[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.