This is a followup to my post from yesterday. First, I would like to clarify that I believe all readers have a right to post their opinions of books whether it be good or bad. My only concern is that not everyone shares the same opinion and what one reader absolutely hates, another might love. So changing the policy so it’s no longer required to add SPOILER ALERT to reviews that contain spoilers isn’t fair to anyone.
I have tried to find a working customer service email for Amazon, but there doesn’t appear to be one. It’s not impossible to share your feelings about this policy change, but it will take a few minutes of your time to get to the place you need to be in order to send an email. It really doesn’t take long so I hope everyone who might be affected, readers and authors alike, will take the few minutes to let Amazon know that you’d like this changed back.
Just go to Amazon.com (you have to be signed in to your account) and scroll to the bottom of the page. Last on the “Let Us Help You” list is the word “Help.” Click on that.
Under “Recommended Topics” on the new page, click the very bottom option, “Need More Help?” This will bring up a new list beside it where you will click on the fourth option, “Contact Us.”
There will be four tabs across the top of the new page. Click on “Something Else.” Skip down to number two and select “More non-order questions.” Then just click on “Email” in step three and let them know what you think about the policy change.
This is what I just sent them, written from the perspective of both an author and a reader…
To Whom it may concern,
I am writing to let you know that I’m unhappy with the change in policy that makes it okay for reviewers to ruin the reading experience of others by posting reviews containing spoilers – sometimes major spoilers. This isn’t fair to other readers who like to discover things for themselves, and it certainly isn’t fair to authors who work hard to make their books interesting.
There is absolutely no reason for a customer to purchase a book when a reviewer has taken it upon themselves to share major plot points. Not only will Amazon lose sales, but authors will too, because customers considering purchasing a book will decide not to since they know what happened thanks to a spoiler review. Those same customers will be cheated out of the opportunity to read a book they might well have loved … all because reviewers are now allowed to post anything they please.
Please change the policy back so writing SPOILER ALERT at the top of reviews that contain spoilers is required again. It’s not it’s not just needed, it’s also the polite thing to do for anyone who does business with Amazon.
Thank you,
Kristy K. James
I guess I never paid any attention to their policy regarding reviews, I just figured it was a courtesy to put spoiler alert on a post if I thought there might be something I wrote that might spoil something. Although I try really hard to never spoil.
I didn’t know they changed their policy.
I was really surprised to find out they had, and very disappointed. It would be like telling someone you want to go see this new movie – and them launching into blow-by-blow details … and not shutting up when you ask them to. You might still go see the movie, but nothing is going to be a surprise.
Anyway, on behalf of authors everywhere – thank for for extending that courtesy to to the authors who write the books you read and review. 🙂