# Author Beware: My ACX Nightmare with Amazon



## Greg Dragon (Jun 10, 2014)

*Note: To authors finding this topic, I have outlined pretty much 100% of the details of my situation on the first three pages of this thread and I do not have any additional information, tips, or advice to give concerning ACX. I beg you, do not PM me here, on Facebook, or through my website contact form to ask for details because I will no longer be responding to them. I want to keep this thread alive, but I do not want to be forced into anonymity, so, please, do not contact me concerning this thread or ACX. Thank you.* - GD


------------------------------------------------------- Original Post Starts Below -----------------------------------------------------------------------​
This isn't a question or a bragging point, just an FYI to keep you good folks in the loop in case it happens to you. I have 10 audiobooks currently with ACX, and have used the promo codes with services like Audiobook Boom to get some exposure as well as sending out codes to members of my mailing list.

Last year November after finishing up an audiobook, I get an email from Amazon, tagging ACX (Note: the email address was: [email protected]):



> Your ACX account and related ACX titles have been flagged due to unusual activity. We have confirmed fraudulent use of the promotional codes for your ACX audiobooks. While we support the legitimate efforts of our users to promote their audiobooks, attempting to manipulate the ACX platform and/or ACX programs is not permitted.
> 
> Please know that you are responsible for making sure that you observe ACX's guidelines (http://audible-acx.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8887 ). You must confirm that you will no longer abuse promotional codes by replying to this email at [email protected] to confirm your receipt. *Failure to reply within five business days will result in restrictions against your account, up to and including termination*.


So I immediately respond, and get this from ACX (LOL):



> I am sorry to learn about fraudulent activity with the promo codes you were sent. *When I reviewed your account in our system, I found no such information*. The last email that was sent to you from ACX, was on 10/31/18, letting you know that we were unable to provide you with an additional set of promo codes but provided links to help market your audiobook title.


_(Note: so obviously Amazon and ACX aren't communicating, but stupid me, I assumed the best from that email.)_

Fast-forward to this year and ACX's change in promo codes, which now allows you to get them a la carte through the dashboard along with the system keeping track of them. ACX emailed me about the change, and I am like, "great, I can share some codes with the mailing list again." Then I go looking for that promo tab on my dashboard, and voila, it isn't there  . So ... me, still unaware of what I now call my shadow-ban, called ACX to ask about the status of my account. The CSR was very nice and helpful (they always are), but ended up putting me on several holds before citing IT as the issue. I work in IT, so I know this blow-off well, but I played the game and asked him to email me regardless. Here's the response:



> My name is (snip) and I'm the ACX lead that you are currently speaking to over the phone via live assistance. At this time, I've gone ahead and submitted the screen-shots that you provided us to our Web Developers to further investigate. As soon as this issue is rectified we will notify you. We appreciate you being so patient with us. You will hear from us shortly.


Okay... they're looking into it, I can relax. Nope! Two months later and more emails telling me that the "tech team" is looking into it, and I come to the conclusion that I am screwed. The head is not talking to the tail, and there are 1000 examples on this very board as to Amazon's horrible customer service when it comes to producers. I decided to force a real response, so I write a terse email asking for them to escalate my issue and stop lying about my account. I expected more flowery words and inaction, but instead I get this:



> Thank you for contacting ACX!
> 
> I understand you'd like to know the status of your recent query about the promo codes button not showing in your account.
> 
> ...


How is this okay, kboards? How is this okay?

What bothers me is that due to them misleading me for months, I have three audiobooks being worked on at the moment within their flawed system. Now that I've been made aware, I will pay the producers and get the hell off that ship with my audio, because according to this quote, they don't plan to allow me to sell them until their non-investigation is concluded: "all submitted titles will remain on hold, and will not be made available for sale nor promo codes."

While I can (and will) take my future audio to another company to publish, the blindside and serious lack of f---s from ACX has me seeing red right now.

Has anyone else dealt with something like this dealing with ACX? I am genuinely curious if anyone has managed to resolve their account once it has been flagged.


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## lethomasjr (Dec 6, 2017)

(gulp)

I need a moment to process this story. I have been on the fence about jumping to Findaway for my next audiobook project. You may sealed the deal. 

For what it's worth, I am so very sorry this happened to you.


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## Greg Dragon (Jun 10, 2014)

TwistedTales said:


> Are you saying you're banned from promoting your audio books through ACX, but no one bothered to tell you? *Yes, exactly this. I have the email trail to prove it too*.
> 
> Are you exclusive to Amazon or can you sell your audio books on other platforms? *All of my audiobooks have been exclusive (stupid me, I know), but the current three are still being recorded, so there's a question as to whether they belong to ACX already, or is it only locked in after the final agreement with the production.*
> 
> ...


I have asked them (ACX) if i'm stuck or can I leave. I am still waiting to hear back from them since I fired off that email an hour ago. If they say, no, then I will leave those projects forever in limbo and take my files elsewhere. If they say yes, then I'm going to have a lawyer look things over to see what I can.

Thanks for the heads-up about going to Bezos btw, I just alerted my audiobook producers, and if the next email from ACX is anything short of, "you are free to go," I will prep for what's to come.


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## Greg Dragon (Jun 10, 2014)

lethomasjr said:


> For what it's worth, I am so very sorry this happened to you.


Thank you.


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## johannesrexx (Mar 30, 2015)

From your comments it is abundantly clear that Amazon and ACX are acting like unethical monopolists that don't give a jot about you, their business partner. 

I am amazed at the patience you're showing over the stench. Why not take your audiobooks elsewhere and get out where the air is fresh?

A lean, mean and ethical competitor would respond with urgency and courtesy and settle the matter on the spot.

This may bode ill for Mister Bezos because his company has possibly reached critical mass at 630,600 full-time employees (according to Yahoo! Finance) and may imminently collapse like a house of cards.


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## Greg Dragon (Jun 10, 2014)

johannesrexx said:


> From your comments it is abundantly clear that Amazon and ACX are acting like unethical monopolists that don't give a jot about you, their business partner.
> 
> I am amazed at the patience you're showing over the stench. Why not take your audiobooks elsewhere and get out where the air is fresh?
> 
> ...


I was just explaining to my wife how this feels no different from eBay when you're a seller who gets stiffed by a buyer (they don't care about you... lol). I'm careful with how I post, so I seem patient, but I'm angry to the point where no words will be written for my WIP today. I took Twisted Tales advice and sent an email to [email protected], and I am waiting to hear back from ACX if they intend to freeze the three audiobooks being recorded currently. As to my current audiobooks, they are still selling but under contract with ACX, so i'm stuck for 7 years with those books. As to future projects, I will consider my third-party options. One thing I am happy for is that I have a good relationship with my favorite narrators, and they aren't tied to ACX.


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## SueSeabury (Mar 12, 2016)

What a nightmare. I'm very sorry to hear it. Also, this:


johannesrexx said:


> From your comments it is abundantly clear that Amazon and ACX are acting like unethical monopolists that don't give a jot about you.


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## CassieL (Aug 29, 2013)

Greg, if you paid the narrators up front and the books have been listed for at least a year you can request to move to non-exclusive status with ACX. It won't remove them from ACX, but at least you won't be exclusive anymore.


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## Greg Dragon (Jun 10, 2014)

CassieL said:


> Greg, if you paid the narrators up front and the books have been listed for at least a year you can request to move to non-exclusive status with ACX. It won't remove them from ACX, but at least you won't be exclusive anymore.


Wow! I had no idea. Thanks so much.


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## Greg Dragon (Jun 10, 2014)

Got another email this morning, and this one takes the cake... and i'm wondering if it's more CSR misinformation to get me to stop asking questions. In any event, i'm going to keep pushing to get real answers, particularly what abuse are they referring to, and why it took two months of telling me my account was good for two back to back messages saying differently, one accusing the other of being untrue. This is hilarious.



> Hello,
> 
> Thank you for contacting ACX.
> 
> ...


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## Greg Dragon (Jun 10, 2014)

TwistedTales said:


> Does that mean you can still sell your audio books on Amazon, you just can't use the promo codes?
> 
> That's better than an outright ban on your audio books. It means you can still sell them, albeit with one hand tied behind your back.
> 
> ...


This is what I am thinking--but unsure considering the opposing emails, and I know they won't tell me what I got flagged for... I question if they themselves even know (do you notice that the last email has no name to tie it back to? I don't trust that). For now, all I can do is wait to see if I get a response from [email protected], but I'm not a "let's go back to the restaurant that spit in our food" type of person, so this is a deal-breaker for me moving forward. They better pray my platform stays tiny because this whole experience has been unacceptable, and I won't forget it.


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## Greg Dragon (Jun 10, 2014)

Just got a really nice voicemail from someone at ACX support, telling me that my promo tab is back in place and wanting to speak to me about this entire circus. I will have to call them back next week since it's the end of the workday here, but with respect to anyone who has read this or will be reading this, I hope that this illustrates that it is worth pushing back when you've been wrongly accused.



> Hello Greg,
> 
> My name is (snip) and I'm the (snip).
> 
> ...


and there it is:









While I tend to be extremely sensitive to these sort of things (once bitten, twice... you know the rest), I do appreciate a human being stepping in to read through the emails and fix the issue. I was in the midst of pulling out 100% when the call came in, so I will be speaking to him next week about my lack of confidence in their handling of our issues. What I would love to know is how I was flagged, why it came from an amazon email, and why they allow their CSR's to respond the way they did. My wife thinks they use bots, but those emails seem too aggressive for AI.

