Amazon: The Broken System of Being Pathetic

By now you all know the on-going drama with romance author Deborah MacGillivray over at Amazon. For a more in depth analysis of the situation I recommend you read the post Jane has put up on her Dear Author site.

I am appalled and disgusted by the way the reviewing system is handled by Amazon. I started out as an Amazon reviewer back in 2003. This was my jumping off point to become the reviewer I am today. I never looked at my rank or the number of positive or negative votes I would get. It has taken me 5 years just to be in the top 5,000! And so what if I finally get in the top 10? Do I even get a cookie to munch on?

These people who play this system, which also may includes some authors, is so pathetic and sad. To think that these people have the time to watch and wait as someone posts a review and if they don't like it, you get a bunch of your buddies to start a negative voting campaign or try to get the review taken off the site. It has happened to me on occassion.

PATHETIC!!

In February 2004, the NY Times published a very telling article about the Amazon glitches in their reviews.

And as for the mystery of Harriet Klausner, a reporter actually got her on the phone! And this what was said about that:

Many prolific reviewers speculate that Harriet Klausner, 55, who has long reigned as No. 1, cannot possible read all the books she reviews.
In a telephone interview, Ms. Klausner, in turn, accused the No. 2 reviewer of getting people to vote for him and against her in a ''desperate attempt to be No. 1.'

Funny, she still won't explain how she reviews all those books and circles around the situation, blaming someone else.

And so my love/hate relationship with Amazon grows...


Katiebabs (KB)