Saturday, January 02, 2010

Somebody 'splain ARe to me!

I don't get it. At all. Here are the reasons for my WTFery:


  • I have a Changeling title starred as a category bestseller in a category that doesn't exist (Humor - Fiction). It's also listed in the Gay category, yet it's a totally m/f book. Here's the page: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/category242.html
  • I have a Mojocastle Press story that's starred as a category bestseller and listed fourth in "highest rated," yet it doesn't show up at the top of the category page (Short Stories) for either bestselling or highest rated . . . and, what's more, hasn't received a single rating! http://www.allromanceebooks.com/category247.html
  • InDescent isn't even listed in the Gay category. That is BAD news!
  • Bastards and Pretty Boys, which has thus far received 25 ratings of five and appeared as a category bestseller, hasn't made it to either Top Ten list on ARe's front page...even though the "Highest Rated" books that are there haven't gotten nearly the amount of positive feedback as B&PB.

The most troubling of these glitches are the category misplacements -- for Boolicious, which isn't m/m, and for InDescent, which is. Good lord! The ratings stuff isn't going to make or break my day or anything, but I'm just really befuddled by how things are handled at ARe. Anybody have any insights?

6 comments:

Teddy Pig said...

Send them an email they have always been very willing to talk about the issues you might have.

K. Z. Snow said...

I thought about it, TP, but first, I didn't want to be a pest and second, I didn't want to show my ignorance!

I am concerned about the categorizations, though. I'd feel really terrible if readers were misled. But I'm wondering if that's an issue the publishers have to address, since they're the ones who placed the titles on this distro site.

Jeanne said...

KZ,
the categories are all f***ed up there for just about every book I have, too.
Talk to LSB about this and you'll get more info on the vagaries of categorizing!
wordveri:
fordleda = a made in America swan

K. Z. Snow said...

Good Word Veri, Jeanne!

ARe really needs to address those issues, considering how many readers shop there. I hadn't realized how messed up things were until I began clicking around.

Tam said...

I would send them a lovely "dear sir/madam" about the category errors. Those do affect their bottom line as well as yours. If no one can find or buy the book no one makes any money. So I'd pass that on, but as for the other stuff? No clue. I don't really pay any attention to those lists when I go there, I just start searching.

K. Z. Snow said...

Yup, Tam, I'm gonna have to. I just hope I have the "authority" to get them to change stuff.