Anyhoo...

I want to thank everyone who gave me suggestions on fighting back. I've learned some important things here for the next time I run into an issue.


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## A past poster (Oct 23, 2013)

TwistedTales said:


> There has always been a suspicion that Amazon track kboards and maybe they do.


Years ago Wayne Stinnett confirmed that Amazon has someone reading *every post* on kboards.


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## J. A. Wallace (Mar 31, 2019)

OMG, I am so sorry this happened to you. Thank you for sharing. I don't yet have audio books, but I will certainly do a great deal of research before I jump in. I hope you find a satisfactory resolution to this terrible situation. Let us know how it is resolved.


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## Marseille France or Bust (Sep 25, 2012)

You know the good turnaround is because you emailed Jeff, right? Those people hop-to when there is a complaint sent to their Executive offices and it is legit. Congrats. Now go to "non-exclusive."



Greg Dragon said:


> Just got a really nice voicemail from someone at ACX support, telling me that my promo tab is back in place and wanting to speak to me about this entire circus. I will have to call them back next week since it's the end of the workday here, but with respect to anyone who has read this or will be reading this, I hope that this illustrates that it is worth pushing back when you've been wrongly accused.
> 
> and there it is:
> 
> ...


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## MMSN (Feb 27, 2019)

TwistedTales said:


> The "guilty because we said so", where arbitration is the only recourse, is too heavy handed in my view.


Just a note --the ACX contract doesn't have an arbitration clause last time I checked anyway. Disputes are governed by the laws of the State of New York, so I'm guessing any legal action would have to be filed in a court, there.


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## MMSN (Feb 27, 2019)

I don't know how audiobook scamming works either. Here's my guess. OP says he used _Audiobook Boom. Audiobook Boom_ says "if you're willing to leave an honest review, the author may choose you to receive their audiobook for free!"

I suspect ACX frowns on authors offering ACX books for free, in exchange for reviews.


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## D. A. J. F. (Mar 29, 2019)

TwistedTales said:


> Lol. I know they read it and they also know who most of us are, even if we're not using our real names.
> 
> I was just having a bit of fun with it. It's the weekend!


How do they know that?


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## jb1111 (Apr 6, 2018)

D. A. J. F. said:


> How do they know that?


Probably through educated guesses. Otherwise, if you're anonymous here, they wouldn't know, unless you gave enough data about your books and the like.


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## EmparentingMom (Jun 20, 2011)

Wait - but does Amazon have a problem with Audiobook Boom? Is there anything about their service that could be construed as a violation of TOS?


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## Greg Dragon (Jun 10, 2014)

EmparentingMom said:


> Wait - but does Amazon have a problem with Audiobook Boom? Is there anything about their service that could be construed as a violation of TOS?


Just wanted to clarify that I am not blaming Audiobook Boom for any of this. The service they provide has been invaluable to me, and I have never seen anything from ACX or otherwise, stating that they are violating. It's a massive mystery as to what I was flagged for, and I won't get that answer, especially now that it was deemed a false flag and it is resolved.

I just got off the phone with someone at ACX, and got a heartfelt apology along with some reassurances that I won't have to be put through this whirlwind again, should it happen. Please, let's not start speculating as to what got me flagged since I should not have been flagged in the first place. This was an Amazon issue, solidly, not Audiobook Boom, or any other company but them.


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## Undercover Writer (May 27, 2019)

Greg Dragon said:


> Just wanted to clarify that I am not blaming Audiobook Boom for any of this. The service they provide has been invaluable to me, and I have never seen anything from ACX or otherwise, stating that they are violating. It's a massive mystery as to what I was flagged for, and I won't get that answer, especially now that it was deemed a false flag and it is resolved.
> 
> I just got off the phone with someone at ACX, and got a heartfelt apology along with some reassurances that I won't have to be put through this whirlwind again, should it happen. Please, let's not start speculating as to what got me flagged since I should not have been flagged in the first place. This was an Amazon issue, solidly, not Audiobook Boom, or any other company but them.


Nice, but I'd still go non-exclusive.


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## Kathy Dee (Aug 27, 2016)

Recently, I have been building my Facebook group. When I visit the group, FB helpfully tells me that I should consider inviting some people - it provides a list with 'invite now' buttons and I have been using them. Well . . . clearly I am guilty of some similar misdemeanour because FB then tells me I have been too enthusiastic about growing my group and I have a temporary ban!!!

That, as I understand is a similar situation to yours i.e. they gave you promotion codes and *YOU * - you naughty, naughty boy - had the temerity to actually use them !!!

WTF is wrong with these people ?


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## TromboneAl (Mar 20, 2015)

I'm guessing that since you did nothing wrong, there are no tips for ways that new audiobook authors (like me) could avoid a similar problem.


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## Guest (Aug 31, 2019)

TromboneAl said:


> I'm guessing that since you did nothing wrong, there are no tips for ways that new audiobook authors (like me) could avoid a similar problem.


The answer is to NEVER go exclusive. The extra 15% isn't worth the restrictions imposed. I make more money every month out of the wide market than inside ACX. I think the reason is simple - ACX isn't as popular as people think it is. Authors Republic gives me a better return. Selling them on my own website gives me a better return. Findaway is a bit Meh! But still does more than ACX and I only have ONE book with them....


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## nail file (Sep 12, 2018)

Tobias Roote said:


> The answer is to NEVER go exclusive. The extra 15% isn't worth the restrictions imposed. I make more money every month out of the wide market than inside ACX. I think the reason is simple - ACX isn't as popular as people think it is. Authors Republic gives me a better return. Selling them on my own website gives me a better return. Findaway is a bit Meh! But still does more than ACX and I only have ONE book with them....


This is good to know, thank you!


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## justbae (Aug 5, 2019)

That's crazy because Audiobook Boom is by one of ACX's leading romance narrators; Jeffrey Kafer.


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## NanSweet (Apr 14, 2015)

I'm glad it was resolved. I think posting here helped.  Amazon contacted me once about something I posted...it was related to their swap over of the ad screen.  They do seem to want happy authors...which is good for all of us


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## Mip7 (Mar 3, 2013)

> The answer is to NEVER go exclusive. The extra 15% isn't worth the restrictions imposed. I make more money every month out of the wide market than inside ACX. I think the reason is simple - ACX isn't as popular as people think it is. Authors Republic gives me a better return. Selling them on my own website gives me a better return. Findaway is a bit Meh! But still does more than ACX and I only have ONE book with them....


So how do you go wide with an audio book? I didn't know there were any other markets, sheesh. How many are there? More importantly, how do you download your audio files from ACX (which were produced there) so you can upload them elsewhere?


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## Mip7 (Mar 3, 2013)

I did split-revenue with my narrators, so I'm guessing I'm stuck on that platform. Lesson learned.


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## Guest (Sep 2, 2019)

Mip7 said:


> So how do you go wide with an audio book? I didn't know there were any other markets, sheesh. How many are there? More importantly, how do you download your audio files from ACX (which were produced there) so you can upload them elsewhere?





Mip7 said:


> I did split-revenue with my narrators, so I'm guessing I'm stuck on that platform. Lesson learned.


Yes, I learned a lot from following KBoards and I had to get back my first book from the shared narration contract and shelve it to avoid any future issues over copyright. So, when I did finally setup my audiobooks again I made sure that a) I selected my own narrator b) I paid him directly and c) Took delivery of all my files with a contract rider that any future changes in format would be managed by the narrator.

AFAIK there are three main platforms (for which I have to state none of them are particularly great). They all give piss-poor commissions and you never get the information that might help you market your AB's better. e.g. If you go to ACX they won't tell you which sales came from Audible, Apple or Amazon, so you have no idea where you're success can be improved on. If you go to Author Republic you only get the breakdown of the types of royalty and nothing to help you develop your AB's in their marketplaces. Findaway are pretty much the same. You get commissions, but little information on their marketplace. (Do you see the common denominator here?). Kobo and Google are developing their AB market, but not available directly to the Indie yet.

When I look at the overall sales across the board I'm disgusted by the payouts - so much so that I've decided to pull out of most of them next year and continue developing my own platforms. I set the price, I get 97% of what I sell them for and even at half the price of ACX I make more per sale than the others combined. I'm working on a project at the moment that will expand my platform for others, but I have some hurdles to overcome before then. I will let KBs know when I've got that sorted.


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## D. A. J. F. (Mar 29, 2019)

Mip7 said:


> So how do you go wide with an audio book? I didn't know there were any other markets, sheesh. How many are there? More importantly, how do you download your audio files from ACX (which were produced there) so you can upload them elsewhere?





Mip7 said:


> I did split-revenue with my narrators, so I'm guessing I'm stuck on that platform. Lesson learned.





Tobias Roote said:


> Yes, I learned a lot from following KBoards and I had to get back my first book from the shared narration contract and shelve it to avoid any future issues over copyright. So, when I did finally setup my audiobooks again I made sure that a) I selected my own narrator b) I paid him directly and c) Took delivery of all my files with a contract rider that any future changes in format would be managed by the narrator.
> 
> AFAIK there are three main platforms (for which I have to state none of them are particularly great). They all give p*ss -poor commissions and you never get the information that might help you market your AB's better. e.g. If you go to ACX they won't tell you which sales came from Audible, Apple or Amazon, so you have no idea where you're success can be improved on. If you go to Author Republic you only get the breakdown of the types of royalty and nothing to help you develop your AB's in their marketplaces. Findaway are pretty much the same. You get commissions, but little information on their marketplace. (Do you see the common denominator here?). Kobo and Google are developing their AB market, but not available directly to the Indie yet.
> 
> When I look at the overall sales across the board I'm disgusted by the payouts - so much so that I've decided to pull out of most of them next year and continue developing my own platforms. I set the price, I get 97% of what I sell them for and even at half the price of ACX I make more per sale than the others combined. I'm working on a project at the moment that will expand my platform for others, but I have some hurdles to overcome before then. I will let KBs know when I've got that sorted.


