Techcrunch to Amazon: "Change your idiotic review policy"

[Nathan Bransford]

Interesting article on TechCrunch today about the one star reviews popping up on Michael Lewis' new book solely because a Kindle edition isn't yet available.

TechCrunch points out that it's the publisher who has control over these publication decisions. Are the one-star reviews legit consumer muscle-flexing or just pettiness?

TechCrunch's proposed solution is to only allow people who have actually bought the book to comment.

[Holly]

TechCrunch's proposed solution is to only allow people who have actually bought the book to comment.

Bought the book where? Through Amazon? What if you bought it at Barnes & Noble?

[Nathan Bransford]

TechCrunch's proposed solution is to only allow people who have actually bought the book to comment.

Bought the book where? Through Amazon? What if you bought it at Barnes & Noble?

Yeah, the author is proposing that you could only review it on Amazon if you bought it on Amazon.

[Holly]

TechCrunch's proposed solution is to only allow people who have actually bought the book to comment.

Bought the book where? Through Amazon? What if you bought it at Barnes & Noble?

Yeah, the author is proposing that you could only review it on Amazon if you bought it on Amazon.

I can't see that flying. And anyway, I figure a (small) percentage of the reviews on Amazon, B&N, etc., are made up by author friends and relatives. Just sayin'...

[maybegenius]

I think it's pretty petty, considering that the loss of sales/negative reviews shine much more bad light on the author than the publisher. If they want to throw their weight around and try and force the publisher's hand, there are other ways to go about it without the eyeroll-worthy "I haven't read this, but it's not available in the format I want, so one star."

Funnily enough, my mom was actually annoyed recently because one of her favorite authors has a new book out, but only ON THE KINDLE. The print version isn't scheduled out till next year.

[Holly]

I c an't see that flying. And anyway, I figure a (small) percentage of the reviews on Amazon, B&N, etc., are made up by author friends and relatives. Just sayin'...

Talking to myself here. I'm going to flip-flop. Amazon almost has that policy now. You can only post a review if you've purchased something (doesn't have to be that item). Requiring people to purchase the item might cut down on bogus reviews.