we contacted them. Consumers deserve truth, transparency, and safety in the marketplace. = Help us put the pressure on Amazon to change how it does business, and= together we can make a real difference! http://link.rm0004.net/go/R0WNvpDwErYbZkc-AmCNOw2/ http://link.rm0004.net/go/R0WNvpGRVB9Nz2-rEWqQeA2/ Below is an example of what our investigator found when searching for = an iPhone headphone adapter on Amazon. The product had more than 4,400= reviews, with an average rating of 4.3 stars. But when he looked at t= he individual reviews underneath, most were for completely different p= roducts, like this mug: Shortly after Consumer Reports contacted an Amazon rep about this, the= adapter listing had only 43 reviews, with an average of 1.6 stars. An= d it was no longer an 'Amazon's Choice' product. And we found a dozen = more products with similar hijacked reviews in just an afternoon of se= arching. This is a perfect moment when our consumer muscle can make a differenc= e in how a giant online company does business. Together, we can pressu= re Amazon to do more to fix these hijacked ratings, and demand real sa= feguards that protect our safety and security. http://link.rm0004.net/go/R0WNvpJ9-dURJV43HW3ZEA2/ The more consumers who know about this sketchy practice, the better ch= ance we have to stop it. Please forward this to anyone you know who bu= ys on Amazon, and let's change the marketplace for the better! Thank you, Omar HakimConsumer Reports Ok... so there is yet another investigation and complain system about = Amazon. I am sure you are getting the point after four newsletters. And just in case you STILL think Amazon is honorable... Amazon acquire= d Audible a year or two ago and is remaking it in its own image: http://link.rm0004.net/go/R0WNvpP-oZDxAOU2AZ2eBg2/ In the simplest terms, Amazon/Audible has decided to put the text of a= book on your phone so you can read while you listen. Let's not mentio= n that they don't have the RIGHT or RIGHTS to do that...but they simpl= y are going to do it, a la Google's famous program... "It is better to= ask forgiveness than permission". So, audio books are going to be out= unless the current legal issues resolve in real publishers' favor, an= d not Audible's sketchy argument at best. It is too bad, and I have a number of clients wanting to get into audi= o books, one of the strongest categories of sales for 2017, 2018, and = so far, 2019. But... looks like Amazon is not going to ask permission = or follow any contractual obligations, or anything like that... You are really going to have to find other ways top sell your books...= YES, REALLY! I will be covering a few more ways to leave Amazon and sell elsewhere.= .. read on. Of course, if you would prefer to 'skip ahead' and learn all about the= 50 ways to sell outside Amazon, in a comprehensive, methodical, and p= rofitable way, I am available to consult, advise, work with, or do the= promoting for you for your title/s or entire publishing company. Purs= ue a discussion confidentially? Questions? Contact me at mailto:mfoner@nplconsult.com . *=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0 * WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? WHAT IS GOING ON IN BUSINESS AND SOCIETY IN GEN= ERAL THAT MAKES EVERYONE FLOUT THE RULES, THE LAW, AND DO WHATEVER THE= HELL THEY WANT? I have a number of theories, but the most obvious and most prevalent s= tarts with the example our fearless leader sets for the country. The article in the last newsletter suggesting you might have to leave = the country on short notice and how to prepare... I got ZERO complaint= s or objections as I might normally about my supposed paranoid state. = It finally hit home. People understand that things are not right and t= hey must be flexible and light on their feet. Ok, moving on. It appears that the head of our government, the rest of the government= , the Senate, and Cabinet...have ALL adopted this "I am going to do as= I see fit, legal or not, sue me if you want" attitude. This trickles = down quickly to large companies. Soon, smaller companies, individuals,= local government, police departments, and the like. My only point is this... if you are in business and expect certain 'no= rms' to be maintained from 'olden times'... forget it! Expect to have = to fight for every inch... and that people who don't want to pay, or d= on't want to perform, or simply don't want to... will do as they see f= it and offer you the chance to sue them. Bankruptcy is no longer a black mark...in fact our leader has FOUR of = them and the fact he does is actually revered by his base and voters. = Go figure how far we have changed. So, expect anyone who owes you mone= y, WILL go bankrupt on you. Just some thoughts on why things seem to be the way they are. TWO MORE WAYS TO LEAVE AMAZON On your or your author's website Your author doesn't HAVE a website, or even a webpage? Well, you have = some work to do and pronto. And YOU don't have a section on your site one page for each author, at= minimum? Even more work to do! Assume you or your staff will have to keep up both sites on a weekly b= asis. On your or your author's Facebook page Your author doesn't HAVE a Facebook page? Really? This is getting redu= ndant. And YOU don't have one either? Really? Some reason for it? Facebook de= ems you too political and has cancelled your page? I can't think of an= y other reason. Again, at least assume you or your staff will have to keep up both sit= es on a weekly basis. You already get the point here. If you want to create a following, you= have to build it. If you want readers to become more engaged with you= r authors, then let your authors engage with their readers. And should= you? Of course! Nothing to lose, small investment in site building, a= nd everything to gain. And yes, your author should have his or her own "space", both within y= ours and within their own.... And they should cross reference and cros= s link. Because?... because the Publisher's page will stick to the boo= ks, to the interviews about the books, and discuss the books. The Auth= or's own page will talk about the author...personal, unfiltered, not s= o promotional but more of getting to know the author in depth. Video or podcast interviews about the book and the author Should be on both the Publisher's and Author's sites. Short video for = the Publisher site and longer video for the Author site. Cross link th= em. They should be done often... once a month for the Publisher even if th= is means doing five minutes or five questions a month. Maybe once ever= y three months for the Author but longer, maybe 20-30 minutes. Spread the word about the author's availability...particularly if you = are going to do a monthly podcast live answering questions. Or even if= you are going to do the weekly video post on Friday afternoon...let e= very one know about it. Sales come from the strangest places. And remember, you shouldn't have to coax your author into cooperating.= ..it should have been in their contract from day one. Let me know if you have any other questions on author cooperation. Ema= il me at mfoner@nplconsult.com=C2=A0 mailto:mfoner@nplconsult.com *=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2= =A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0= * Ok, enough for this short newsletter. Stay tuned for my next newslette= r and Part Four of this informative series. If I may be of service or = lead your efforts to selling lots of books and creating profits, pleas= e contact me confidentially at mailto:mfoner@nplconsult.com . If you want to be removed from this mailing list, simply either click = on the link in the newsletter footer, or send me an email with the wor= d DELETE, and it will be done. Thanks. Copyright Martin Foner, NPL Publishing Consultants, a division of Prof= essional Publishers Group Corporation. 2019.=C2=A0=C2=A0 mailto:mfoner= @nplconsult.com Professional Publishers Group Corporation NPL Publishing Consultants Post Office Box 1010=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Ventura=C2=A0 CA=C2=A0 93002 800-501-6431 x3=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 mailto:mfoner@nplconsult.com http://link.rm0004.net/go/R0WNvpxTB8vd37AePV0FxQ2/ This email is being sent to Lojban@lojban.org. Use this link to be deleted or to update your email address http://link.rm0004.net/subscription/?t=3DR0WNvqvBN73ybCu8GJs9Xg2 This message was sent by NPL PUBLISHING CONSULTANTS, a Division of Pro= fessional Publishers Group Corporation | POST OFFICE BOX 1010 | VENT= URA, CA 93002 --=-V7cnV1xGP4A09a54Q7xE7A== Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
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Having trouble viewing=20 this mail? C= lick here to view it in your browser.
Make sure that you always= get our messages: Add mfoner@nplconsult.com to your contacts.