Nice to know.


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## Mip7 (Mar 3, 2013)

Yes thanks for this info Tobias. The market certainly looks prime for a competitor aggregate AB distributor. The problem as I see it would be that the individual platforms have minimum retail prices they will sell audio books for. So what is really needed is a competitive sales platform, which sounds like something you may want to develop at least for space opera. Hey, who knows where it could go?


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## Vaclav Vrbensky (Sep 3, 2019)

Hey Greg happy to see that your account is back in order!

I just received the same email!

My 4 titles were in pending review for a month and when I emailed about update they just replied me this



> Hello,
> 
> Thank you for contacting ACX!
> 
> ...


Every time I email them I receive the same email, I even tried to call them and no one want to communicate with me.

I haven't done anything wrong and always complying with all the rules they have. They just suddenly put on hold my books and I can't publish any new ones.

Can I ask you what you did?

I think I might have to email to Jeff Bezos too I guess.

This to ridiculous.


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## anotherpage (Apr 4, 2012)

I've never had that happen.

You must have done something to piss them off. 

Think it through. Did you post additional audio content into another book?

Have you published content that is public domain?


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## anotherpage (Apr 4, 2012)

TwistedTales said:


> I don't know for sure, but I was told publishers sell their ACX promo codes because people can buy any audio book with them. If that's the scam, then I don't understand how they can make much money of it, but I was also told people are creating dud audio books just to get the promo codes. Again, not sure how anyone is making much money doing that either.


I don't believe you can do that because those codes now only work with your book.


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## moonpig0114 (Sep 4, 2019)

I am wondering if anyone can help with my nightmare ACX experience. I am able to access promo codes still but my audiobooks have now been pending for over 3 months. On ringing through to ACX they informed me that my account was under investigation but couldn't tell me anything more. I have called and emailed on numerous occasions and nobody can tell me why. We have followed all ACX guidelines and have rang them through our whole process of putting our books on. I keep getting generic emails back from them again and again and we are no further to solving the problem. Has anyone else had this problem? Here is one of the many emails I have received, even though I have asked them to clarify a number of questions they just send the same emails back. 
Hello,

Thank you for contacting ACX!

I understand you'd like to know the status of your recent submissions which have all been delayed.

The delay is due to our internal teams reviewing your ACX activity to ensure compliance with our content guidelines and terms of use. Until this work is completed all submitted titles will remain on hold, and will not be made available for sale. While we hope our internal teams complete this investigation soon, as you can tell from the wait thus far, we cannot guarantee it. In the meantime we ask that you do not post more titles to the ACX Marketplace, or submit titles through our DIY channel.

While we conduct this investigation we cannot process any updates or requests to your current In Production or Live titles. This includes but is not limited to metadata changes, audio updates, and un-claiming of titles.

We certainly appreciate your patience while we work toward resolution of this matter. We will follow up with you when we have an update.

For any FAQs, please visit our Help Center here: https://audible-acx.custhelp.com

To review the ACX User Conduct and Content Acceptance Guidelines: https://audible-acx.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8887

The ACX Account Holder Agreement: https://www.acx.com/help/account-holder-agreement/201481940

Best Regards,

Best regards,
The ACX Team

Thank you.
Audible.com


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## Vaclav Vrbensky (Sep 3, 2019)

Never added any content. Always follow guideline. 

I can see it’s not just me but it’s getting to many people now. Anyone can help?


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## jacq (Sep 10, 2019)

Hi. I have the same problem as well. But not with the codes, with the guidelines and terms of use. I was a little bit behind schedule due to personal issues but I made sure I actively communicated with my narrators. I have 7 books total "in production". 3 audiobooks were already with me and under review while 4 audiobooks are with the narrators but they already finished production and are just waiting for me to give the signal to send the files. I had 1 audiobook under pending audio review for more than 3 weeks. That was the time I contacted ACX about the status of my book and I found out my account was flagged due to unusual activity. I also had been actively communicating with ACX customer service before it all happened. My account has been under investigation for a 2 months now.  Do you have any idea how long they review the file? Or is there still a chance for this to be solved?  Please help. I'm already trying to consider Findaway. Thank you.


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## MorganaBest (Nov 13, 2019)

This has just happened to me. I haven't used ACX since Feb 2018, and was moving to Findaway. This is what they sent 2 hours ago: Hello,

Your ACX account has been flagged due to unusual activity concerning the use of your ACX promotional codes. While we support the legitimate efforts of our users to promote their audiobooks, attempting to manipulate the ACX platform and/or ACX programs is not permitted.

As a result, we will no longer provide you with promotional codes to use to promote your ACX projects. Please note that our evaluation process takes multiple criteria into consideration when deciding to place restrictions, and we take action based on those criteria. Going forward, please also make sure that you observe ACX's guidelines (...)

Failure to meet ACX's guidelines or agreements may result in restrictions against your account, up to and including termination.

If you would like to review our Legal Contracts and Guidelines, please visit: (https://apc01...

Please be advised that this is our final decision and we won't be offering further insight or action on this matter."

Followed by this email after I responded:

We understand you're seeking additional information regarding revoked access to your promotional ACX codes. Pursuant to our previous communication, your account was under review for unusual activity. After a full investigation, we can confirm fraudulent use of the promotional codes for your ACX audiobooks.

As a result, we are upholding our previous decision to revoke your promo code access.

Please know that all ACX users are responsible for abiding by ACX's Legal Agreements. Failure to meet these guidelines can result in restrictions against your account, up to and including termination.

If you would like to review our Legal Contracts and Guidelines, please visit (https:...

The ACX team has no further information to disclose. This will be our final communication on the matter.


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## CJArcher (Jan 22, 2011)

MorganaBest said:


> This has just happened to me. I haven't used ACX since Feb 2018, and was moving to Findaway. This is what they sent 2 hours ago: Hello,


I got exactly the same email today and the exact same response after I queried it. Considering I haven't used promo codes from ACX in more than a year, I have no idea what unusual activity they're talking about and they're refusing to look into it further. I don't care about losing access to promo codes since I don't use them, but I'm very worried this will affect my account in other ways. Any advice?


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## ........ (May 4, 2013)

I just got the same email. They must be sending them out today. I have zero idea why I've now been banned from generating ACX promo codes.

I used to email back in the day to get codes but never used them. 

Then three and half years ago, I decided, what the hell, I'll use some. I emailed some people from my mailing list asking if they were interested in a free code. Twenty-three people in the US said yes and three in the UK. There was no "code for review" exchange. I just checked my email and I even noted that if anyone left a review they needed to add review copy received from author disclaimer. 

**

This is why Amazon's monopoly is a terrifying thing. If I was banned from Amazon, my ability to make a living writing would be effectively wiped out. 

I could have my entire life blown to pieces and there is no way to discover why this ban was handed out. Was one of the people on multiple mailing lists just trawling for audible codes? Did they review multiple books in the series and tripped an algorithm? 

I'm glad I was lazy in promoting audio. I got audio codes for multiple books and then eventually just stopped requesting them because I was never sending them out. 

So now I don't know what to do. Query and argue and like OP of this thread will they suddenly reveal it was a mistake or will I just get the Amazon wall of silence? 

Three and a half years ago. That's how long it has been since anyone redeemed an Amazon promo code I sent out.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

I just got the same email. But I have been sending out codes and it's part of my marketing, so it is a hit for me.

However, I'd never do anything fraudulent. I do pretty well with audibles and I wouldn't risk that. I don't even know how you'd use them fraudulently. Not the new ones anyway. I've never heard of them being sold.

They did seem to give me an extra hint at what the issue might be in my case by adding this sentence in: "Going forward, please also make sure that you observe ACXâ€™s guidelines (http://audible-acx.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8887). "

I have recently published a collection of novellas, which included a novella that I'd previously produced on its own. I didn't realize that this breached their codes of conduct as I've seen people talk here about publishing boxsets on audible and how you should wait until the sales of our book slow down before combining them because it will affect the single books' sales. I've written to them in reply telling them I didn't realize this based on what I'd thought of as general knowledge in the author world and normal practice for eBooks and paperbacks. I told them I'm happy to take the book down now that I know, but just want to confirm it all. If it is this, why wouldn't you just write and say that this novella is included in this other novella, please take it down?

I've got lots of codes out there through sheer hard work and marketing, and I haven't used any other platform to distribute them. I'd copied some onto a spreadsheet for ease of use to distribute them, and I've only just sent some out in the last forty-eight hours, so I don't know if those will be redeemable or they are canceled as well. They don't mention any of that.

I'm wondering if this has anything at all to do with the expiring codes, which expired on the 9th. I sent out an email to my mailing list offering these, especially to UK people because I hadn't used any. So, I've recently had a lot of codes redeemed. However, they told us to do that in the email advising us they were expiring.

It's very distressing but if I don't get a good reply, which from reading here, I probably won't, then I'll use the Jeff Bezos email and persist with it. I need those codes for reviews on my books and my launching strategy.

