Barriers to Purchasing Books on Smashwords

[ChuckMiceli]

Are any other authors on Smashwords having this problem? This e-mail is typical of issues I was dealing with throughout the day yesterday:

"Chuck, I’ve tried very hard to get your book, but have to give up. More than once, I’ve tried to set up an account, but it never goes through. Last time I thought it had and I was supposed to get an email within 5 or 10 minutes – never happened. I try to log in, but no luck. If you find a way to make it work, I’d love to purchase the book for my Kindle."

Several issues seem to discourage people from purchasing books on Smashwords. Some are minor; some quiet significant. They include the following:

1. Having to join Smashwords in order to make a purchase. Some people have voiced the concern that having to join seems like overkill, just in order to buy a book.
2. Having to fill out the same information as the authors and publishers. Even if there is sufficient need for Smashwords to require people to join in order to make a purchase, what is the rational for asking buyers to submit a screen name? These people want to buy books, not write them.
3. Verification Bugs. The most significant problem is that once a purchaser has met the requirements above, if the verification process doesn't function properly (as the woman above and others have voiced) there is no way to correct the problem. They are simply blocked from accessing the purchase function. (I noticed that on the MobileReader site, if the verification e-mail doesn't work properly, options for completing the process are offered.)

I have written to Smashwords to alert them to these issues and I am awaiting their response. My experience thus far is that may take some time. In the interim, have any of you experienced and resolved these same issues? If so, please share how.

[teh603]

Just a note, having to "join" a site is par for the course. All e-commerce sites at least require you to set up an account on their website before you can buy anything.

[rhadin]

One reason why Smashwords asks you to join (I'm a book buyer, not a writer) is so that it can retain your purchases for future download in a library. Without an account, once you bought a book, you would be able to download it once; with an account, you can download it multiple times in multiple formats.

Also, the account lets you set up a wish list.

And with the account, you avoid paying for a book twice. When you return to Smashwords a month later and browse for books to buy, if you select a book that you have already purchased, Smashwords tells you that you already own it and that it is in your library for redownloading.

[VydorScope]

I have not heard any complaints like that... but if a reader had that problem I could point them to Amazon, B&N, etc to get the ebook form instead. Smashwords' retail store is by far its weakest offering, and I really wish they would higher a couple-few decent web developers to build them a store front. As a developer myself, I know it would not be that hard if they put 1-2 people on it, and used some free/inexpensive tools to build from. Take a while, maybe 6-12 months to release something and mature it, but it should be done.

Personally I think the deal is Smashwords real focus is on publishing and not selling. That is they want to position themselves as the way to get indy books into Amazon/B&N/etc... not as a the place to go and buy books. I have no information to back up that hunch... but that appears to be their focus to me. If I am right, then pretty much expect the store to stay as is... potentially expect to see a culling of "garbage" books in the future once their position is secure enough to risk the bad press. Again, I am just making this up based on what it appears. I could be way off... but their store front really sucks.

[jehane]

I'm not aware of any publishers or bookstores that allow you to buy without first creating an account, so Smashwords is not at all out of the ordinary there. You can't download even freebies from Smashwords/Amazon/B&N/Kobo/anywhere without first joining up.

Having a screen name is useful for reviews. If you want to write reviews but don't want to put your real name there for all and sundry to see, then a screen name vs real name is good.

As a reader and buyer, I have no problem with Smashwords' site - I find it easy to navigate and it has a good shopping cart.

[altworld]

I don't think I can add anything here that hasn't already been said. The verification bug may be caused by Smashwords recovering from the site outage at that third party server host. I think it even killed Meatgrinder for awhile.

If there were problems you could of pointed your Reader to the book on Amazon, B&N, Kobo etc... Sadly you wont find one eBook selling service that doesn't make you sign up, and fill out a profile to get your book, this is pretty typical

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by jehane

I'm not aware of any publishers or bookstores that allow you to buy without first creating an account, so Smashwords is not at all out of the ordinary there. You can't download even freebies from Smashwords/Amazon/B&N/Kobo/anywhere without first joining up.

Amazon requires you to have a recognized Amazon device or software, such as KindlePC, whether you want it or not.

[Gardenman]

I am not writer. I buy books on Smashwords. Many ecommerce sites let someone buy as a guest - no account required. There is no reason Smashwords could not do the same.