= Click here to = unsubscribe or update your email address.
3D""

=  

= MARTIN FONER’S PUBLISHING NEWSLETTER

= Either You’re Serious About Success in Publishing= … Or You’re Not

= Volume 2= 4, Number 16

=  

= 50 WAYS (AND WHYS) TO LEAVE AMAZON – PART FOUR

= (A Six Part Seri= es on Publishing Success)

=  

Hi, Everyone…

Another short newsletter focusing on the issue of the 800 pound= elephant in the room… AMAZON. Publishers say = they can’t live with them and they can’t live without them= .

I asked you to read this article in the last three issues. I kn= ow thousands of you did just that (happy that so many of you were so a= ppreciative and make my work worthwhile) and I applaud you! I strongly= recommend you read it if you haven’t, AND APPARENTLY A = NUMBER OF THOUSANDS OF YOU STILL HAVEN’T!, please re-re= ad it before going on to the next part of the newsletter.

 

Read This… Very Critical

Read the latest Amazon crime blotter from the NY Times: = https://www.nytimes.com= /2019/06/23/technology/amazon-domination-bookstore-books.html

 

And from reader Nate Butler… this article about just how= much can be earned on Amazon before someone discovers you are selling= fakes:

https://www.christianitytoday.com/n= ews/2019/july/amazon-counterfeit-ivp-tish-harrison-warren-liturgy-ordi= nar.html

 

I won’t bore you with all the articles from the last news= letter… suffice to say Amazon has issues. Even Consumers Report= , the highly respected consumer focused magazine around for years, has= its issues with Amazon (article repeated in full here):

If you’ve ever come across an Amazon listing with a stellar = 4- or 5-star rating and wondered if it’s legit, your instinct ma= y be right.

