Trying to get a big company that relies on algorithms to understand a special case that their algorithms do not handle appropriately can be a real challenge. We have just refreshed our textbook (Integrating technology for meaningful learning) that is available from Amazon. No problem. The algorithms are prepared for modifications to an existing Kindle book.
After submitting the revised manuscript, an Amazon algorithm contacts me suggesting I also offer the book in paperback. I have not done this before because I believe in the advantages of an ebook (external links, user annotation, etc.), but it sounded easy so I decided to give it a try. It is not as easy as they make it sound. The ms. has to be reformatted and I admit a book written to be an ebook should probably be completely redone, but I thought I would give it a try. Perhaps some learners would rather hold a physical book in their hands.
The $9 ebook is being developed as a $12 paperback. This is not a good deal for the author. As the author, you pay for the “book at a time” printing cost. Printing and the 40% of the top that goes to Amazon leaves me with a $.79 profit per book. The profit on a $9 ebook is 70% minus a small charge for the online transfer. As an experiment, I am still willing to give it a try.
My latest problem is trying to work through an issue with the ISBN. Amazon provides a convenient way to assign an ISBN to their paperbacks. When I first wrote the ebook version of our textbook, I filed the paperwork and paid the small fee to get an ISBN. The Amazon algorithm informs me that these two ISBN as not the same and this difference must be fixed. I can’t really change the ISBN I secured for the ebook so I try assigning this to the paperback. This generated the same response from the algorithm. This makes no sense to me.
I have since noticed another issue. When Amazon lists my Kindle book, the ad indicates there is an existing paperback version available. This surprised me since I had just tried to create such a product. Using the link revealed it led to the last version of the book I published with Cengage. This edition was first available 6 years ago, the content has been revised twice since, and we negotiated the rights to our copyright when we could no longer agree on the format for our work with Cengage. It is possible the ISBN problem is the lack of agreement between the new paperback and the last version published through Cengage.
This mess is going to require a human to fix and getting Amazon to understand this seems an issue. There is a way to submit a request so we will see.
The new and improved ebook version is available. Buy it – I make far more than the more expensive paper version (in pennies) and the ebook version requires those interested in learning with technology to learn with technology.
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