An Author's Experience with Amazon Pre-Order

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... and solutions for YOUR pre-orders.
Bestseller author Mindy Klasky "Our pre-orders for the set steadily grew as we invested time, money, and effort in promoting Mischief. On November 2, 2015, well before Amazon’s ten-day deadline, we uploaded the final version of our text file. That final version contained nineteen novellas, each of which was proofread, formatted, and hyperlinked in a master table of contents. Amazon confirmed receipt of the final file.
On November 17, Mischief Under the Mistletoe went live.  Shortly after midnight, approximately 8100 pre-orders were fulfilled. Alas, Amazon mistakenly sent those customers the placeholder file instead of the final file. (New customers who placed orders after the book released, received and continue to receive the correct file.)

Forty-eight hours later, the situation remains unresolved. Nearly 40% of our reviews are one- or two-star reviews, commenting exclusively about the problems of the placeholder file. Most frustratingly, Amazon refuses to delete the one- and two-star reviews–even though those reviews patently have nothing to do with the quality of the product."  Rather with Amazon's faulty delivery... but read the about the whole horrifying ordeal here:
http://www.mindyklasky.com/index.php/2015/11/amazons-pre-order-quagmire

Here are some Solutions to Protect Your Pre-Orders I suggested to Mindy:
We had issues with pre-order for "Marketing on a Shoestring" in March and are banned for a year - due to the fault of Amazon's untrained and incompetent employees. But this was nothing to what you went through... Forget Amazon pre-orders. Five things authors can do in the future:

1. Sell through Apple i-Books as well: You can set up pre-orders ONE YEAR in advance!
http://www.savvybookwriters.com/pre-orders-on-apple-ibooks-up-to-1-year/

2. Sell pre-orders from your own website(s): easy and inexpensive to set it up, you get to know your customers and you EARN MORE.
https://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2013/12/18/why-sell-your-books-from-your-own-website/

2. Create an e-BOOK giveaway at LibraryThing or BookLikes three months in advance.
http://www.savvybookwriters.com/how-librarything-can-help-you-to-more-reviews/

3. Create a print-book giveaway at Goodreads six weeks in advance.
http://www.savvybookwriters.com/succcessful-book-giveaways-print-and-ebooks/

4. Set up a virtual book launch and announce it through Goodreads and Google+ EVENTS (free)
http://www.savvybookwriters.com/how-to-create-buzz-for-your-upcoming-book-on-goodreads/

5. Use your (and your other box-set author's) email newsletter to create excitement for your upcoming box-set every months in the period before your book launch.
https://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/2014/06/04/secrets-of-successful-newsletters/

6. Not happy with Kindle publishing/KDP/KindleUnlimited results/ Book-Review-Plugging / Pre-Orders? Registered Letter to Amazon CEO Russ Grandinetti. Or sue them for substantial costs and losses / reputation that you experienced through their unprofessional behavior and spreading lies to your readers.

Always remember: Don't put all your eggs in one basket! 

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