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I thought I’d carry on from yesterday’s blog and put forward my idea for a Verified Purchase Review group on Facebook, as readers who are not authors seem to be in very short supply in the Indie book world (non-existent?). Here are the proposed rules in a nutshell:
1. If you want to take part (you can wait for the next buying thread if you want), reduce the price of your book to $0.99 /£0.99 on Amazon US and UK for 5 days and post a link to it on the new buying thread on Facebook within a 5 day deadline. You can also advertise it as a reduced price book as you normally would, so you may even get more sales!
2. Buy the (reduced price) book of the author in the post before yours in the buying thread before the same 5 day deadline is up, so I know when to end the thread and then the first person will know to review the last book. Reply to the post of the author whose book you have bought with the order number.
3. Read and post your review within a 6 week deadline on your Amazon home site and on Goodreads. Leave another reply to the Facebook post of the author whose book you have reviewed with a link to the review you’ve written.
If there are enough members, then I can have separate buying threads for different genres. Only leave a comment if you would like to join, and then I’ll know if it’s worth doing or not.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/verifiedreviews/
Sounds like a good plan? What do you think? We might then have turned ourselves into readers as well as authors!
Stevie Turner 
Pingback: SENIOR SALON ROUNDUP: JULY 23 – 27, 2018 ~ Esme Salon
Thanks Esme, but this group isn’t running anymore.
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I can join the group Stevie. But I’m not ready at this point to hop into reading another book yet as I have a few I am wanting to read next and my reading time is not ample. 🙂
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Ok, just add your book to whichever thread is running when you’re ready.
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I will 🙂
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A word of warning. I’ve seen this done before, and you must remember that if you are thinking about targetting Amazon in particular if they suspect the reviews come from members of a group who are friends (and we are not clear how they know or what makes them decide who are ‘friends’) this is against their rules and I know they have removed reviews and even blocked people from leaving reviews, so it could be a bit tricky. It also could be considered breaking their rule about exchanging reviews… Just saying. Good luck.
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I suppose some of the reviews can be put on Goodreads instead?
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That’s true. I have not participated in such a group, so I don’t if the problems with the reviews were truly to do with this (as we know, Amazon doesn’t explain why it does what it does), but it’s something to keep in mind and to be cautious about. From what I’ve heard, what tends to happen is that some people are very enthusiastic but others forget or don’t have the time to purchase or review and it can cause friction. I am sure there would be ways around it but it might be worth checking with people who have tried something similar before and see how it worked for them. All the best.
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Thanks Olga.
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There are groups on GoodReads that ask for reviews in exchange for reviews. I haven’t participated but know the group has been going on for a couple years. Is there any difference in what Stevie’s suggesting?
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Our books have been bought, rather than gifted.
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Good point. My biggest issue is that I only care for certain genres. If I have to buy a book in a genre that I don’t care for… well, you get the idea. I don’t want to be told what to buy for my reading enjoyment. Now, if we could figure out how we could choose from the books, that would be excellent. I would love to find a way to make this work. We all need reviews. I buy as many books as I can a month and review one a week. I’ve been doing this for close to four years. Yet, I can’t get people to read my books… I know you know what I’m saying. ❤
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I’m hoping that with enough members we will be able to have separate threads for separate genres. If you want to take part in this month’s thread, then perhaps look at which book has just been added. Check it out and see if it’s in a genre you like. If not, then wait for another book to be added before adding yours. Another book might appeal to you more?
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It just might be that all of us in the group have to read a book that perhaps we wouldn’t have ordinarily read. Look at it this way – it will broaden your horizons and you’ll get a review for your book!
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I suppose you’re right. I’ll give it a shot. It’s a win-win situation! ❤
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Absolutely.. Every 6 weeks or so you’ll get another review.
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I’m happy to give it a go. https://www.facebook.com/HerefordAndIrelandHistory/
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Thanks Frank. Have added you to the group.
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Hi Stevie, I would like to participate as a reviewer. I am a hybrid author so I don’t control my pricing on Amazon. I think it is a marvelous idea though.
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Do you have any books for 99cents though that you could add? If not, how would you like to go about this? Just pick a book to review from the thread?
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Hi Stevie, apologies for only responding to you now. I will just select books to review if that is okay. I don’t currently have any books for 99 cents.
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As you wish, Robbie. Thank you. I assume you cannot reduce the price of your books on Amazon.com?
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Hi Robbie. Thanks for your offer. How do you plan to go about this?
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Hi Stevie, I have Out of Time by Jaye Marie.
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Thanks Robbie. I’ve put the July/August review thread up so that you can add the links to your review.
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Robbie, what’s a hybrid author? I haven’t heard that term before. ❤
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An indie author with a small publisher. My South African author circular say I am a hybrid author so sort of half pregnant I suppose. I don’t have the freedom of an Indie but I don’t have the big shop support of a big publisher.
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Oh, I understand. I didn’t know you had a publisher. How cool is that? ❤
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Reblogged this on Author Don Massenzio and commented:
check out this helpful post from Stevie Turner’s blog on the topic of the verified purchase review group plan from Amazon
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Thanks for the re-blog, Don.
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You’re welcome
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Yes, sounds like a good idea, I’ll have a go.
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Great! Thanks very much. I think we’ll need at least 8 to start with, so we’re halfway there already! Can you send me a link to your Facebook address please?
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https://www.facebook.com/Beachwriter/
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Thanks. Will hopefully be able to set up the group later this afternoon if a few more join today.
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This definitely sounds like something we should all be doing, so count me in!
Both of us, come to that! You get two for the same price with us!
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Marvellous!
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Reblogged this on anita dawes and jaye marie.
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Thanks for the re-blog. Hope we get lots of members!
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You should, it’s a brilliant idea!
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Only you two so far…
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Sounds like a good plan. But again I do not know how it all works as many don’t have time to post in 6 weeks.
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Hi Shalini, you could join if you want and then you’ll be able to see all the information. You don’t have to add a book every time there’s a new thread.
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Stevie, the terms say buy the book and then review it in 6 weeks.
For me that is not possible.
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Okay.
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