Amazon, as we all know, is a monstrously huge corporation with many different divisions and – correspondingly – many different programs and services (e.g., Amazon Prime). It seems that they’re always on the verge of introducing something new. On the flip side, however, they also regularly bring existing programs to an end. Such is the case with Amazon Giveaway and Kindle Matchbook.
AMAZON GIVEAWAY
For those who don’t know, Amazon Giveaway is almost exactly what it sounds like: a giveaway program. Basically, sellers have the option of setting up a giveaway contest, which individuals can enter by complying with certain actions, such as watching a video. (FYI: entrants are only required to watch a video for 15 seconds in order to be eligible to win.) Moreover, you find out immediately if you’ve won or not.
What kind of prizes are offered, you ask? Everything from books to treadmills to wireless headphones. A seller can seemingly offer any prize that Amazon allows to be part of a giveaway, whether it relates to their business or not. For instance, I typically offer my books as giveaway prizes, with the required action being that entrants follow me on Amazon. (The benefit of this is that, when I release new books, Amazon usually notifies my followers of the fact.) However, I could – if I so desired – offer a Sony Playstation as a prize to entrants. That would probably lead to a lot of people following me, but how many of them would actually be readers – people interested in books and likely to read my work? Not many, I suspect. In short, the prize offered really needs to tie into the objective you’re trying to accomplish.
Anyway, Amazon recently announced that it would be retiring the giveaway program. In fact, October 10th is the last day sellers can set up a giveaway. Frankly speaking, I’m a little bummed. I love the giveaway program. It was another way for me to reach potential readers in a manner that was unobtrusive, efficient, and cost-effective. Likewise, I assume those entering the giveaways are equally downcast about the program going away. For those who’d like to see what types of prizes are offered (and maybe enter a few contests), you can do so on the Amazon Giveaway page – last day to enter a contest is October 17th. (And for those who are inclined to do so, please feel free to follow me on Amazon.)
KINDLE MATCHBOOK
As with Amazon Giveaway, the Great Zon has also decided to retire Kindle Matchbook. This was a program whereby authors could offer the ebook version of their novels at a reduced price to anyone who purchased a paperback copy. Frankly speaking, this is a program that Amazon may have failed to get a lot of mileage out of because of the simple fact that many authors don’t do print versions of their books. Most of us sell a lot more ebooks than print copies, so many just don’t want the hassle.
Personally, I always release a print version. Basically, I grew up poor (not that I’m rich now), so I have trouble simply assuming that everyone has access to an eReader. For those who may not have those kinds of resources, they can always request a print copy of my books from their local library. It’s what I would have had to do if eReaders had been on the market when I was a kid, because I could only afford books that were offered at the low, low cost of “free.” Thus, the library is where I got the bulk of my reading material.
Anyway, Kindle Matchbook will be shuttered on October 31st.
So that’s two programs that Amazon has unceremoniously 86’d in back-to-back fashion. (An email on Amazon Giveaway went out last Friday; the Kindle Matchbook email was sent yesterday.) My hope is that they’ll at least replace the giveaway program with something equally useful and beneficial, but right now all of this has an eerie shape-of-things-to-come vibe.
In truth, it reminds me of when I worked as a waiter in a fancy restaurant. Every now and then, the chef would decide to add something new to the menu. That typically meant that something else had to be taken off.
In short, I can’t shake the feeling that retiring these programs with almost no warning means that something new is about to be added. If that’s the case, the new program(s), in my opinion, will have some big shoes to fill – at least with respect to the giveaway program. Regardless, the time has obviously come to say farewell.
RIP Amazon Giveaway and Kindle Matchbook. You shall be missed.