News Thoughts on this?

[Jake E]

Just read this:

Apparently, there's a new tiktok trend where people buy digital books and return them within 7 days for a refund. Costing authors money.

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Diabolical behaviour if you ask me.

J

 

[Serra K]

This is disgusting behaviour. I really feel for the authors who have been affected by this. The return policy needs to be either changed, perhaps reducing the turnaround period to, say, 24 hours, or completely annihilated.

 

[Bloo]

People suck.

Ammie can tell how far you've read or listened. They should use that info to make decisions on returns.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Nice. TikTok is operating a thieves lending library. It really is a nest of every kind of vileness.

 

[Ancora Imparo]

This has been going on for a while, sadly. Lots of authors have complained to Amazon, big names and small. But thieves (I agree, Katie-Ellen, that's what they are) on TikTok and Amazon spread the word on how to Read&Return... yes, authors being shafted yet again. Amazon is doing nothing to stop these thefts. TikTok is doing nothing either. Very depressing.

 

[Pamela Jo]

People suck.

Ammie can tell how far you've read or listened. They should use that info to make decisions on returns.

Does this go for audible?

 

[Pamela Jo]

This calls for a Freak Economics solution. Maybe instead of a return-you get it for free. But you have to keep it, clogging up your mb's. I could see giving a return possibility within an hour of opening it. I've taken a chance on books that I regretted after listening for 15 minutes. This calls for the riff on giving books for free I think. Fiendishly clever economics. Like the story of the writer who was bothered by kids playing in his yard. He called them to the door and said he loved the sound of their happy voices and he would pay them 50 c and hour to entertain hm. Which he did. Giving them lots of praise for their joyful noise-worth every penny. But after 2 weeks he called them in and said he couldn't pay them so much anymore and begged them to continue for 5c an hour. They told him to fuck off-they would never stoop to that sort of pay cut. Writer finished his book in peace. Which reminds me I would really like to sit in on a board meeting to learn the marketing strategy behind all the free books on Audible. I've downloaded some fantastic history ones, but then our tastes tend that way.

 

[Bloo]

Does this go for audible?

I hoped you wouldn't bring that up.

When I restarted my Audible sub early last year, I was looking for a deal. So...the guy on the phone gave me credits to return novels I had already listened to from my lapsed subscription. Some were six months old.

I got seven credits. The authors got a screwing.

 

[Josephine]

I hoped you wouldn't bring that up.

When I restarted my Audible sub early last year, I was looking for a deal. So...the guy on the phone gave me credits to return novels I had already listened to from my lapsed subscription. Some were six months old.

I got seven credits. The authors got a screwing.

Ten Hail Marys for you...

 

[Brayati]

There are different 'rules' for return rights in each territory.
Amazon does know the last page read, so moving to 'beginning' enables thieves to return without fear. The writers who put their ToC at the end, so the reader can't see what the book is about (non-fiction, generally), don't lose out because the reader's dial has been turned to 'the end' and the book can't be returned.
Effectively, the bottom line for the reseller is happy customers, not happy sellers.