Amazon and DRM changes

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by hleo12

And that sounds like a flawed system by Amazon. They shouldn't have implemented that in the first place if authors weren't getting paid.

It was implemented because people stuffed KU with all kinds of garbage otherwise. It's not a traditional library where books are bought in and carefully selected; it's mostly self-published stuff. How do you avoid fake books when authors are paid on per-book basis? Crooks stuffed KU with books filled with meaningless garbage after the first few pages and got their money. I still remember stumbling on a few of such fake books when browsing Amazon. They disappeared after the per-page system was introduced.

[slm]

Originally Posted by hleo12

And that sounds like a flawed system by Amazon. They shouldn't have implemented that in the first place if authors weren't getting paid.

We may be losing sight of the forest for the trees. We are a few trees, some of whom may be bypassing the reporting system by which KU authors get paid. Overall, however, this is a tiny percentage of the KU audience. So the system "works"--authors mostly get credited with most of the real pages read in their books.

[hleo12]

Originally Posted by slm

We may be losing sight of the forest for the trees. We are a few trees, some of whom may be bypassing the reporting system by which KU authors get paid. Overall, however, this is a tiny percentage of the KU audience. So the system "works"--authors mostly get credited with most of the real pages read in their books.

Originally Posted by Sirtel

It was implemented because people stuffed KU with all kinds of garbage otherwise. It's not a traditional library where books are bought in and carefully selected; it's mostly self-published stuff. How do you avoid fake books when authors are paid on per-book basis? Crooks stuffed KU with books filled with meaningless garbage after the first few pages and got their money. I still remember stumbling on a few of such fake books when browsing Amazon. They disappeared after the per-page system was introduced.

I was pertaining to the system where you can download KU books directly from Amazon's site. That's the system I was referring to as flawed. It shouldn't have been there in the first place.

I'm aware of the book scams people were implementing. Funnily enough, these past few weeks, I keep seeing instruction videos on youtube recs on how to "earn money" from KDP and KU. Most of them just scammy ideas like using AI to write you a novel.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by hleo12

I was pertaining to the system where you can download KU books directly from Amazon's site. That's the system I was referring to as flawed. It shouldn't have been there in the first place.

Yes, I agree with that. OTOH, I don't think many people were taking advantage of that, else no authors would have joined the KU pretty soon. As they still do, they must get money out of it, so most people probably use the system as it was meant to be used.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Unseen Entities

Do you have a source that details that? I'd like to check it out if so.

Not now, no. There was talk of it on here when they made the changes. I seem to remember there being a scam where you would click a link to the Table of Contents which would be at the back of a book to mark the entire book as read almost immediately after opening it.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by slm

We may be losing sight of the forest for the trees. We are a few trees, some of whom may be bypassing the reporting system by which KU authors get paid. Overall, however, this is a tiny percentage of the KU audience. So the system "works"--authors mostly get credited with most of the real pages read in their books.

Yeah, it obviously works overall or there wouldn't be so many indie authors sticking to exclusivity to get access to KU. Regardless of some opinions here, indie authors aren't all gullible fools doing hackwork.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by mitra1

https://www.bookrepublic.it/

https://www.feedbooks.com/# (i have some doubts, here i bought only a book years ago and website changed very much)

Added the first. If anyone can confirm the second uses ADE or is DRM-free, will add that.

[Quoth]

However, if you see a self-published/indie author's books offered on Kindle Unlimited, there's a good chance that they're using the KDP Select program, which offers higher royalties and listing on Kindle Unlimited in exchange for exclusivity.

Um, only for sales and only if the book is priced less than $2.99 approx. Borrows (& "free") pays less than sales even below $2.99 without KDP select (KU).

If you search for a book it makes no difference to visibility if on regular Kindle or KU. Amazon misleads people joining KDP as to the advantages of KDP Select. One real "advantage" is that you now can only offer for free on KDP Select (which is free to regular Amazon customers that have no KU sub), not on KDP, but then you can't offer it free anywhere else, not even your own website. Exclusive includes free.
Also on regular KDP (non-"KDP Select") the minimum is 99c. It seems only companies with commercial relationship outside of KDP can offer at less than 99c.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by slm

We may be losing sight of the forest for the trees. We are a few trees, some of whom may be bypassing the reporting system by which KU authors get paid. Overall, however, this is a tiny percentage of the KU audience. So the system "works"--authors mostly get credited with most of the real pages read in their books.

Yes, it works as Amazon intends. The remuneration for a completely read KU book is lower than a non-KU sale. It's based on a pot that Amazon decides on. Real sales (KDP rather than KU/KDP Select) are 30% for 99c to $2.98 and 70% for $2.99 up to some upper limit for most Amazon marketplaces.
Big publishers don't use KDP or KDP Select, so can be on KU (without exclusivity), but terms might be whatever the Publisher & Amazon agree.

[Bermudagirl]

Well, I'll be using pirate site from now on then. Most books cost $1.90. If the book isn't in their catalogue you can request it.
Once you buy a book it will be emailed to you in epub, mobi and pdf formats. You may have to wait a few hours to get it, but it's worth the wait.
I've been using it for years when an ebook in Amazon is particulary expensive.
Only once did I not get the version I wanted but it was no problem for them to get the correct one I wanted.

[fermin]

Originally Posted by Bermudagirl

Well, I'll be using pirate site from now on then. Most books cost $1.90. If the book isn't in their catalogue you can request it.

Is this site legit? Books are sent by email, and not from an address [redacted email] but from a gmail address.

[Bermudagirl]

Well I've been using pirate site for years and have never had any problems. After all you could try it for just $1.90 and see if it works for you.
I have recently got two books which were available as KU on Amazon.co.uk but couldn't do my usual convert to epub so I could keep them permanently. I now have the three formats with no DRM.

[DiapDealer]

Definitely not legit. You can't sell mainstream bestsellers as ebooks for that price legally. Their publishers won't allow it.

[jhowell]

Another sign they are not legitimate from their FAQ:

Do you accept book requests? How can I make book requests?

We accept book requests.
If you can't find the books you want on our site please contact us.
We will list the books which your request on our site.

[Deskisamess]

No way that site is legit.