I haven't had anything like this happen before. It's very upsetting, for sure.


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## Vaclav Vrbensky (Sep 3, 2019)

Hello everybody,

I’ve received exactly the same email as you all today. 

I’ve never try to manipulate ACX, I don’t even know how! 

When I tried to email them I just got simple answer that it is their final decision to take out promo codes. 

This is very strange since on their website clearly states you should use all the promo codes to promote your book. 

It’s very depressing since this is my only source of income at the moment. 

Anyone know any solution? Or know anyone from ACX to help with this? Seems like there is a lot of people getting this email...


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

Can you please check the other thread. https://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,318727.0.html and my comment at the bottom.

I'm starting to wonder if there has been a bump in sales that can't be accounted for. We may have somehow been used like the KU scammers have used other authors as a smoke screen. As the original poster has said, they eventually got their account and codes back after writing to [email protected] If enough of us write, surely they will realize their error. I'll also send this to David Gaughran as if there is a scam going on, he'll know about it.


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## Vaclav Vrbensky (Sep 3, 2019)

Yes we should definitely email to Jeff Bezos. This is very strange what’s happening.

Who’s David Gaughran please?


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

Vaclav Vrbensky said:


> Yes we should definitely email to Jeff Bezos. This is very strange whatÂ's happening.
> 
> WhoÂ's David Gaughran please?


He's a very proactive author in the community who pretty much is on top of scams and always alerted Amazon to them. To little avail, I might say. But at least we are all made aware.

Did you check out the other thread? Let us know over there, if you saw a bump in sales that was unaccounted for. Definitely write to Jeff about this. I am, as well as persisting with ACX. I haven't had a return reply yet, but once I do, it'll be Jeff email next.


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## ........ (May 4, 2013)

Apparently the narrator also gets audio codes too? I never heard of that. I wonder if they were giving out a bunch.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

........ said:


> Apparently the narrator also gets audio codes too? I never heard of that. I wonder if they were giving out a bunch.


A narrator who is doing a 50/50 share with an author gets codes. That hadn't occurred to me. But I've paid for all my audibles and they've cost a pretty penny because I've used top-notch narrators who've won awards. I've got one in production at the moment. So their threat of closing my whole account if I continue to manipulate codes (which I don't know how I did or how I would now I don't have any) is very concerning.


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## gilesxbecker (Mar 20, 2017)

I have been thinking about doing an audiobook. Now I have stopped even considering it after reading the mess you can get into. Sorry for author's troubles here, wish there were a platform more trustworthy somewhere.


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## KevinH (Jun 29, 2013)

SusanMayWriter said:


> A narrator who is doing a 50/50 share with an author gets codes.


_All_ narrators get codes, even those hired PFH.


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## lea_owens (Dec 5, 2011)

Well, these discussions on the ACX codes has brought my plans to go ahead with audio to a screeching halt. I'm seeing authors reporting on this issue everywhere - no one seems to know how it can be made into a scam, but Amazon is behaving as though honest authors are conducting a scam, and it has certainly put me off even going there. It seems a dreadful mess.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

Lea, it is a dreadful mess, but don't be put off. Audible is a very good option and a growing market. I'm not put off, but I'll just keep fighting until someone listens to us.


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## ImaWriter (Aug 12, 2015)

Someone has stated elsewhere that they got this email today... yet they don't have an ACX account or any audio books.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

ImaWriter said:


> Someone has stated elsewhere that they got this email today... yet they don't have an ACX account or any audio books.


Oh wow! Where did you hear that? I've seen it discussed extensively at SPF and also Redditt, which I've posted here, but I don't know where else. Seems extensive now and if that's the case then this is a bad glitch. It's causing me extra work and issues with people writing that they can't redeem codes that I sent in the last 48 hours. So damn rude of ACX.


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## MMSN (Feb 27, 2019)

It's in the Writer's Sanctum _ACX Promo code banhammer swinging_ thread.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

MMSN said:


> It's in the Writer's Sanctum _ACX Promo code banhammer swinging_ thread.


Thanks so much. That topic has been moved to a private group. I don't know how to join the private group, but anyway I've done everything I can so far, so I guess reading about more wrongly accused authors is just wasting more time on aCX tom foolery.


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## Laran Mithras (Nov 22, 2016)

And sometimes I get scornful responses when I say, "I don't use any kind of Amazon-approved promotions; you never know when Zon will swing the ban-hammer and take you with it."

While these problems may be a fraction of authors and many authors are making millions per month using these services and therefore it's all good, those platitudes do nothing for the unfortunate authors who get caught up in Zon's silliness. Some authors lose their only source of livelihood over things like these.

Glad I don't use any Amazon promotions.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

We didn't use any promotions. We simply had ACX accounts to publish our audibles. Some people, like myself, used the promo codes given to us by ACX, which is an Amazon company, and that's all we've done. 
Whatever the issue is, it's nothing to do with using any promotion sites or cross-promotion. Somehow, we've been caught up in something that has to do with scamming and we haven't done anything except publish our audiobooks through an Amazon company.


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## Vaclav Vrbensky (Sep 3, 2019)

I’m definitely not leaving this just like this. 

This is very unfair and kinda “scatchy” from ACX! Without anything to say! 

I’ve never done anything against their guidelines and they just take my promo codes and also freeze my account.

If any person who’s working in ACX sees this please look into my account properly instead of just stop everything on my account.

I’m Publishing almost 2 years and now this? 

Not fair to anyone!


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

Vaclav Vrbensky said:


> I'm definitely not leaving this just like this.
> 
> This is very unfair and kinda "scatchy" from ACX! Without anything to say!
> 
> ...


Vaclav did you lose your account completely?

And Twisted Tales, I think it's a glitch as I've seen the post on another forum of someone with no audibles but they got the email. Damn annoying when they ignore your emails. I'll just keep writing to Jeff until I get a reply.


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## Laran Mithras (Nov 22, 2016)

SusanMayWriter said:


> We didn't use any promotions.


Promo codes = promotions
ARCs = promotions

Amazon-approved and encouraged, but I keep hearing people get caught up in Zon-crusades against these very things. Which is why I won't use them. I wasn't speaking of third party promotions. Feels like Russian Roulette to me. Grats to all the authors using them without hassle, but I won't risk my income on them.


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## anotherpage (Apr 4, 2012)

There is something about this that doesn't ring true or at least is messed up.

ACX gives us codes on purpose to promote our work. They know people are going to use them. This year the codes they give only can be used with the book it came with not with other books. 

So i can't see where fraud can be done. 

Yes, in the past if someone got codes from them they could give them out and someone could use those for other books ( not that we have control over that) but not now. 

So how can people still be getting emails like this? This is very odd. 

It appears Gregs issues stem from last year when the old system was in place. I think ACX has now put in place a NEW system where the codes only work with your book so no fraud can be done.


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## anotherpage (Apr 4, 2012)

TwistedTales said:


> I don't know for sure, but I was told publishers sell their ACX promo codes because people can buy any audio book with them. If that's the scam, then I don't understand how they can make much money of it, but I was also told people are creating dud audio books just to get the promo codes. Again, not sure how anyone is making much money doing that either.


This can no longer be done now that ACX has switched to the new method where your codes ONLY work with your book, no one elses.


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## anotherpage (Apr 4, 2012)

Greg Dragon said:


> Just wanted to clarify that I am not blaming Audiobook Boom for any of this. The service they provide has been invaluable to me, and I have never seen anything from ACX or otherwise, stating that they are violating. It's a massive mystery as to what I was flagged for, and I won't get that answer, especially now that it was deemed a false flag and it is resolved.
> 
> I just got off the phone with someone at ACX, and got a heartfelt apology along with some reassurances that I won't have to be put through this whirlwind again, should it happen. Please, let's not start speculating as to what got me flagged since I should not have been flagged in the first place. This was an Amazon issue, solidly, not Audiobook Boom, or any other company but them.


I agree. This was an Amazon issue not audiobook boom.


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## anotherpage (Apr 4, 2012)

CJArcher said:


> I got exactly the same email today and the exact same response after I queried it. Considering I haven't used promo codes from ACX in more than a year, I have no idea what unusual activity they're talking about and they're refusing to look into it further. I don't care about losing access to promo codes since I don't use them, but I'm very worried this will affect my account in other ways. Any advice?


Did you use audio book boom? Let us know if you did because if so, other people can avoid them.

Though I think this might be a BOT thing where their system is randomly flagging people.


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## anotherpage (Apr 4, 2012)

........ said:


> I just got the same email. They must be sending them out today. I have zero idea why I've now been banned from generating ACX promo codes.
> 
> I used to email back in the day to get codes but never used them.
> 
> ...


I know this worries me at times. The fact that our entire livelihood is in their hands.

Let us know if you used audio book boom. I can't see them being the issue but these recent string of emails is concerning especially since the promo codes today can only be used with your book and cant be sold to be used with other books so i cant see where the fraud is happening. I think this is a BOT thing where random accounts are being selected.


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## anotherpage (Apr 4, 2012)

SusanMayWriter said:


> I just got the same email. But I have been sending out codes and it's part of my marketing, so it is a hit for me.
> 
> However, I'd never do anything fraudulent. I do pretty well with audibles and I wouldn't risk that. I don't even know how you'd use them fraudulently. Not the new ones anyway. I've never heard of them being sold.
> 
> ...


I wonder if this is the issue

"Duplicative Content
While some listeners enjoy listening to a book more than once, they will be disappointed to find that content repeated in another book he or she has already purchased. Sections or entire audiobooks should not be duplicated between audiobook projects."

