For many years, I engaged Amazon as print-on-demand (POD) printer, publisher and internet sales distributor of my books. It began when Amazon acquired CreateSpace, a small privately-owned pioneer in the POD business I patronized. Amazon changed the brand name to KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing).
How I ceased to be represented by Amazon and was banned from its vast retail internet distribution network is a bizarre tale of what can happen to a small fry in the digital age. Fortunately, my writings are a second job for me and not depended on for my daily bread.
Amazon accounts for about 50% of all printed book sales in the US and 70 to 90 percent of POD sales.
Here is how it happened. Several years ago, Amazon (KDP) ceased publishing hardback editions of POD books. Then, a few years later, it announced it would resume publishing hardbacks. Because most of my readers want hardbacks, I applied to Amazon to have my books again published in hardbacks.
This is where my troubles started. I was advised by Amazon that I I must resubmit my text and artwork, which I did at considerable expense. Then I began to receive emails from Amazon’s (KDP’s) Content Review Team. First the email said another publisher had the prior rights to publish my books. I responded that I was that publisher. (Before POD I had hired a printer to print 800 copies of A Little Competition and the printer’s name was printed at the front. Amazon required a letter from the printer confirming my claim.
Next the Content Review Team said in an email that I did not have the right to publish the artwork in my books. I provided letters from the artists confirming their permission.
Next came an email that my works would no longer be printed or sold by Amazon in paperback or hardback or Kindle format.
Why? I had not responded to the Content Review Team’s earlier emails quickly enough. So, I involuntarily ceased to be a customer of Amazon. I could find no phone number or mailing address with which to appeal my banning from Amazon aka KDP.
What was the real reason for my banning?
Was it that my works are not sufficiently Woke? Use words like plantation? I suspect so.
Now my books are published POD by Lulu Publishing and also available from Strideaway to benefit youth field trials.