I do find Goodreads a really useful site for finding books, tracking my reading, compiling my to read list, etc. And I like to enter the giveaways, even if I haven’t won very often.
But in 2018 they’ll be making the giveaways eligible to US residents only. This bugs me. If they want international people to use Goodreads, international people should also be able to participate in giveaways, period. Yes?
They do say something vague about how in future they might have international giveaways again, but that’s no guarantee.
I also understand that they will Start charging authors/publishers fees for listing giveaways on Goodreads.
Do you use Goodreads? Will this turn you off or at least peeve you?
-asking from Canada, where I won’t be eligible for the giveaways any more
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Thumbs down to Goodreads changes - giveaways, fees
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- Scribbler
- Posts: 19
- Joined: December 2017
- Currently reading: The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor
- Interest in HF: I’ve always loved fiction and history, so historical fiction is my happy reading zone. I think the books that cemented hist fic as my favourite were Random Passage and Waiting for Time by Bernice Morgan. I have a special interest in: WWII, Ireland, England, Italy, Canada (especially Newfoundland and Labrador), women’s history/herstory and folklore.
- Favourite HF book: Can’t pick one. Recently enjoyed The Good People by Hannah Kent.
- Preferred HF: I have a special interest in WWII period, especially relating to women’s history, codebreaking work, Bletchley Park. I tend to most enjoy literary fiction rather than comercial or popular fiction, but read a range.
- Location: Canada
Re: Thumbs down to Goodreads changes - giveaways, fees
US Goodreads user here. I hadn't heard about this, but then again I can't recall the last time I entered a giveaway. There are threads in the feedback group where it's been noticed that after a few wins when one first signs up, and then it dries up and who knows who are those folks winning. I also don't like to have the review required/expected responsibility and have stopped accepting ARCs, even with Amazon Vine. I have plenty of owned books, and for the new stuff my library gets everything.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be
...is the only place I want to be
- Vanessa
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 4378
- Joined: August 2008
- Currently reading: The Farm at the Edge of the World by Sarah Vaughan
- Interest in HF: The first historical novel I read was Katherine by Anya Seton and this sparked off my interest in this genre.
- Favourite HF book: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell!
- Preferred HF: Any
- Location: North Yorkshire, UK
Re: Thumbs down to Goodreads changes - giveaways, fees
I use Goodreads but rarely enter the giveaways. You’d think it would be related to whoever is doing the giveaway, which country it’s from. Or are all the giveaways from the US?
currently reading: My Books on Goodreads
Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind
Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind
-
- Scribbler
- Posts: 19
- Joined: December 2017
- Currently reading: The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor
- Interest in HF: I’ve always loved fiction and history, so historical fiction is my happy reading zone. I think the books that cemented hist fic as my favourite were Random Passage and Waiting for Time by Bernice Morgan. I have a special interest in: WWII, Ireland, England, Italy, Canada (especially Newfoundland and Labrador), women’s history/herstory and folklore.
- Favourite HF book: Can’t pick one. Recently enjoyed The Good People by Hannah Kent.
- Preferred HF: I have a special interest in WWII period, especially relating to women’s history, codebreaking work, Bletchley Park. I tend to most enjoy literary fiction rather than comercial or popular fiction, but read a range.
- Location: Canada
Re: Thumbs down to Goodreads changes - giveaways, fees
Vanessa, to date authors from anywhere could post books for giveaways and specifics what countries are eligible to enter. But not only readers in USA will be eligible to enter.Vanessa wrote:I use Goodreads but rarely enter the giveaways. You’d think it would be related to whoever is doing the giveaway, which country it’s from. Or are all the giveaways from the US?
- Vanessa
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 4378
- Joined: August 2008
- Currently reading: The Farm at the Edge of the World by Sarah Vaughan
- Interest in HF: The first historical novel I read was Katherine by Anya Seton and this sparked off my interest in this genre.
- Favourite HF book: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell!
- Preferred HF: Any
- Location: North Yorkshire, UK
Re: Thumbs down to Goodreads changes - giveaways, fees
I wonder why they’ve changed the rules. It can’t be a cost thing if it’s direct from indidual publishers as that wouldn’t affect Goodreads. Is it something to do with licensing?
currently reading: My Books on Goodreads
Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind
Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind
- Rowan
- Bibliophile
- Posts: 1462
- Joined: August 2008
- Interest in HF: I love history, but it's boring in school. Historical fiction brings it alive for me.
- Preferred HF: Iron-Age Britain, Roman Britain, Medieval Britain
- Location: New Orleans
- Contact:
Re: Thumbs down to Goodreads changes - giveaways, fees
I enter giveaways often, but have only won twice and received a book once. I keep entering even though I know I won't win.
I think it's pretty ridiculous for them to charge fees to do a listing, unless it's just a few cents. If that happens, I can see a lot of authors moving away from using Goodreads to promote books and for anything really.
As for restricting giveaways to US readers only, perhaps what they should do instead is allow the person giving away the book to decide if they are willing to pay for international shipping. It's ridiculous to think that even shipping to Canada from the US (with whom we share a border hundreds of miles long) is tremendously expensive. But I don't think that Goodreads should be the ones doing the restricting. Or, if they do, offer something specifically for those outside the US. But I'm all for international exchange of books. Goodreads is looking more and more isolationist if they go forward with this.
I think it's pretty ridiculous for them to charge fees to do a listing, unless it's just a few cents. If that happens, I can see a lot of authors moving away from using Goodreads to promote books and for anything really.
As for restricting giveaways to US readers only, perhaps what they should do instead is allow the person giving away the book to decide if they are willing to pay for international shipping. It's ridiculous to think that even shipping to Canada from the US (with whom we share a border hundreds of miles long) is tremendously expensive. But I don't think that Goodreads should be the ones doing the restricting. Or, if they do, offer something specifically for those outside the US. But I'm all for international exchange of books. Goodreads is looking more and more isolationist if they go forward with this.