Are the people who are getting this combining their books together i.e ( you have 3 titles that are audios ) and then you have another one which is a bundle.

AKA - you are now publishing duplicate content and would meet the criteria stated in their terms.

It might also explain why others have not been getting this email ( folks who dont bundle )

Just a guess but would like to hear from you folks who have had this happen if you are publishing audio bundles


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## anotherpage (Apr 4, 2012)

ImaWriter said:


> Someone has stated elsewhere that they got this email today... yet they don't have an ACX account or any audio books.


Oh that is hilarious. That means this has to be a BOT thing a random computer screw up.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

timesgoneby said:


> Oh that is hilarious. That means this has to be a BOT thing a random computer screw up.


No, it isn't bundling. Many have said they haven't got any duplication. I do, not realizing you can't do it. I just put a novella out six months ago and then combined it in a short story collection. However, my email clearly says, like everyone else's that it's to do with codes and manipulation. I think it is definitely a bot screw up. However, getting it rectified might take some time.

Twelve months ago they included one of my books in KU free to listen library without my permission. That took about four weeks to get rectified. They admitted it was a glitch and apologized. I hope that will be the case here. Nobody who's been posting has done anything wrong. I haven't used any of these companies that send out codes for you and I've only used my codes as ACX suggests, via fans and mailing list. Certainly haven't swapped my codes with other authors as they suggest. That doesn't seem ethical to me. Anyway, here's hoping someone hears something. I've written to [email protected] but haven't heard anything back as yet.


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## Asteroth (Nov 14, 2019)

I have spent the weekend protesting my innocence and asking how to unpublish my books as I really do not wish to support ACX if this is how they behave. I get beck the same email every time...

Hello Gary,

We understand you're seeking additional information regarding access to Promotional Codes for your ACX account. Promotional Codes are a benefit to eligible ACX users per our Legal Agreements (https://www.acx.com/help/legal-contracts/200485430), as well as our User Conduct and Content Acceptance Guidelines (https://audible-acx.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8887). Factors that result in accounts not being eligible for this feature include misuse of Promo Codes, not observing ACX's residency restrictions, publishing content that infringes upon our content guidelines, and more.

We are upholding our previous decision to revoke your access to the Promo Code tool.

If you would like to review our Legal Contracts and Guidelines, please visit www.acx.com/legal. ;

The ACX team has no further information to disclose. This will be our final communication on the matter.

Warm Regards!

Sincerely,
Paola
ACX.com

Now I am confused as I have bundled books - I have some compilations out and I might have thought this is the issue specifically however, in an earlier email they clearly say my account was being monitored for fraud and they accuse me of fraud. So Im lost. I only started using the codes late October for a Halloween promo I did and I sent out only 5 or 6 codes. The last time I checked - only one had been redeemed.

I have yet to hear from ACX how to unpublish my books


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## CassieL (Aug 29, 2013)

timesgoneby said:


> I wonder if this is the issue
> 
> "Duplicative Content
> While some listeners enjoy listening to a book more than once, they will be disappointed to find that content repeated in another book he or she has already purchased. Sections or entire audiobooks should not be duplicated between audiobook projects."
> ...


I have bundles and didn't get the email. I assume that is more about the audio equivalent of the KU bonus books issue than it is about a legitimate bundle, but I could be wrong.

Somewhere else it was looking like everyone who'd received the email was outside the U.S.?


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## The one with all the big dresses on the covers (Jan 25, 2016)

Asteroth said:


> I have spent the weekend protesting my innocence and asking how to unpublish my books as I really do not wish to support ACX if this is how they behave. I get beck the same email every time...
> 
> Hello Gary,
> 
> ...


I hadn't seen that email before. Given that the original email seems to have been sent to people living outside the US, I think the relevant line is "not observing ACX's residency restrictions". Why in the world they've chosen to couch the whole thing in talk about promo code fraud I have no idea. But I highly doubt it's a coincidence that they've added that line. And it would explain why people who've never even generated a promo code--or even published audiobooks--got the email.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

> I hadn't seen that email before. Given that the original email seems to have been sent to people living outside the US, I think the relevant line is "not observing ACX�s residency restrictions". Why in the world they've chosen to couch the whole thing in talk about promo code fraud I have no idea. But I highly doubt it's a coincidence that they've added that line. And it would explain why people who've never even generated a promo code--or even published audiobooks--got the email.


I don't think its that because surely the response to that would be to remove the account, not just the codes. I think it's fraudulent use of the codes. I've asked them to please pick one and tell me which one is the issue and what 'and more' means. I don't think its duplicate content. I was the one that brought that up because it was in the content guidelines and I've got one novella recently released as well in a collection. But I've asked them to clarify that as well since well known authors on this forum have talked a lot in the past about collections and bundles with audible and when and how to do it.

I think its codes being misused. Why they have to be so mysterious and obdurate is beyond me. Just causes more work for them continuing to reply and enormous frustration and upset for us caught up in something that we can only speculate on.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

Am I reading this correctly? It's quite confusing. But are they talking about resolution between themselves and an author, or an author and a narrator, or both. Because if this is the case, then they are not upholding their end of the agreement with regards to discussions (which I have bolded and underlined). I might write and back highlight this and suggest that as per their own legal conditions that they keep directing me to, I don't see good faith being used on their part. What do you think?

Governing Law and ACX Dispute Resolution Procedures
This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of New York.

Disputes between ACX Participants. Notwithstanding any other provisions regarding governing law and disputes that may be applicable, any dispute between you and another ACX participant relating to ACX will be resolved exclusively through the procedures set forth below.

*Discussions. The parties will first attempt to resolve concerns through informal discussions. If either party has a concern and requests discussions, the parties agree to discuss the concern in good faith and work toward finding a mutually agreeable solution.*

Arbitration. In the event the discussions between you and any other ACX participant fail, the dispute will be submitted to binding arbitration in accordance with the then applicable Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. Judgment on the arbitration award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. Exclusive venue for any arbitration will be New York, New York.

Disputes between ACX Participants and Audible. Notwithstanding any other provisions regarding governing law and disputes that may be applicable, in the event of a dispute between you and Audible related to ACX, the dispute will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of courts sitting in the County of New York, New York in accordance with the rules and procedures of such courts.


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## The one with all the big dresses on the covers (Jan 25, 2016)

SusanMayWriter said:


> I don't think its that because surely the response to that would be to remove the account, not just the codes. I think it's fraudulent use of the codes. I've asked them to please pick one and tell me which one is the issue and what 'and more' means. I don't think its duplicate content. I was the one that brought that up because it was in the content guidelines and I've got one novella recently released as well in a collection. But I've asked them to clarify that as well since well known authors on this forum have talked a lot in the past about collections and bundles with audible and when and how to do it.
> 
> I think its codes being misused. Why they have to be so mysterious and obdurate is beyond me. Just causes more work for them continuing to reply and enormous frustration and upset for us caught up in something that we can only speculate on.


Obviously any individual has to decide how to proceed for themselves. And I would certainly be interested to hear if anyone does get anywhere with ACX. But regardless of whether or not accounts were originally swept up as false positives by a fraud detection bot gone awry or not, they have now reworded their reply email to clearly state that those ineligible for promo codes include those outside of their residency countries. Given that, I would be highly surprised if anyone gets anywhere. Clearly someone inside ACX is aware what's going on, or they wouldn't have reworded their auto-reply and replaced all their talk about investigations and fraud with a comment about residency. (I do agree that the whole situation seems utterly ridiculous, but I also don't see the value in wasting a whole bunch of extra time if this isn't going to lead anywhere.)

I would, however, be very interested if they get back to you either way on the issue of duplicate content. I was about to talk to my audio publisher about audio box sets, but I won't bother if Audible is about to ban them.


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## Asteroth (Nov 14, 2019)

OK - so if it is residency issue how do they decide this? I am a US citizen, a UK citizen and I am normally resident in the US but at the moment, I am working in Europe. I report and pay my taxes in the US so what exactly is their beef


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## EmparentingMom (Jun 20, 2011)

Before I signed up, I explicitly asked them whether a US citizen living abroad could join, as long as they had a US bank account and mailing address, and they said yes. 


Asteroth said:


> OK - so if it is residency issue how do they decide this? I am a US citizen, a UK citizen and I am normally resident in the US but at the moment, I am working in Europe. I report and pay my taxes in the US so what exactly is their beef


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## Asteroth (Nov 14, 2019)

I am US citizen, have mailing address, bank account and social security number. If this is the issue, why on earth do they just not say so? Instead telling me I committed fraud using promo codes??

What kind of a company would do such a thing really? It says a lot about ACX imo.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

I don't think its residency. If it was they would ask for clarification of your residency and if that was their issue they'd do more than take your code facility. No, I think we have been caught up in a false/positive glitch. It could be hundreds of authors, and since Amazon's service department is run by bots, they just reprogram a reply and grab info from their terms because that email also says, 'and more.'

I've just messaged with the person on Reddit who got their account back and they said that they just kept writing and then ended having it referred to the department dealing with requests for reinstatement.' I will try that as an attention on the next round I shoot off.

It's all very bizarre behavior. I wrote an email around that resolution point I mentioned before because really if they want to quote terms to me, they need to stick to theirs. This is what I've written to them. You may want to try something similar or the same, up to you, and then maybe try attention to department that deals with reinstatement.