ChuckMiceli you are lucky you fans can contact you on Smashwords. I have been trying to contact an author on smashwords and cannot find any way to do that.

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by Gardenman

I am not writer. I buy books on Smashwords. Many ecommerce sites let someone buy as a guest - no account required. There is no reason Smashwords could not do the same.

ChuckMiceli you are lucky you fans can contact you on Smashwords. I have been trying to contact an author on smashwords and cannot find any way to do that.

That is up to each author. For example if you look at mine you will see I provide my twitter and my website. So if anyone wanted to contact me they have 2 what I feel like are easy ways. Smashwords does not give any built in way to do talk to the authors. So if you cant find a way to reach the author, its really the author's fault not Smashwords.

[Gardenman]

Thank you VydorScope for the info. I am going to try your book, Lost Tales of Power: Volume One: The Enemy of an Enemy. It might take me a while to get it read. I will let you know what I think of it.

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by Gardenman

Thank you VydorScope for the info. I am going to try your book, Lost Tales of Power: Volume One: The Enemy of an Enemy. It might take me a while to get it read. I will let you know what I think of it.

Thanks, I really hope you enjoy your time in my world.

[ChuckMiceli]

Originally Posted by teh603

Just a note, having to "join" a site is par for the course. All e-commerce sites at least require you to set up an account on their website before you can buy anything.

I agree. My issue probably had more to do with the method of doing so on Smashwords. Other sites seem much easier.

[ChuckMiceli]

Originally Posted by rhadin

One reason why Smashwords asks you to join (I'm a book buyer, not a writer) is so that it can retain your purchases for future download in a library. Without an account, once you bought a book, you would be able to download it once; with an account, you can download it multiple times in multiple formats.

Also, the account lets you set up a wish list.

And with the account, you avoid paying for a book twice. When you return to Smashwords a month later and browse for books to buy, if you select a book that you have already purchased, Smashwords tells you that you already own it and that it is in your library for redownloading.

Your comments makes a lot of sense. I'll pass it along to my readers if they question the requirement.

[ChuckMiceli]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

I have not heard any complaints like that... but if a reader had that problem I could point them to Amazon, B&N, etc to get the ebook form instead. Smashwords' retail store is by far its weakest offering, and I really wish they would higher a couple-few decent web developers to build them a store front. As a developer myself, I know it would not be that hard if they put 1-2 people on it, and used some free/inexpensive tools to build from. Take a while, maybe 6-12 months to release something and mature it, but it should be done.

Personally I think the deal is Smashwords real focus is on publishing and not selling. That is they want to position themselves as the way to get indy books into Amazon/B&N/etc... not as a the place to go and buy books. I have no information to back up that hunch... but that appears to be their focus to me. If I am right, then pretty much expect the store to stay as is... potentially expect to see a culling of "garbage" books in the future once their position is secure enough to risk the bad press. Again, I am just making this up based on what it appears. I could be way off... but their store front really sucks.

You've captured my concern very well. While I am critical of Smashword's book purchase structure, I am very appreciative of the resources they make available to Indy authors. It would be a shame if they limited themselves (and us) by providing a cumbersome purchasing interface when the publishing side of the business is so robust.

I would not discount the power of the purchasing side of the business, however. A 30% income on the sale of books from thousands of authors to potentially millions of readers could be very lucrative for them. I think the investment of resources to improve the purchase experience would pay off handsomly for all.

Thanks,

Chuck Miceli
Author, Amanda's Room

[ChuckMiceli]

Originally Posted by jehane

I'm not aware of any publishers or bookstores that allow you to buy without first creating an account, so Smashwords is not at all out of the ordinary there. You can't download even freebies from Smashwords/Amazon/B&N/Kobo/anywhere without first joining up.

Having a screen name is useful for reviews. If you want to write reviews but don't want to put your real name there for all and sundry to see, then a screen name vs real name is good.

As a reader and buyer, I have no problem with Smashwords' site - I find it easy to navigate and it has a good shopping cart.

Thank you for your feedback. After thinking about your comment re. screen name, it seemed to me that the time for Smashwords to offer this might be when you make the decision to write a review. That way, you meet the reviewer's needs to remain private without requiring people who just want to buy the book to go through extra steps.

I'm hoping my readers have the same experience on Smashword's site as you do. Unfortunately, from the e-mails I am still receiving, that is not the case.

Thank you,

Chuck Miceli
Author, Amanda's Room