Black Tower Online store: 2009 To....?
I have just spent more valuable life time promoting my books. Well,that is my daily full time job. So what's so different?
Three times this week I have tried to get onto my lulu storefront and been unable to. Once there was an "essential maintenance" note. The other time "site down" notices. Today I have found this situation three more times. Responses from the company...none.
That made me suspicious so I asked a couple people I know who self published and are in the US so same country as the 'HQ' of the print on demand company. It seems that there are "strong rumours" that the company is on the verge of shutting down. Apparently there has been a lot of chat on self publishing forums (but as I never go on those I missed out) about problems with the company and also its out dated system (it really is an old one).
The advice I was given was "move everything to another company soon".
I gave this a lot of thought. I first used the print on demand company and set up a store front in 2009. It has not been successful and there have been so many problems based around its very old operating system (and how twice I've discovered printed copies of my books in Europe that never appeared in my orders lists). Do I really have the energy and inclination to create a new account, new store front and upload a hundred books to just sit and watch them not sell?
No.
I have my copies and the fact that there will be so few copies means it will be a sellers market for me and their rarity will mean I can ask for a much higher price. So, if the company does go -remember everyone said Google Plus was not going and Yahoo Groups was not going and....well, you get my point?
Selling and marketing on the internet has been the biggest con we've fallen for -Instagram, Twitter, Face Book etc are all seeing people use them less and less -a bit like You Tube.
So the books go then they are gone. Nothing I can do about it other than quickly order a few extra copies of certain titles. I have seen this coming but when the POD company does not interact with 'its' sellers....meh.
I have just spent more valuable life time promoting my books. Well,that is my daily full time job. So what's so different?
Three times this week I have tried to get onto my lulu storefront and been unable to. Once there was an "essential maintenance" note. The other time "site down" notices. Today I have found this situation three more times. Responses from the company...none.
That made me suspicious so I asked a couple people I know who self published and are in the US so same country as the 'HQ' of the print on demand company. It seems that there are "strong rumours" that the company is on the verge of shutting down. Apparently there has been a lot of chat on self publishing forums (but as I never go on those I missed out) about problems with the company and also its out dated system (it really is an old one).
The advice I was given was "move everything to another company soon".
I gave this a lot of thought. I first used the print on demand company and set up a store front in 2009. It has not been successful and there have been so many problems based around its very old operating system (and how twice I've discovered printed copies of my books in Europe that never appeared in my orders lists). Do I really have the energy and inclination to create a new account, new store front and upload a hundred books to just sit and watch them not sell?
No.
I have my copies and the fact that there will be so few copies means it will be a sellers market for me and their rarity will mean I can ask for a much higher price. So, if the company does go -remember everyone said Google Plus was not going and Yahoo Groups was not going and....well, you get my point?
Selling and marketing on the internet has been the biggest con we've fallen for -Instagram, Twitter, Face Book etc are all seeing people use them less and less -a bit like You Tube.
So the books go then they are gone. Nothing I can do about it other than quickly order a few extra copies of certain titles. I have seen this coming but when the POD company does not interact with 'its' sellers....meh.
No comments:
Post a Comment