*EMAIL*



> I've further checked through those information links that you have sent me regarding the withdrawal of my promotional codes and I would like to ask you directly why my account is considered to not be "in good standing," as per your onsite information quoted below. I just require one condition, not several to choose from, leaving me to guess.
> 
> _Why can't I access promo codes for my audiobook?
> Promo codes are available to ACX Rights Holders and Producers in good standing for ACX audiobooks with exclusive distribution (both Marketplace and DIY). If you are unable to access promo codes on ACX and your audiobook meets these criteria, please Contact Us._
> ...


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## Asteroth (Nov 14, 2019)

Thanks - I will send that as well however, they have not answered my last 4 emails at all and seemingly now feel content to ignore me completely compounding the feeling I have that ACX is a very poor company and it needs a little public exposure to help it improve.....


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## Asteroth (Nov 14, 2019)

I blogged my story - please do spread......

https://garymvasey.com/2019/11/18/acx-gets-tyrannical-warning/


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## EmparentingMom (Jun 20, 2011)

TwistedTales said:


> ACX is just Amazon and penalizing without being clear why is typical of them. It's been like this for so long now that I assume it's an intentional tactic to limit their legal exposure. It's dishonest and why some of us limit our exposure to Amazon.
> 
> _"ACX is owned and operated by Audible Inc., an Amazon company. All titles produced through ACX are made available for sale on Audible.com, Amazon.com and iTunes. On ACX, the customer signs in as either a producer of an audiobook or as someone who owns the rights to create an audiobook."_


How does that limit their legal exposure?


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## Asteroth (Nov 14, 2019)

I sent the email and it prompted this response....

Hello,

We understand you're seeking additional information regarding access to Promotional Codes for your ACX account. Promotional Codes are a benefit to eligible ACX users per our Legal Agreements (https://www.acx.com/help/legal-contracts/200485430), as well as our User Conduct and Content Acceptance Guidelines (https://audible-acx.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8887). Factors that result in accounts not being eligible for this feature include misuse of Promo Codes, not observing ACX's residency restrictions, publishing content that infringes upon our content guidelines, and more.

We are upholding our previous decision to revoke your access to the Promo Code tool.

If you would like to review our Legal Contracts and Guidelines, please visit www.acx.com/legal.

The ACX team has no further information to disclose. This will be our final communication on the matter.

Sincerely,
The ACX Team

i.e.they don't even live up to their own code of conduct... what a shite company!


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

Asteroth, that’s the same email everyone is getting for round 3. Twisted Tales is correct. These are tactics. My husband has a theory that we are all in an email
Funnel & this will keep  going until we get to the end of the funnel. Then a human will look at it. This seems to fit with the person at Reddit. They sent many emails until finally they got a non form email & then bingo their codes are back.

They certainly are an unprofessional company & so frustrating to deal with. I’ve got a reviewer who wrote me yesterday telling me the link to review from his Kindle app has crashed & he can’t leave reviews At the moment from it. I have always said Amazon software is held together by elastic bands & sticky tape.

My suggestion is to keep emailing. I intend to email every day until I get my codes back.


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## Asteroth (Nov 14, 2019)

I will do so - do keep us posted...

Thanks,


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## EmparentingMom (Jun 20, 2011)

In response to one of their standard replies, I explicitly asked to be in touch with a human representative. I then received a reply that said: "
Hello, I can confirm this isn't an automated response. This is the answer to your query. All agents will provide this answer to you", followed by the same standard reply...


SusanMayWriter said:


> Asteroth, that's the same email everyone is getting for round 3. Twisted Tales is correct. These are tactics. My husband has a theory that we are all in an email
> Funnel & this will keep going until we get to the end of the funnel. Then a human will look at it. This seems to fit with the person at Reddit. They sent many emails until finally they got a non form email & then bingo their codes are back.
> 
> They certainly are an unprofessional company & so frustrating to deal with. I've got a reviewer who wrote me yesterday telling me the link to review from his Kindle app has crashed & he can't leave reviews At the moment from it. I have always said Amazon software is held together by elastic bands & sticky tape.
> ...


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

Well that sucks! Amazon are so immature to take that stance. Just be open. It’s clear we are not guilty of this thing. Anyway, I’ll just keep writing & mention this time that other people got their codes back by persisting & I intend to do the same. I haven’t checked my emails yet as I’ve just woken up.
I keep checking here hoping someone has had success.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

I've just checked my email and I've received the exact same reply as before. I've now sent a begging email to see if that might get a more human 'human'.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

Asteroth said:


> I blogged my story - please do spread......
> 
> https://garymvasey.com/2019/11/18/acx-gets-tyrannical-warning/


I read your article and left a comment. It's really bizarre for you with only having one code redeemed. Me, well, I've given out hundreds of these codes and quite a few recently because of the expiring codes. But all I did was send out to my email list, which I'd never done before because I knew I'd get a huge response. I specifically asked for UK people because I hadn't given out any codes to the UK hardly at all.

What I'm concerned about is the book I've got in production. I'm about to send it for approval. I've already paid the narrator $4,200 (she's one of the best), as I always do, and if they hold that approval because my account is not 'in good standing', as they've done to others in this thread earlier, I am screwed. I also really want to know if there are people who got my codes who somehow used them fraudulently. I don't like not knowing if I have some kind of scammer people in my list.

Such a time suck too for no good reason.


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## Undercover Writer (May 27, 2019)

Quite honestly, I've either used Findaway Voices or gone through ACX and paid up front for non-exclusive postings.

I've gone the royalty-share route with them, and, once my audiobook distribution agreements with ACX begin expiring in 2020, I'll be taking the audiobooks out, giving them my own ISBNs, and distributing them through Findaway.  I make much more with library "borrows" than with sales through ACX, anyway.

Another plus in distributing through Findaway is that I don't have to choose Audible or Amazon if I don't want to.  I have one book right now that doesn't use Amazon/Audible for distribution, and I make lots more on it with library "borrows" than I would have from Amazon/Audible.

I haven't had any shenanigans from ACX about anything so far, but it's nice to know that I can pull the plug if I want.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

Undercover Writer said:


> Quite honestly, I've either used Findaway Voices or gone through ACX and paid up front for non-exclusive postings.
> 
> I've gone the royalty-share route with them, and, once my audiobook distribution agreements with ACX begin expiring in 2020, I'll be taking the audiobooks out, giving them my own ISBNs, and distributing them through Findaway. I make much more with library "borrows" than with sales through ACX, anyway.
> 
> I haven't had any shenanigans from ACX about anything so far, but it's nice to know that I can pull the plug if I want.


I did consider pulling out about a year ago and even wrote and had my books come out. Then I thought that maybe better to have them all available in the one place while I'm doing marketing. It may come to that though if after this week I can't get any justice.

Have just also spoken to my narrator about this and she has seen on Facebook comments about this where narrators have received the same email. There's also been approaches from unscrupulous people and, yes, I'm calling it a scam, not a business angle, that operates exactly as I thought.

So, the scammer approaches a narrator through messaging offering them $50pfh to do a one week turn around. They don't care about quality and say they have plenty of books to come. They then use the $1,000 worth of codes through code farming and off they go to the next book. Easy money. I'd say, somehow, we've been caught up in these redemptions by the code farming people. As I suspected, we were probably a cover, as they previously had used authors in KU.

This is a scam because they have no intention of promoting the book past the 200 codes usage and any they sell will be just cream. If you want to defend them as being a business model, I don't agree, as they've now got a bunch of us banned for no reason and got ACX on high alert. As I have said, a very reliable source has told me a known KU banned scammer has a business now with ACX codes. He's also running marketing for other authors and charging a lot of money to run FB ads, that I've been told by one author failed miserably.

Back to writing emails. One of these days I may get some actual writing done.


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## Asteroth (Nov 14, 2019)

Thanks for the updates and blog comment. I actually don't understand how these codes are worth anything to anyone so not sure how you scam? I believe that the code is tied to the book? And since I gave out only 6 and only 1 was redeemed, how on earth am I involved anyway?

I'm not interested in the promo codes. I don't intend to use them. I  just object to being accused of a crime, being judged and pronounced guilty by a so called partner!

No more books via ACX for me. I will go elsewhere and forever advise others to do the same as loudly and as often as I can.

I'm emailing the BBB today. ACX ought to be listed there as a scam company themselves. They are scamming us.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

Asteroth said:


> I'm emailing the BBB today. ACX ought to be listed there as a scam company themselves. They are scamming us.


Lol. A scam company! Look if I can't get it sorted, I'll also go to another distributor but first I just need to push it as far as I can and try and find out what is going on. The scam works by getting these codes by publishing a book written by ghost writers cheap and getting it produced cheap. Then they get the codes and give them to a click farm to download. Then they pocket the money. I'd say they'll double their money that way. They probably download other authors books occasionally to hide their trail. That's how we've gotten involved. I really don't know if this is the one we are caught in but it is a scam that is happening. There are videos on Youtube on doing it. Heck, I've seen a Robert Kiyosaki FB ad about making money with these ghost written books. "How to make $10,000 a month without doing anything."

Anyway, I shall persist. It is my nature.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

I have some news to report. My wonderful narrator has been in contact with her contacts at ACX, who are very high up. So I received an email, personally addressed from someone in the Audible Executive Care team. They opened a ticket for me and promised to look into it and get back to me as soon as possible.

Sometimes, it does pay to pay extra for a great narrator. lol. Anyway, still might come up as nothing, who knows, but at least someone high up is now looking at one case and maybe this might open it up for them to explore other authors' cases.

