Stung by Amazon: An Open Letter to Jeff Bezos

Mr. Bezos,

I have always been an Amazon cheerleader. I have been a customer for more than 15 years. I have ordered thousands of dollars worth of products over the years and have been happy with the customer service.

Until now.

As a traditionally published author who decided to go the indie route, my natural choice was to publish with Amazon since I had previously had such good experiences. I published Imperfect Love on March 1. 2014. My book has hit the bestsellers lists on different occasions and was in the Top 10 in a few categories.

Imagine my surprise when I checked on my book on September 5, 2014 and found it was suddenly not available. I sent an email query to ask why. I received an answer that it was a glitch and would be fixed soon. On September 6th it was still not available. I sent another email and received the same generic response. On September 7th it was still not available. The morning of September 8th I called Amazon to try to sort it out since sending emails didn't seem to elicit much help. I was told that there is no direct line to KDP and no phone support. The customer service rep offered to send an email with my concerns.

Thanks, but I'd already done that.

Finally, later on September 8th my book was for sale again. I contacted Amazon to ask for some compensation for lost sales by way of advertising my book somehow in hopes of getting some sales to regain its sales rank. I was told that Amazon will not do anything to make up for the time my book was not available.Period.

Amazon was responsible for the glitch, but I'm the one that got stung.

I realize I'm merely a nobody author. I realize my sales aren't earth-shattering. I realize that my sales certainly won't make or break Amazon, but I lost sales. My book lost its ranking. What if I had invested in a promotion, which I've done numerous times, and found my book wasn't for sale? Would I just be out all that money? How can I trust Amazon to have my book for sale in the future and that it won't be a victim of some glitch in your software?

I am so disappointed that Amazon won't make this right. I am disappointed that I don't matter. I am disappointed that I'd be treated like this after all the money I have spent at Amazon.

I thought Amazon was better than this.

Sincerely,
A Very Disappointed Customer