Kobo Store: Weird suggestions

DrRocco · 10-21-2021, 04:24 PM

I got an email from Kobo today with some interesting suggestions for my "next instant escape": HOUSE HAS GHOST 1998 and Threat Eliminating Device 1986.

Quote:

Synopsis
A ghost story book, written by Erica Sanchez Perez. Straying ghosts, taking care of the evil one, going into the pear family members's home, grandma of the pear family members, the pear family has a ghost, the trick of the spiritual place, devil, jealousy, everybody is crazy, struggle, doubts, exchange, gentleman, animosity.

HOUSE HAS GHOST 1998

Quote:

Synopsis
Viper in danger, rats like pizza, unusual death, satanic forces enter familiar houses, the deathly hallows, wisteria blood, wisteria's infant, the witch in bed, desire for yin and yang, delighted desires, happiest moment, one nian city satanic force, the behavior counselor, coffins for lovers, myla's undergarments, the dream of all of us, adversary's backpack, she is so attractive, i wish for a lifetime, with her Tieu Dao throughout the river lake.

Threat Eliminating Device 1986

I can't tell if these are badly translated actual books or random selections of phrases collected in book form by a bot farm. I'm used to ignoring a lot of Kobo's selected titles when they have sales but these ones seemed weird for them to prominently feature in a marketing email.

davidfor · 10-21-2021, 08:06 PM

It does look like something that has been automatically generated. The first one seems to starts OK, but, I think that is just a fluke with the phrases chosen. I had a look at the preview of it. It is more readable than the description is all I'll say.

The metadata for books is supplied by the publisher. And these look to be self-published, so it is probably the author. But, the description is so bad and the prices are high. I don't see how they think they will sell any copies. I wonder if they are available under Kobo Plus and are an attempt to game that system.

What sort of email was it in? Recommendations or new releases? Or part of a list with a promotion code? The first two will be using keywords to match you. For promotions, the author or publisher are asked if they want any books in the lists.

DrRocco · 10-21-2021, 08:55 PM

It was in a "90% off select titles" email with a code. I'm used to the "select titles" having a lot of self-published books that I have to scroll through when I look to see what their discount codes actually cover, but these to just seemed really strange to me. Like the thing with titles both ending with a year date, almost as if they were part of a series or something.

I didn't look at the previews before, but now that I do, they do look like actual books haphazardly translated, and with western pseudonyms slapped on for the authors.

I am intrigued by "Ian B. Smith's" other title, Oddity Female Detective.

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10-21-2021, 08:06 PM	#2
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	It does look like something that has been automatically generated. The first one seems to starts OK, but, I think that is just a fluke with the phrases chosen. I had a look at the preview of it. It is more readable than the description is all I'll say. The metadata for books is supplied by the publisher. And these look to be self-published, so it is probably the author. But, the description is so bad and the prices are high. I don't see how they think they will sell any copies. I wonder if they are available under Kobo Plus and are an attempt to game that system. What sort of email was it in? Recommendations or new releases? Or part of a list with a promotion code? The first two will be using keywords to match you. For promotions, the author or publisher are asked if they want any books in the lists.

10-21-2021, 08:55 PM	#3
DrRocco Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: California Device: Kobo Libra H2O	It was in a "90% off select titles" email with a code. I'm used to the "select titles" having a lot of self-published books that I have to scroll through when I look to see what their discount codes actually cover, but these to just seemed really strange to me. Like the thing with titles both ending with a year date, almost as if they were part of a series or something. I didn't look at the previews before, but now that I do, they do look like actual books haphazardly translated, and with western pseudonyms slapped on for the authors. I am intrigued by "Ian B. Smith's" other title, Oddity Female Detective.

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