On another note, I joined a FB group my narrator suggested. It's mainly narrator's discussing stuff but authors are in there. It's a window into the other side and you can easily get waylaid reading all the posts. Boy, some authors are not kind to their narrators or really expect too much. Anyway this is it: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ACXNarratorsProducers/

In there, there are more posts than I've seen anywhere discussing the ACX codes and what's happened. It's very wide spread this ban issue. They also discuss the scam that's happening. It's been going on and, I had no idea about it, for ages. These bad actors are doing what I've said before in getting narrators to narrate for low pay these cheap ghost written books with the pure goal of just getting the 200 codes. They even insist that the narrators make sure the books are over three hours. One poor narrator had clocked a recording in below this and was asked to extend their narration by 17 minutes!!! How the hell can you do that? This would then put the audible into a higher audible price bracket.

There is also a thing where you can basically sell your codes onto a platform and they'll distribute them for you (I hear in my head, click farm them for you) for a 35% cut of the audible payment. I presume you pay upfront. No wonder ACX came down on us. We may have people collecting our codes from our mailing lists and then selling those codes.

There's also some issue with you giving a code to someone in the USA, who has a UK account. This is the confusion about territories. They're talking about the Audible customer, I believe, not us authors or where we live. Now I had a reviewer tell me they had accounts in both countries even thought they were US based because they had lived in the UK before. I said fine, use the UK account because obviously its harder for us to give away UK codes than US usually, if our business is mostly US. I didn't know there was anything wrong with this. I'm an Aussie but I have a KU account in the USA and an audible account there too. We didn't have Amazon until a few years ago and I didn't want to change. So there's been no problem with that from Amazon or Audible.

If Audible and Amazon don't want you to give codes out to cross country people, then close all the accounts that are in foreign countries. I can't police where people live when I give out codes. If they say they need a UK code, then I give it to them. I'm not going to ask for a passport to confirm.

Why couldn't ACX just email us all and say look we don't like this and this and this happening, can you please do this, this and this, or we may tighten up on codes?

Because I'm a tenacious person, I've wasted so much time writing blog posts, posting on forums, checking forums if anything's changed, I've really just blown a week of writing, not to mention the angst. Funnily enough, I woke up this morning and thought, too bad, get back to writing, whatever happens happens. Then I get that email from the executive team and my narrator saying she'd been in touch with ACX.

I'm not going cold on Audible. I still believe it's a big opportunity and whether I get my codes back or not, I'll find a way to make my marketing all work in a different way (no scammy behavior of course). So, if this has put you off trying audible production, forge ahead, get the best narrator you can afford and promote audibooks to your readers. It's a good market but it is like eBooks, you really have to promote and put some money into marketing.

Okay, I shall report back when I hear more. Keep writing in everyone and maybe anyone with a good relationship with their narrator can ask if they might intercede. I never asked mine. She's just a gem and I'm grateful she's part of my amazing team.


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## The one with all the big dresses on the covers (Jan 25, 2016)

Keep us posted!


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## Aaronhodges (Dec 19, 2015)

This is really good to know! I think i'll write to my narrator as well, he's pretty experienced and is even in royalty share with me so might be able to get them to respond.



SusanMayWriter said:


> I have some news to report. My wonderful narrator has been in contact with her contacts at ACX, who are very high up. So I received an email, personally addressed from someone in the Audible Executive Care team. They opened a ticket for me and promised to look into it and get back to me as soon as possible.
> 
> Sometimes, it does pay to pay extra for a great narrator. lol. Anyway, still might come up as nothing, who knows, but at least someone high up is now looking at one case and maybe this might open it up for them to explore other authors' cases.
> 
> ...


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## EmparentingMom (Jun 20, 2011)

SusanMayWriter said:


> I have some news to report. My wonderful narrator has been in contact with her contacts at ACX, who are very high up. So I received an email, personally addressed from someone in the Audible Executive Care team. They opened a ticket for me and promised to look into it and get back to me as soon as possible.
> 
> Sometimes, it does pay to pay extra for a great narrator. lol. Anyway, still might come up as nothing, who knows, but at least someone high up is now looking at one case and maybe this might open it up for them to explore other authors' cases.
> 
> ...


I got a similar email from the Executive Care Team, saying they are researching the situation. Here's hoping!


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

EmparentingMom said:


> I got a similar email from the Executive Care Team, saying they are researching the situation. Here's hoping!


That's good news! Maybe it wasn't a contact because of my narrator. It may have been all of us complaining. BTW, I didn't know this but even if you haven't done royalty share your narrator received audiocodes. I believe there may be a rule about not sharing them though. I'll have to research that. So, maybe if worse comes to worse you can use your narrator's codes, if its okay. Mine offered to give me hers, but I'll check first that it doesn't breech one of myriad terms of ACX.


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## Asteroth (Nov 14, 2019)

I complained direct to Audible who tell me they are researching it.....


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## MPET87 (Nov 24, 2019)

I'm in the same situation too. Acx sent the exact email to me.
Somebody told me that the problem could be my residency, as I live in Europe and not in one of the Countries admitted by the Acx contract.

Is there somebody, who received this mail, that has completed the tax form both on acx and kdp with US or Uk information?

This would be of extreme help to understand what's happening!!


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

MPET87 said:


> I'm in the same situation too. Acx sent the exact email to me.
> Somebody told me that the problem could be my residency, as I live in Europe and not in one of the Countries admitted by the Acx contract.
> 
> Is there somebody, who received this mail, that has completed the tax form both on acx and kdp with US or Uk information?
> ...


I'm in Australia and I've completed all the tax forms and, for what it's worth, I don't believe it's us being outside the US or UK. I think they are referring to the person using the code being say in the US but having a UK account. In any case, I don't think it's that issue.

I haven't heard anything since the "we are looking into it" email. But I will report back.


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## MPET87 (Nov 24, 2019)

SusanMayWriter said:


> I'm in Australia and I've completed all the tax forms and, for what it's worth, I don't believe it's us being outside the US or UK. I think they are referring to the person using the code being say in the US but having a UK account. In any case, I don't think it's that issue.
> 
> I haven't heard anything since the "we are looking into it" email. But I will report back.


Thank you.

I'm asking because no one living in one of those countries, until now, has reported this issue.

So I'm trying to understand if that's at least a part of the problem.

I wrote to ACX, but they are not answering.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

MPET87 said:


> Thank you.
> 
> I'm asking because no one living in one of those countries, until now, has reported this issue.
> 
> ...


I'll report back once I've heard more. But I really don't think it is that. If it was, then they'd remove our account completely and unpublish our books. It's very rude of them not to tell us what it is, so we don't have to guess.


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## MPET87 (Nov 24, 2019)

SusanMayWriter said:


> I'll report back once I've heard more. But I really don't think it is that. If it was, then they'd remove our account completely and unpublish our books. It's very rude of them not to tell us what it is, so we don't have to guess.


I agree, very rude. But I also know this is common with Amazon.

According to the contract, they should remove the account and unpublish the books. But I know a lot of publishers in this situation, and if ACX removed all their books, it would have determined damage for them. It's the only explanation I gave to myself so far.


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## Asteroth (Nov 14, 2019)

Nice write up here - https://accrispin.blogspot.com/2019/11/issues-at-audible-acx-attempted-rights-fraud.html

I am a US citizen, pay US taxes, have a US address and bank account despite being in the Czech Republic at the moment.... but if it were where I lived - why not just say so?


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## Aaronhodges (Dec 19, 2015)

Ok based on the latest information about the scammers using fake/duplicate books to get the promo codes, I have a new theory. It might be related to boxsets after all. I know I didn't really keep track of which of my subscribers received which codes, but I'm willing to bet a few that only got one or two of the books of my trilogies might have also asked for a code for the boxset when it came out. That would essentially mean the same person was redeeming different codes for the same book.
Even considering this, I doubt it was more than a handful of people since I offered each of the books individually long before the full trilogy came out in audio.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

Aaronhodges said:


> Ok based on the latest information about the scammers using fake/duplicate books to get the promo codes, I have a new theory. It might be related to boxsets after all. I know I didn't really keep track of which of my subscribers received which codes, but I'm willing to bet a few that only got one or two of the books of my trilogies might have also asked for a code for the boxset when it came out. That would essentially mean the same person was redeeming different codes for the same book.
> Even considering this, I doubt it was more than a handful of people since I offered each of the books individually long before the full trilogy came out in audio.


I don't think it's that because some people don't have boxsets and also some had never even published an audiobook or given out codes. But I've been meaning to post some further information. I'm now in this very interesting FAcebook group, which is mostly the narrators talking but authors are welcome.

This scam with audiocodes is so big now, I can't believe it. So the narrators are constantly receiving messages from Rights Holders (RH) offering them jobs to do these short books. They tell them that if the book comes in under 3 hours, which is the next jump point for a higher royalty, that they need to speak slower so it's three hours minimum.

One I just read about was someone offering 7 books to narrate at around 3 hours each, which would equate to 21 hours total and they wanted to offer them $550 for the lot. They also said that there will be errors in the text and could the narrator just correct errors as they narrated. So, this even at $50 per finished hour, should be $1,050. Then the RH tells them that they could join their team and there's plenty more work. They even ask for the narrator's codes to use.

In this post, the other narrators told this one to run for the hills, that this was a scammer, and that the other give away is that the RH's English isn't great. Several mentioned that they'd received the identical message and the one thing they all had in common was that they were narrators who were either new or had just updated their profiles, so in a search apparently at the $50 rate, they come up first. So the scammers are looking for inexperienced people to get their foot in the door to do these narrations.

