The Catch-22 of Review Requests

 

I'm sure you've heard the advice to make sure you get as many reviews as you possibly can, especially on Amazon. You've probably also been told to “ask for a review”. You may even be following the playbook of giving away free copies of your book “in exchange for an honest review”. Sending out advance copies so that your advance readers can all post their reviews within the first 24 hours. All fine, right?

Unfortunately, no.

If you're following this strategy, you could come up against Amazon's TOS. Worst case, those lovely five-star reviews you worked so hard to get people to leave could simply be deleted in one go.

Amazon requires reviewers to declare if they have been compensated for the review. This includes receiving the book for free (i.e, “a free product”). When you-the-author use the words “in exchange for an honest review” you're indicating to the reviewer that this is indeed an exchange and that there is an expectation of a review. Thus, they have to declare this in their review. The author has little to no control over how the reviewer includes this (required) statement, and if the wording catches the attention of the Amazon bots, they will sweep in and remove the “suspicious” review(s), and sometimes, for good measure, your other reviews as well (maybe because they were posted on the same day – reviews posted very soon after the book goes live are considered highly suspicious because “how did those humans read the book so quickly?” – or because it matches some other criteria in their programming). I suspect there's a deliberate randomness included to avoid bad actors gaming the system. Yes, this also affects genuine authors very negatively. Does Amazon care? No.

Screenshot of Amazon TOS

Another issue that authors may not realise is the strict criteria Amazon puts in place ahead of a reader even being able to post a review. That reader first has to have spent a certain amount of money purchasing “qualifying” items from Amazon using a “valid” credit or debit card. Gift cards don't count. Free downloads of books don't count. So, while an eager author may require that a potential reviewer posts a review on Amazon in exchange for the privilege of reading their book for free, that poor reviewer might genuinely try to do so and be knocked back by Amazon.

Screenshot of Amazon.com.au TOS

So, what's a desperate author to do? (Unless you’re paying to use a highly regarded professional review service like NetGalley, don't go buying reviews. That’s a whole 'nother can of worms that doesn’t usually go down well.)

Ask friends and family? No. That’s also against TOS.

Screenshot of Amazon TOS

Here’s the Catch-22: if you don't ask for a review, readers usually forget to review... but if you do ask for a review, you could lose your review.

Is it worth the risk? Maybe. Remember, you can capture those reviews and add them as “Editorial Reviews” in your metadata. (But you might have to be quick in case the bots get there overnight and beat you to it.)

You could ask reviewers to email you directly, or post their reviews on their blog or on their Facebook page, or yours. They can still post on GoodReads (for now).

And try a different wording. “If you're happy to leave a review, I'd absolutely love that. Please tag me on social media or email me so that I can read your review.”

If someone does tag you on a really good review, ask their permission to include their review in the next edition of your book. They’ll love that. They might even voluntarily buy the next book and review it (and let you know about it) without any prompting whatsoever. For many avid readers, seeing their name in print? Better than a free book.

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Elle Carter Neal coaches aspiring authors through planning, writing, and revising through The Novel Approach courses and memberships. She is the author of the middle grade fantasy The Convoluted Key (first in the Draconian Rules series), the picture book I Own All the Blue, and teen science-fantasy novel Madison Lane and the Wand of Rasputin (first in the Grounded series). She is also the CEO of Kids' Book Club for Parents. Elle is based in Melbourne, Australia. Find her at ElleCarterNeal.com.

Author photo by Amanda Meryle Photography

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