Irate kindlers 1star carpet bomb Michael Connelly's new book

[GA Russell]

I have noticed the few instances of one-star price reviews I've seen that the books otherwise get five-star reviews.

It is very visible at the top of the list with the summary chart of reviews that there are five-star reviews and one-star reviews, but no two-, three- or four-star reviews.

So I imagine the interested buyer would take the time to read a few of each of the two types of reviews to see what is going on.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by jersysman

Still priced way to high for me. The magic number for a new ebook release for me is $9.99. I refuse to go any higher. I will not engage in a campaign where I lie about the rating, however. I will protest with my dollars, of which they do not get any until the price reaches my price point. The problem is, as I am sure has been stated here, is that most people will just go buy the ebook and grumble about the price afterward. That satisfies no one but the publishers.

Exactly!!

Originally Posted by GA Russell

I have noticed the few instances of one-star price reviews I've seen that the books otherwise get five-star reviews.

It is very visible at the top of the list with the summary chart of reviews that there are five-star reviews and one-star reviews, but no two-, three- or four-star reviews.

So I imagine the interested buyer would take the time to read a few of each of the two types of reviews to see what is going on.

Very true!

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by Catlady

So what? Anyone reading the review will immediately see that the reviewer was protesting a high price. What is so problematic about that?

For one, the overall star rating for a review is an average of all the reviews for a book, so that if you're seeing the book in a list of other books, the star rating you see doesn't have a review under it. It just has the average star rating. And even when you click through to a book, the first thing you see when you scroll down is a graphic of how many of each star reviews the book received. These create an impression of a book that is immediate and indelible. They're permanent marks against a book for what a) isn't the fault of the author (and thus, not the fault of the book), and b) is a temporary condition. The prices of all books go down eventually.

If someone's already read the book, I can understand a review that says, "I liked the book, but I think it was too expensive for what it was", and to detract from their star rating appropriately. But to give a book one star basically means, "This book sucks a**.", and I can't see how it's fair or ethical to make a judgment like that without even having read it. It's essentially trolling, but worse, because it damages the function of the system.

And I would add: If the one-star reviews are so harmless, what's the point? The whole point of the one-star reviews is to harm the book's sales, so to act as though the reviews are innocuous is kind of disingenuous.

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

I have noticed the few instances of one-star price reviews I've seen that the books otherwise get five-star reviews.

For those books that get 5-star reviews, that's great, but a lot of books get a mix. If you see a book with a bunch of one star reviews, a smattering of 3s and 4s, and a few 5 star reviews, what is your reaction? And that's assuming you even get to the page with the breakdowns.

It's true that the site shows an example of the best review and an example of the worst, but they're picked on the basis of how "helpful" they are, not on being representative of the group.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

And I would add: If the one-star reviews are so harmless, what's the point? The whole point of the one-star reviews is to harm the book's sales, so to act as though the reviews are innocuous is kind of disingenuous.

Never said they were harmless. They're intended to hurt--just like any form of public protest.

What's the point of, say, a picket line in front of a restaurant? To embarrass the ownership/management and keep away customers--to exert pressure on the powers-that-be. Hurt them enough, and they'll listen. Maybe.

[GA Russell]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

If you see a book with a bunch of one star reviews, a smattering of 3s and 4s, and a few 5 star reviews, what is your reaction?

Speaking for only myself, if a book gets too many 3s I give it a pass and buy something else. So the 1s don't matter!

[DiapDealer]

What's the point of, say, a picket line in front of a restaurant? To embarrass the ownership/management and keep away customers--to exert pressure on the powers-that-be. Hurt them enough, and they'll listen. Maybe.

Exactly.

Except in this case, you've chosen to set up your picket-line in a parking lot on the opposite side of town from the restaurant you're trying to "embarrass." Why? Because the owner of that parking lot lets you use his restroom--and even supplies free cardboard to make your signs...maybe passes out some hot chocolate if it gets chilly. It's comfy.

Move your picket-line across town where it belongs... on the publisher's doorstep.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Exactly.

Except in this case, you've chosen to set up your picket-line in a parking lot on the opposite side of town from the restaurant you're trying to "embarrass." Why? Because the owner of that parking lot lets you use his restroom--and even supplies free cardboard to make your signs...maybe passes out some hot chocolate if it gets chilly. It's comfy.

Move your picket-line across town where it belongs... on the publisher's doorstep.

There IS no doorstep that is available for public protest.

Letters are private. How else do you expect people to publicly protest except by reviews?

