Support for Indie Authors discussion

Hi folks,
Since there has been some question here regarding our 'no swap' and no advertising of paid services rules, I thought I'd post the links to Amazon's official policy on the matter. First, here is a general statement on reviews for compensation:

Paid Reviews – We do not permit reviews or votes on the helpfulness of reviews that are posted in exchange for compensation of any kind, including payment (whether in the form of money or gift certificates), bonus content, entry to a contest or sweepstakes, discounts on future purchases, extra product, or other gifts.
The sole exception to this rule is when a free or discounted copy of a physical product is provided to a customer up front. In this case, if you offer a free or discounted product in exchange for a review, you must clearly state that you welcome both positive and negative feedback. If you receive a free or discounted product in exchange for your review, you must clearly and conspicuously disclose that fact. Reviews from the Amazon Vine program are already labeled, so additional disclosure is not necessary. Read more about promotional content.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...

Now, under the read more, we have this list of specific examples of what is not allowed:

To help illustrate, here are a few examples of reviews that we don't allow:

A product manufacturer posts a review of their own product, posing as an unbiased shopper
A shopper, unhappy with her purchase, posts multiple negative reviews for the same product
A customer posts a review in exchange for $5
A customer posts a review of a game, in exchange for bonus in-game credits
A family member of the product creator posts a five-star customer review to help boost sales
A shopper posts a review of the product, after being promised a refund in exchange
A seller posts negative reviews on his competitor's product
An artist posts a positive review on a peer's album in exchange for receiving a positive review from them

Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...
This will be pinned in the SIA Investigates folder for quick reference.

Gaia wrote: "Hey, guys, I found this website..."

If you have to review a book to get a review on your book, it's a review swap. Comment deleted.

We also have a rule against linking. Please review the rules.

Dwayne wrote: "Gaia wrote: "Hey, guys, I found this website..."

If you have to review a book to get a review on your book, it's a review swap. Comment deleted."

Based on your response, are you saying this group is considered a review swap then and violates Amazon's policies?

Dwayne wrote: "Gaia wrote: "Hey, guys, I found this website..."

If you have to review a book to get a review on your book, it's a review swap. Comment deleted.

We also have a rule against linking. Please review..."

I just read that comment that was deleted...isnt the review groups on goodreads a situation where each person review someone else's book and in turn they have someone review theirs? Isnt that a review swap?

Shashane wrote: "Based on your response, are you saying this group is considered a review swap then and violates Amazon's policies? "

Any group where people swap reviews and post them to Amazon is in violation of the terms I linked to above. Yes, we are aware that despite this, people still start review swap groups on Goodreads. There's nothing we can do about that except warn our members that if they join one of those groups, it's their account on the line. But no, we will not allow this type of behavior in our group.

Christina wrote: "Shashane wrote: "Based on your response, are you saying this group is considered a review swap then and violates Amazon's policies? "

Any group where people swap reviews and post them to Amazon is..."

So Christina, the popular review groups that Emma is in charge off are in contravention of amazon?

Garfield wrote: "Christina wrote: "Shashane wrote: "Based on your response, are you saying this group is considered a review swap then and violates Amazon's policies? "

Any group where people swap reviews and post..."

That's a book club - they are choosing a book to read and discuss. There's no mention of reviewing it and members aren't reading and reviewing one another's books.

Garfield wrote: "Christina wrote: "Shashane wrote: "Based on your response, are you saying this group is considered a review swap then and violates Amazon's policies? "

Any group where people swap reviews and post..."

I'm also curious because the last thing I need is a violation of any form. Are these groups mentioned by Garfield more of in the gray area? Or is it completely black and should be off the books?

Guys, this is not the place to discuss other groups. Just don't swap reviews and you'll be fine. Follow our group rules while posting in our group and you'll be fine. End of story.

I see.

Maybe you should ask Goodreads staff about these other groups. We don't take care of them. They aren't our responsibilities. We just try to be nice and warn the people in our group about things that either violates rules or are seen badly by others when done. For the rest, take it up with Goodreads.

Dwayne wrote: "Gaia wrote: "Hey, guys, I found this website..."

If you have to review a book to get a review on your book, it's a review swap. Comment deleted.

We also have a rule against linking. Please review..."

Hi Dwayne,
I apologize! I tried to read the rules, but when I clicked on them it only said to read them. Dumb me, I cannot find the rules.

That said, it's not a swap. A "swap" is: I review you and in exchange you review me. Clearly we would both have an interest in giving each other 5 stars and ethically is not admissible. This group polices to make sure swaps do not occur.

Christina wrote: "Guys, this is not the place to discuss other groups. Just don't swap reviews and you'll be fine. Follow our group rules while posting in our group and you'll be fine. End of story."

Thanks Christina :)
It would be great to find a space to discuss reviews though. I don't want to break any rules, just trying to figure things out.

From the yellow box of rules that pop up whenever you post in this group:

Reviews happen. We aren't here to discuss them or swap them.

Gaia wrote: "That said, it's not a swap. A "swap" is: I review you and in exchange you review me. Clearly we would both have an interest in giving each other 5 stars and ethically is not admissible. This group polices to make sure swaps do not occur..."

I understand what the web site is for. You stated it clearly. You submit a book, you review another book, your book will be featured after you post your review and it stays featured until you get a review. It's review swapping, no matter how you slice it. You are only reading and reviewing another book in the hopes that it will result in your book getting a review. I can't see how that would produce unbiased and honest reviews, which is what Amazon wants. You are being compensated for your review, which Amazon does not want.

What I imagine would happen in this group is someone would submit their book, then go off and grab one of the other books, skim it, return it, write a review based on what little they actually read just to get a review. This is not honest reviewing.

Dwayne wrote: "Gaia wrote: "That said, it's not a swap. A "swap" is: I review you and in exchange you review me. Clearly we would both have an interest in giving each other 5 stars and ethically is not admissible..."

So Dwayne, how that differs from the review groups here run by Emma where you are given 4 books to review and in turn four authors review yours in return. There is also a review group "One for One reviews"...I am trying to understand.

Christina wrote: "Hi folks,
Since there has been some question here regarding our 'no swap' and no advertising of paid services rules, I thought I'd post the links to Amazon's official policy on the matter. First, ..."

This is not Amazon. Amazon is an ecommerce site, hence the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC’s) truth-in-advertising laws apply.

Goodreads is NOT an ecommerce site, they don't sell anything but their own advertising.

Still, I would not push my luck with Amazon and set up a review bazaar like some Facebook groups are.

Garfield,

I don't know who Emma is, but I'm not sure it matters. Any time you are required to review a book in order to get a review for your own, it is review swapping.

Dwayne wrote: "Garfield,

I don't know who Emma is, but I'm not sure it matters. Any time you are required to read a book in order to get a review for your own, it is review swapping."

ok thx

Locking this topic because apparently stating clearly and for the record that our rules are our rules is not enough for some people.

Reviews, good, bad, swapped, or otherwise, are not a topic that we allow within Support for Indie Authors.

End. Of. Story.