Monthly Archives: November 2017

Createspace Distribution Update

authors, Important, Information, Uncategorized, , , , , ,

chuttersnap-255216Well it took long enough to sort it all out.  I can’t say I’ve ever seen such a mess from them – not even when they lost my first lot of books, and god knows where they ended up because I surely don’t.

Anyway during the process to help my client with the delivery of their books (which still haven’t arrived in New Zealand) I had to get my name added to her account to get emails stating what they were doing and had done.

The first email after being approved said they had sent another set and gave the tracking number etc and the delivery date.  I cringed. Why you may ask.  Well because they don’t track parcels to New Zealand, they never have and probably never will.  Knowing this, means I knew something else was going to go wrong.  

Since when has New Zealand in the South Pacific been in CANADA.  The tracking number given in the email from DHL was for an address in CANADA.  We have no idea if it was my clients books that were delivered there or not. The parcel was signed for.  This actually makes me wonder if this is how resellers get hold of brand new books to on sell without us making any royalties.  Suspicious yes…Hopefully I’m totally wrong and the tracking number given was just a mistake.  It is doubtful we will ever find out.

My poor client was furious. There again so was I.  So I emailed them again this time telling them exactly what I thought of their customer service – which in my honest opinion has dropped significantly in recent months (Yes there are some great people still there I’m just wondering where!)  I also mentioned I would be contacting the CEO if this issue wasn’t resolved correctly. (It’s nice to know someone who knows someone at times)

Anyway my client received a new email stating that they had sent yet another parcel of books and given her a full refund due to all the issues.  Of course said books are ment to arrive on an inconvenient date so lets hope if they do deliver them that the courier will keep them until she is available to collect.

Meanwhile back at Plaisted Publishing House I am wondering if we should start using LULU or KDP Print as an alternate distributor.  This would be sad! I’ve always loved Createspace overall they do great work.  Nicely printed books and are generally helpful with issues. I just wish some of the problems they are having would disappear and that some of their customer service & others get updated training and also research instead of sending out emails that make no sense.

My last issue with them was over copyright…Hopefully they will get sorted and spring back to be amazing again.  I certainly hope so anyway.

More Createspace Issues

authors, Important, Information, , , ,

Createspace has been around for quite a while. They had great customer service, always got back to you and sorted out your problems.  NOW I’m wondering what the hell is going on with them! A new boss, a new set of manager or staff?  I’ve not idea. What I do know is that suddenly over the last 4 months or so they have become a tad…incompetent in how they respond and sort out enquiries from authors.

I’ve found myself running around, chasing my tail to get things sorted. I’ve had them back down once over anthology copyright after I’ve explained things to them…no apology given for their error. I’ve tried to claim a book which took them over 8 emails to get right, not only the book title but the author name as well! It is getting ludicrous.  Then I get an email from a client crying foul with their delivery service….WHAT THE HELL!!

Now I know they failed to deliver my last set of books which never arrived and I went to my book signing without any books.  Of course this is the one time they apologised and sent a new set..obviously to late.. Now for my clients issue.

Apparently Createspace sent her parcel, (I forgot to ask if she got her email saying they had been shipped so may need to update this later) which can’t be tracked to New Zealand.  They usually over-estimate the date too. Something I’ve always known. Well next my client gets an email stating that she wasn’t home for the delivery so they sent them back to the USA to be destroyed and would send her another lot when she established another address. WHAT? NO WAY?  Nobody is home all the time!

I’ve never heard of this been done before.  My client is most upset as once again these books were for a signing and some had been pre-sold.  What a bloody nightmare.  The said client was angry and rang all the courier delivery companies (not the many in NZ) to ask if they’d had the package.  Nope not one of them had dealt with her package and not only that, they were horrified at how she was treated most saying they kept parcels for 2 weeks before sending back to the sender.  So who is pulling whose leg and why?

My client had one more email saying they had re sent the book with tracking – so what happens is she isn’t home again? (doubtful no tracking in New Zealand as previously stated) Since this my client got generic emails from createspace and nothing else. Most unhelpful.  WHAT IS GOING ON?

I have heard rumours that Createspace are shutting their doors, though I haven’t heard when or even if this is true. I suppose we’ll find out. I wonder if the KDP Print is the alternative. Needless to say they could at least pull the plug on a high note and stop messing everyone around. At this rate I’ll be going to LULU instead even though it costs a bit more.

PLEASE CREATESPACE PULL UP YOUR SOCKS AND GET YOUR MESS SORTED – IT’S IRRITATING AND A CAUSE FOR CONCERN.

Copyright Consent

Anthologies, authors, Important, Information, Uncategorized, ,

Times are changing and as Amazon/Createspace seem to keep updating their rules and regulations and leaving everyone behind and not informing us…Making our jobs harder to do for no real reason.

What this time.  Well if you notice on all distributer sites you have to tick boxes saying you have permission to publish said work. Ok so i suppose that is to easy to get away with…I know fraud or plagiarism is a huge thing which can hit anyone at anytime.

Well like with all things in life these new rules and regulations which keep appearing out of nowhere hurt the innocent more than those trying to do harm and rip another author off.  Maybe they should update their terminology since trust is becoming extinct these days.

What happened.  Well it now seems we can’t produce an anthology without giving amazon/createspace clear and concise signatures from each and every author in the anthology. WHAT THE HELL. The book has been suppressed I can’t buy author copies or place orders for said authors to be sent to them.  Copyright stays with the author at all times.  Perhaps each one of them can send an email to Createspace…

Yes i’m annoyed, especially since this is the 7th Free Anthology released by us all from three different groups. (the print has print charges only)  I have a Children’s Anthology due out in December….seem i need to seek a different type of permission.  BUGGER’

No we didn’t use contracts…The groups the authors are in cover the copyright issue – which each author understands and is happy about.  From now on i’ll be making contracts for each and every person to sign.  Will I pass them on to Amazon?  I’m not sure! Do they have a legal right to them or to even ask for them?  Now you know why each and every client I have, has their own distribution accounts…If only it was as simple for Anthologies.

QUESTION –

Will they accept electronic signatures? 

How do you collect said signatures in four days when they aren’t all online four days straight? (some i dont’ see for  weeks)

What happens if authors don’t know how to scan a signature into their computer?

When did they change the rules and why didn’t they let us know?

There again is it a new rule or just someone been awkward…It wouldn’t be the first time they’ve messed up.

Here is hoping there is an easy way to clear this all up. I will of course let folks know.