Can someone explain amazon?

Brad Chambers · 01-31-2011, 07:14 AM

I just listed a book on amazon for the first time. My description didn't show up. I can't figure out how to get to the place on their site to make sure my description didn't get accidentally deleted. Their site is very confusing to navigate.Or maybe I'm just dense. Anyway can someone please help me?

DMSmillie · 01-31-2011, 09:52 AM

It can take a few days for all of the information about a book to populate the book's listing page on the Amazon website, Brad. The title and author info goes up first, but often the price and description take a day or two to go up. Give it a few days, and if the description still hasn't shown up, contact kdp-support@amazon.com (I'm assuming you self-published the book via Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) website?).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Chambers

I can't figure out how to get to the place on their site to make sure my description didn't get accidentally deleted. Their site is very confusing to navigate.

When you say "their site", do you mean the KDP website?

If you do, go to http://kdp.amazon.com and log in using the Amazon account you used to publish the book. You should be taken direct to your KDP Bookshelf - if you aren't, simply click on the "Bookshelf" link at the top of the page. Your Bookshelf page will list the books you've set up there for publishing. You can check the status of each book:

Draft = some or all of the info has been entered, but you haven't yet set the book to publish on the Amazon website.

Ready = all of the info has been entered, but you haven't yet set the book to publish on the Amazon website.

In Review = all of the info has been entered, and you've clicked on "Save and Publish" to start the process of publishing the book on the Amazon website. For the first day or two, the book will be "in review". The book will be greyed out on your Bookshelf page, so no further changes can be made to it during this time.

Publishing = the book has passed the review stage, and is now being published. It will still be greyed out on your Bookshelf page, and will probably be in this stage for 2-3 days.

Live = the book's listing page on the Amazon website is now live, but the system might still be in the process of transferring all of the information across to the live page (most likely the stage your book is currently at). The book will no longer be greyed out on your Bookshelf page, so changes can be made, if required (though highly advisable to try and avoid the need to make changes except when publishing a revised edition).

To the right of each book listed on the Bookshelf page, there should be an "Actions" button (on some setups, you might have to scroll to the right to see it). If the book isn't greyed out, you can click on that and select "Edit Details" to check (and if necessary amend) the info that is recorded for that book. From the detail page you can simply return to the main Bookshelf page. Note that if you change any of the info, and click on "Save and Publish", the book will go through the whole "Publishing" cycle again, and be greyed out once more while the new info is processed. If it's already live on the Amazon website, though, it'll remain available there while the new info is processed and transferred over to the live page. As with the initial publication, that process can take a few days to complete.

I hope that all helps a bit. You'll find the Community Forums on the KDP website are really good for getting help and advice from other users on any problems you encounter while publishing via Amazon's KDP interface.

neilmarr · 01-31-2011, 10:19 AM

Amazon's is a pretty neat and nifty system. One thing I've noticed, though, is that when a title goes live, it's often a few extra days before cover image kicks in and shows on site. Good luck, Brad. Best wishes. Neil

Mayzshon · 01-31-2011, 11:19 AM

Check the Amazon UK site. For some reason the product description shows up there before it does the US site.

On my book, there was almost a week's difference. In the meantime I just posted the description in the review section.

Brad Chambers · 01-31-2011, 01:54 PM

Thanks for the help everyone. Things are greyed out so that explains it. Thats why I was confused. I could go to my bookshelf but could do nothing from there. Thanks again.

DMSmillie · 01-31-2011, 03:00 PM

Ahhh... that explains it, yes. The "greying out" confuses a lot of people at first - you're certainly not alone there.

Hopefully you should see the book's description appear on its Amazon page within the next few days.

Congratulations on publishing your first Kindle ebook!

Brad Chambers · 01-31-2011, 03:59 PM

Thanks

G J Lau · 02-01-2011, 08:57 PM

Just submitted a novel to Amazon's KDP. I thought it was pretty slick except I think you have to be pretty savvy about file formats. I uploaded it in mobi format, and it seemed to go okay. Guess I will see soon enough.

This thread helped me get a sense of what to expect. Appreciate that. Love this forum.

01-31-2011, 07:14 AM	#1
Brad Chambers Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 514012 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle	Can someone explain amazon? I just listed a book on amazon for the first time. My description didn't show up. I can't figure out how to get to the place on their site to make sure my description didn't get accidentally deleted. Their site is very confusing to navigate.Or maybe I'm just dense. Anyway can someone please help me?

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01-31-2011, 10:19 AM	#3
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Amazon's is a pretty neat and nifty system. One thing I've noticed, though, is that when a title goes live, it's often a few extra days before cover image kicks in and shows on site. Good luck, Brad. Best wishes. Neil

01-31-2011, 11:19 AM	#4
Mayzshon Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 490480 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: North Carolina Device: Kindle	Check the Amazon UK site. For some reason the product description shows up there before it does the US site. On my book, there was almost a week's difference. In the meantime I just posted the description in the review section.

01-31-2011, 01:54 PM	#5
Brad Chambers Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 514012 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle	Thanks for the help everyone. Things are greyed out so that explains it. Thats why I was confused. I could go to my bookshelf but could do nothing from there. Thanks again.

01-31-2011, 03:00 PM	#6
DMSmillie Enquiring Mind Posts: 562 Karma: 42350 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: London, UK Device: Kindle 3 (WiFi)	Ahhh... that explains it, yes. The "greying out" confuses a lot of people at first - you're certainly not alone there. Hopefully you should see the book's description appear on its Amazon page within the next few days. Congratulations on publishing your first Kindle ebook!

01-31-2011, 03:59 PM	#7
Brad Chambers Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 514012 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle	Thanks

02-01-2011, 08:57 PM	#8
G J Lau Zealot Posts: 126 Karma: 415116 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Frederick MD Device: Nook	Just submitted a novel to Amazon's KDP. I thought it was pretty slick except I think you have to be pretty savvy about file formats. I uploaded it in mobi format, and it seemed to go okay. Guess I will see soon enough. This thread helped me get a sense of what to expect. Appreciate that. Love this forum.

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