Authors hit back at Amazon re: how readers’ returning of books is destroying authors’ profits

[Julie]

The Times & The Sunday Times

News and opinion from The Times & The Sunday Times

www.thetimes.co.uk

Hi, above is attached link from this morning’s Sunday Times; I hope it works. Interesting article.

 

[Hannah Faoileán]

They should pay the author at point of sale. Then, if the book is returned, pay the refund out of their own diamond-lined, trouser-length pockets.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

The writers have done the work, and it's art, entertainment, or education. No book returns. It's not like buying a faulty kettle.

 

[E G Logan]

I didn't even know you could do that.

I've bought one or two total woofers, and removed them from my Kindle, but it never would have occurred to me to 'send' them back. It's very poor... I don't know, manners, maybe. Sharp practice, greedy, grasping.

 

[Julie]

I have a hard time letting a book go once I’ve bought it, let alone read and return; the idea to even do that has never crossed my mind.

 

[E G Logan]

BTW, the Times/Sunday Times website is moving very slowly today and taking ages to load. I have a subscription so it shouldn't do that.

Also, using the Search facility, I couldn't locate this story. The screen just went blank and I gave up. It worked using the link from here, eventually.

 

[Dorm Ant]

Another reason why I wouldn't self publish.

 

[CageSage]

BTW, the Times/Sunday Times website is moving very slowly today and taking ages to load. I have a subscription so it shouldn't do that.

Also, using the Search facility, I couldn't locate this story. The screen just went blank and I gave up. It worked using the link from here, eventually.

Updates to Chrome cause that sort of thing until it's implemented. If you have Chrome, worth checking for updates.

 

[E G Logan]

Updates to Chrome cause that sort of thing until it's implemented. If you have Chrome, worth checking for updates.

Thank you. I am so Un-tech it's hard to believe.
I was using Safari on a Mac, but the point may be the same. Every time I do an update something unexpected effs up.

 

[E G Logan]

The writers have done the work, and it's art, entertainment, or education. No book returns. It's not like buying a faulty kettle.

I'm loving the look...!

 

[E G Logan]

Back to Amazon – the Society of Authors has weighed in. Not sure how much difference that'll make...

From The Bookseller today:

SoA calls on Amazon to cut e-books refund window as petition against policy passes 33,000​

The SoA "has called on Amazon to cut its e-books returns window to 48 hours, after the online retailer was criticised in an online petition signed by more than 33,000 people for offering refunds on e-books to customers" even if they have read them to the end.