Consumer Reports’ latest investigation has found tha= t a loophole in Amazon policy lets sellers hijack other company’= s positive ratings to boost their own product’s image. Here’s how it works: An unscrupulous= Amazon seller finds well-reviewed products, scoops up those positive = customer ratings, then dumps them under their own review section to bo= ost their star ratings.

Maybe you’ve noticed it. You’re looking at headphones,= but the positive reviews below include unrelated items such as dish s= oap, garbage bags, and vitamins. These hijacked reviews can even earn = 1-star rated products the coveted ‘Amazon’s Choice’ = label – tricking you into thinking you’re buying a well-re= viewed product!

This latest revelation adds to the growing concern that Am= azon doesn't have control over the quality and safety of many of the p= roducts sold on its site. Just la= st month, Consumer Reports uncovered that various bike helmets being s= old on Amazon failed to meet federal safety standards, and sellers onl= y removed them after we contacted them.

Consumers deserve truth, transparency, and safety in the marketpla= ce. Help us put the pressure on Amazon to change how it does business,= and together we can make a real difference!

First, tell Amazon CEO Jeff = Bezos to take action to stop these hijacked reviews. <= /a>

Then, if you’ve seen t= hese hijacked product reviews on Amazon, tell us about the product her= e so we can work together to take them down.

Below is an example of what our investigator found when searching = for an iPhone headphone adapter on Amazon. The product had more than 4= ,400 reviews, with an average rating of 4.3 stars. But when he looked = at the individual reviews underneath, most were for completely differe= nt products, like this mug:

Shortly after Consumer Reports contacted an Amazon rep about this,= the adapter listing had only 43 reviews, with an average of 1.6 stars= . And it was no longer an ‘Amazon’s Choice’ product.= And we found a dozen more products with similar hijacked reviews in j= ust an afternoon of searching.

This is a perfect moment when our consumer muscle can make= a difference in how a giant online company does business. Together, we can pressure Amazon to do more = to fix these hijacked ratings, and demand real safeguards that protect= our safety and security.

Send a quick message to Jeff= Bezos that you want action now.

=  

The more consumers who kn= ow about this sketchy practice, the better chance we have to stop it. = Please forward this to anyone you know who= buys on Amazon, and let’s change the marketplace for the better= !

Thank you,

Omar Hakim
Consumer Reports

 

Ok… so there is yet another investigation and complain s= ystem about Amazon. I am sure you are getting the point after four new= sletters.

 

And just in case you STILL think Amazon is honorable… Am= azon acquired Audible a year or two ago and is remaking it in its own = image:

= https://www.publ= ishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/audio-books/article/80722-a= udible-s-captions-program-stirs-copyright-fears-in-lit-community.html<= /span>

In the simplest terms, Amazon/Audible ha= s decided to put the text of a book on your phone so you can read whil= e you listen. Let’s not mention that they don’t have the R= IGHT or RIGHTS to do that…but they simply are going to do it, a= la Google’s famous program… “It is better to ask f= orgiveness than permission”. So, audio books are going to be out= unless the current legal issues resolve in real publishers’ fav= or, and not Audible’s sketchy argument at best.

It is too bad, and I have a number of clients wanting to get in= to audio books, one of the strongest categories of sales for 2017, 201= 8, and so far, 2019. But… looks like Amazon is not going to ask= permission or follow any contractual obligations, or anything like th= at…

You are really going to have to find other ways top sell your b= ooks… YES, REALLY!

I will be covering a few more ways to leave Amazon and sell els= ewhere… read on.

Of course, if you would prefer to ‘skip ahead’ and = learn all about the 50 ways to sell outside Amazon, in a comprehensive= , methodical, and profitable way, I am available to consult, advise, w= ork with, or do the promoting for you for your title/s or entire publi= shing company. Pursue a discussion confidentially? Questions?

Contact me at <= span style=3D"font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">mfoner@nplconsult= .com = .

 &n= bsp;           =       *           &= nbsp;           = ;   *

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? WHAT IS GOING ON IN BUSINESS AND= SOCIETY IN GENERAL THAT MAKES EVERYONE FLOUT THE RULES, THE LAW, AND = DO WHATEVER THE HELL THEY WANT?