[pricecw]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

They're permanent marks against a book for what a) isn't the fault of the author (and thus, not the fault of the book), and

OK, I have seen this a number of times in this thread, trying to stay out of this, but this argument and the sentiment behind it is BS.

It is the author's fault. No publisher has any rights to an author's work, and can not do anything with that work without the author's explicit permission. So, this is 100% the author's fault. Maybe they had pressure, or greed, or just a desire to have their work published that had them sign away the ability to do this. Maybe they believe this is how it should be done, so had no problem signing away the ability to manage it. Either way, it is in the end their right, and their responsibility, and their fault it is done the way it is.

Now, wrt the 1-star review. Amazon has said it is a valid review. People are basically telling others to not use the system in a valid way, just so their life isn't made a little harder in sorting them. I'm sorry, but I have no sympathy for those who want others to change valid behavior so their life isn't a little more difficult, especially when the others are using social speech to try and change corporate (and potentially government) behavior.

--Carl

[Fbone]

Now people are adding 5-star reviews just to offset the 1-stars.

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by pricecw

It is the author's fault. No publisher has any rights to an author's work, and can not do anything with that work without the author's explicit permission. So, this is 100% the author's fault. Maybe they had pressure, or greed, or just a desire to have their work published that had them sign away the ability to do this. Maybe they believe this is how it should be done, so had no problem signing away the ability to manage it. Either way, it is in the end their right, and their responsibility, and their fault it is done the way it is.

Unless an author self-publishes, they don't set the price of the book. The publisher does. I know this because I know people who have written books and been published. A publishing house is going to price a book at what they think it'll sell for, and for the profit margin they want. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to stay in business. Yes, the author has to agree to the terms of the contract, but that doesn't mean the author knows the pricing of the book before they sign.

Originally Posted by pricecw

Now, wrt the 1-star review. Amazon has said it is a valid review. People are basically telling others to not use the system in a valid way, just so their life isn't made a little harder in sorting them. I'm sorry, but I have no sympathy for those who want others to change valid behavior so their life isn't a little more difficult, especially when the others are using social speech to try and change corporate (and potentially government) behavior.

--Carl

There's a difference between what's permissible and what is good or right. It's important not to confuse the two. While I won't argue that the one-star reviews based on price are impermissible on Amazon's site, that doesn't mean they're good for the system. They're not even intended to be good for the system. They're intended to subvert it. How can a "review" of a book that doesn't even address the book's content not subvert the system?

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Now people are adding 5-star reviews just to offset the 1-stars.

I actually considered doing this, but I think it would be hypocritical, and I don't want to add to the problem. It's not really my genre, either, so I don't think I'm going to read it, even when it drops to $10.

[Ken Irving]

So does lowering the ebook price to $12.99 come after the hardcover becomes a bestseller, or after poor slobs who don't know the rules have made the ebook a bestseller? Just curious.

[pricecw]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

Unless an author self-publishes, they don't set the price of the book. The publisher does. I know this because I know people who have written books and been published. A publishing house is going to price a book at what they think it'll sell for, and for the profit margin they want. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to stay in business. Yes, the author has to agree to the terms of the contract, but that doesn't mean the author knows the pricing of the book before they sign.

They don't know the price or set the relevant price, because authors, authors guilds, etc don't demand it. Authors, prior to signing away the contract, have all the rights the law allows, others can only gain those rights with the authors consent. So, some, if not most, authors go into it and will do and agree to whatever to get published, but I believe the consumers have the right to punish them if they so desire. Arguing that it is all the publisher is bad, because for the publisher to do anything, the author first has to grant them that ability. So, if the consumers (or a portion of them) want to punish them, then that is valid form of protest. And that is what protest is, letting others know about the issue.

Originally Posted by bhartman36

There's a difference between what's permissible and what is good or right. It's important not to confuse the two. While I won't argue that the one-star reviews based on price are impermissible on Amazon's site, that doesn't mean they're good for the system. They're not even intended to be good for the system. They're intended to subvert it. How can a "review" of a book that doesn't even address the book's content not subvert the system?

But it isn't subverting the process. It may not be what you want the system to be, but the system is set up to be able to review any portion of the potential purchase, from cover art, to price, to just having an author that is a jerk to their readers. Amazon says those are OK to rate on, and let others know about. It isn't a "traditional" book review, it is a product review. So, by Amazon's system, the ones that are truly trying to subvert the system are those that want to take the product review system Amazon has set in place and turn it into a content review only. If someone wants a traditional book review, there are a lot of good places to get that.

--Carl

[Ken Irving]

The FB post on MC's page says it goes to $12.99 after it becomes an ebook bestseller. Bit of a gyp for those who just can't wait it out.