 

I have a number of theories, but the most obvious and most prev= alent starts with the example our fearless leader sets for the country= .

The article in the last newsletter suggesting you might have to= leave the country on short notice and how to prepare… I got ZE= RO complaints or objections as I might normally about my supposed para= noid state. It finally hit home. People understand that things are not= right and they must be flexible and light on their feet. Ok, moving o= n.

It appears that the head of our government, the rest of the gov= ernment, the Senate, and Cabinet…have ALL adopted this “I= am going to do as I see fit, legal or not, sue me if you want” = attitude. This trickles down quickly to large companies. Soon, smaller= companies, individuals, local government, police departments, and the= like.

My only point is this… if you are in business and expect= certain ‘norms’ to be maintained from ‘olden times&= rsquo;… forget it! Expect to have to fight for every inch&helli= p; and that people who don’t want to pay, or don’t want to= perform, or simply don’t want to… will do as they see fi= t and offer you the chance to sue them.

Bankruptcy is no longer a black mark…in fact our leader = has FOUR of them and the fact he does is actually revered by his base = and voters. Go figure how far we have changed. So, expect anyone who o= wes you money, WILL go bankrupt on you.

Just some thoughts on why things seem to be the way they are.

 

= TWO MORE= WAYS TO LEAVE AMAZON

=  

On your or your author’s website<= /p>

Your author doesn’t HAVE a website, or even a webpage? We= ll, you have some work to do and pronto.

And YOU don’t have a section on your site one page for ea= ch author, at minimum? Even more work to do!

Assume you or your staff will have to keep up both sites on a w= eekly basis.

 

On your or your author’s Facebook page

Your author doesn’t HAVE a Facebook page? Really? This is= getting redundant.

And YOU don’t have one either? Really? Some reason for it= ? Facebook deems you too political and has cancelled your page? I can&= rsquo;t think of any other reason.

Again, at least assume you or your staff will have to keep up b= oth sites on a weekly basis.

 

You already get the point here. If you want to create a followi= ng, you have to build it. If you want readers to become more engaged w= ith your authors, then let your authors engage with their readers. And= should you? Of course! Nothing to lose, small investment in site buil= ding, and everything to gain.

And yes, your author should have his or her own “space&rd= quo;, both within yours and within their own…. And they should = cross reference and cross link. Because?... because the Publisher&rsqu= o;s page will stick to the books, to the interviews about the books, a= nd discuss the books. The Author’s own page will talk about the = author…personal, unfiltered, not so promotional but more of get= ting to know the author in depth.

 

Video or podcast interviews about the book and the auth= or

Should be on both the Publisher’s and Author’s site= s. Short video for the Publisher site and longer video for the Author = site. Cross link them.

They should be done often… once a month for the Publishe= r even if this means doing five minutes or five questions a month. May= be once every three months for the Author but longer, maybe 20-30 minu= tes.

 

Spread the word about the author’s availability…pa= rticularly if you are going to do a monthly podcast live answering que= stions. Or even if you are going to do the weekly video post on Friday= afternoon…let every one know about it. Sales come from the str= angest places.

 

And remember, you shouldn’t have to coax your author into= cooperating…it should have been in their contract from day one= .

 

Let me know if you have any other questions on author cooperati= on. Email me at mfoner@nplcon= sult.com 

=  

=  

 

     = ;           &nb= sp;            =            *        &nbs= p;                *      &n= bsp; 

Ok, enough for this short newsletter. Stay tuned for my next ne= wsletter and Part Four of this informative series. If I may be of serv= ice or lead your efforts to selling lots of books and creating profits= , please contact me confidentially at = mfoner@nplconsult.com.

If you want to be removed from this mailing list, simply = either click on the link in the newsletter footer, or send me an email= with the word DELETE, and it will be done. Thanks.

 

© Martin Foner, NPL Publishing Cons= ultants, a division of Professional Publishers Group Corporation. 2019= .   mfoner@nplconsult.com<= /a>

 

Professional Publishers Group Corporation

NPL Publishing Consultants

Post Office Box 1010 &n= bsp;  Ventura  CA  93002

800-501-6431 x3  &= nbsp; mfoner@nplconsult.com  

= www.ppgcpublishers.com   = www.nplc= onsult.com  <= span style=3D"font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">        


This email is being sent to Lojban@loj= ban.org.

Use this link to be del= eted or to update your email address


This messag= e was sent by NPL PUBLISHING CONSULTANTS, a Division of Professional P= ublishers Group Corporation | POST OFFICE BOX 1010 | VENTURA, CA 930= 02


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