Another narrator commented that they had an author back out of the narration after they'd done it because they'd lost their codes. Now why would you back out when you can still sell the book? And another asked if the narrator could redo their title and pen name intro as they needed to create a new ACX account and switch it over. Clearly they've had their account pulled down.

One narrator said that a book they had narrated has been held up for 6 weeks now because they are under investigation and then a bunch chimed in to steer clear of books around the 3 hour mark, that that will send a red flag to ACX. Now I've put up two books in the last few months that are novellas and they are just over 3 hours. However, they've been ebooks for years and I have many novels in audible and as ebooks. But it could be an audible close to the three hour mark might be a red flag. *I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has a three hour audible.*

These scammers are just cockroaches. The narrators call them code farmers. Just makes my blood boil. They were in the KDP pot and probably are still there and now they've been in the ACX pot and seem to have been for a while. And they're teaching others to do it. And we get caught up in their scam as innocent bystanders. Not to mention, we are losing money from the pot to non-legitimate 'authors' and code farming downloads that aren't even real listeners.

On another note, I haven't heard back from the executive service person who was investigating my issue with codes, so I'll follow up today. Anyone else got news?


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## MPET87 (Nov 24, 2019)

SusanMayWriter said:


> *I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has a three hour audible.*


I do. I have 4; each one is between 3 and 4 hours, depending on various factors, like content, reading pace, etc.

All the books are between 25k and 30k words, so it's normal for a narrator who reads at an average speed to get at 3 hours of narration.

I'd say that the narration time shouldn't be a trigger. Sometimes I get narrators reading at a speed which makes ununderstandable my book, so I have to ask to slow down a bit.

Moreover, I'd say that if the only way ACX gives us to promote our book and get reviews are the promo codes, they shouldn't remove the tool accusing us of the use of it. Doing so, they are creating second-level users who cannot compete with users that can promote their books.

Remember, that's the purpose of providing codes, which can be supplied to professional reviewers. I can't see the scam. Nobody told ACX to pay redeemed codes.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

MPET87 said:


> I do. I have 4; each one is between 3 and 4 hours, depending on various factors, like content, reading pace, etc.
> 
> All the books are between 25k and 30k words, so it's normal for a narrator who reads at an average speed to get at 3 hours of narration.
> 
> ...


I'm just saying that maybe the trigger that threw us up as scammers because that's one of there M.O's. Of course, it's a legit thing to have a 3 hour book but what the scammers do is make a book as cheap as possible just to get the codes & farm them. They are not audibles they are making to sell, thus they don't care about quality. They don't even audition their narrators. I'm just trying to find out if having a 3 hour odd audible is the connection.


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## Aaronhodges (Dec 19, 2015)

All my audiobooks are 9+ hours haha, so not the issue with me!


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

Aaronhodges said:


> All my audiobooks are 9+ hours haha, so not the issue with me!


Well there goes that theory. Lol


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## Night (Dec 1, 2019)

Asteroth said:


> Nice write up here - https://accrispin.blogspot.com/2019/11/issues-at-audible-acx-attempted-rights-fraud.html
> 
> I am a US citizen, pay US taxes, have a US address and bank account despite being in the Czech Republic at the moment.... but if it were where I lived - why not just say so?


Hello Asteroth and hello averybody.
May I ask you a question? How did ACX now you actually live in Czech Republic? Did you declared it during your registration to the platform or in the tax interview?

Thank you very much


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## Jane Killick (Aug 29, 2014)

SusanMayWriter said:


> On another note, I joined a FB group my narrator suggested. It's mainly narrator's discussing stuff but authors are in there. It's a window into the other side and you can easily get waylaid reading all the posts. Boy, some authors are not kind to their narrators or really expect too much. Anyway this is it: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ACXNarratorsProducers/


Hi Susan! I have tried to join this group, but more than a week later and I've heard nothing from them. Any insights? I said I am an author with a radio background who is planning to narrate my own audiobooks.

Sorry for being slightly off topic...


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## KevinH (Jun 29, 2013)

Jane Killick said:


> Hi Susan! I have tried to join this group, but more than a week later and I've heard nothing from them. Any insights? I said I am an author with a radio background who is planning to narrate my own audiobooks.
> 
> Sorry for being slightly off topic...


I believe that FB page is run by Jeffrey Kafer, who frequents KBoards quite a bit. You might try shooting him a PM.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

Jane Killick said:


> Hi Susan! I have tried to join this group, but more than a week later and I've heard nothing from them. Any insights? I said I am an author with a radio background who is planning to narrate my own audiobooks.
> 
> Sorry for being slightly off topic...


Hi Jane,

Sorry for late reply. Just message him again. It took me a couple of goes. The questions you have to answer I think sometimes don't go through. If you don't get in in the next couple of days, let me know and I'll message the moderator for you.  The gentleman's name is Don Baarns.


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## andzol (Oct 17, 2019)

Hello Guys,

I read part of this thread and I have no idea how to use ACX promo codes properly. 

A couple of questions still stuck into my mind:
- Could anyone use the promo codes to redeem books other than it was published with?
- How scammer exploit promo codes?

I think I will use on my own and trusted spaces only. I will also ask for an email, from everybody whoever asks a code. 

A will follow this thread.


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## EmparentingMom (Jun 20, 2011)

SusanMayWriter said:


> I have some news to report. My wonderful narrator has been in contact with her contacts at ACX, who are very high up. So I received an email, personally addressed from someone in the Audible Executive Care team. They opened a ticket for me and promised to look into it and get back to me as soon as possible.


Hi, has anyone heard back after receiving such an email? I got one too, but haven't heard anything since then....


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## JeffOYB (Dec 27, 2019)

Hi... I started a thread a couple days ago about Advantage -- the print publisher's side of Amazon. The same thing is happening to me there. 

I did nothing to warrant what is happening. Indeed, there was nothing possible for me to do. From what I can see about this Promo Code stuff, you're in the same boat.

I'm just starting in ACX myself and I just uploaded my first audiobook. I don't recall a fee involved. Advantage is $99/year. 

The main benefit of Advantage is Amazon keeps at least 1 copy of a book in stock and can ship it. They've stopped keeping stock of many of my titles. I pay for them to stock my titles. Only possible conclusion: they're stealing my fee from me. And, bizarrely, they're preventing themselves from being themselves: stocking my books is how they make $ ! It's crazy: they make 55% of every copy they sell. They're only hurting themselves -- unless somehow this part of their company is losing $? If so, they should simply cancel it.

I've been messaging them for months. Every reply from about 50 staffers so far has been literally a lie. They also say they are "researching the issue." Of course, they are not. There is nothing to research. 

I've been told there's an ordering freeze on my account. I look at it: there is no freeze. I question whether any of you are banned because of this promo code thing. In fact, I question whether you're actually banned. If your acc't doesn't have a note about that, it's not true. Some staffer can't tell you this or that. Also, if one might be in violation of something you'd receive a warning within your acc't and an explanation. That's how business works. I suspect that because this is data-work that you cannot be in violation regarding these codes. They are data that can be used as data and all such use that functions seems likely to be allowable. They wouldn't design the codes so they'd work in an undesirable way. 

I've had staffers tell me there's a freeze and they removed it and I should soon get orders. Nothing has happened. I say there is no freeze, no removing, no nothing. Something else is happening.

I've been an Advantage member since it started, sold thousands of units. This craziness started w/in the last year. 

I've escalated my situation and I still get the same run-around. 

I just asked to be escalated up from that Executive level.

(I've also been on eBay since it started. I've had surprises there as well but in each case they were explained and I got redress. It all actually made sense to a degree.)

I am quickly acting on all my options. I think we should Class Action this thing across as many topic areas as we can. How many customers are they doing this to?


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## JeffOYB (Dec 27, 2019)

Hmmm... No interest? 

I note that I am proceeding very aggressively on resolving this situation. If anyone wants to get in on the solution, let me know.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

EmparentingMom said:


> Hi, has anyone heard back after receiving such an email? I got one too, but haven't heard anything since then....


I'm afraid that despite receiving a positive email as I said saying they were looking into it, nothing from them.

I've emailed several times but no reply. So darn rude of them. It's been more than six weeks & theyve diane nothing. Yet, I see from comments in the narrators Facebook group that the scammers & code farmers have seemingly increased & having a lovely time. All I can say is to keep emailing & callling, and if anyone does get anywhere please let us know here.


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## MMSN (Feb 27, 2019)

Susan-- ACX/Audible has put out a video where Senior Director Christina Harcar says she is responsible for trying new things, and if they don't work, making them go away. To me, this sounds like a Troubleshooter. You may want to SNAIL MAIL her a letter of your predicament.
Audible's address: 1 Washington Park, 16th Floor Newark, NJ 07102, Attn: Legal Department,Fax: 973.820. 0505


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

MMSN said:


> Susan-- ACX/Audible has put out a video where Senior Director Christina Harcar says she is responsible for trying new things, and if they don't work, making them go away. To me, this sounds like a Troubleshooter. You may want to SNAIL MAIL her a letter of your predicament.
> Audible's address: 1 Washington Park, 16th Floor Newark, NJ 07102, Attn: Legal Department,Fax: 973.820. 0505


Thank you so much. I'll definitely look into that as another avenue.


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## Aaronhodges (Dec 19, 2015)

Anyone had any updates from ACX? :/


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## starkllr (Mar 21, 2013)

andzol said:


> I read part of this thread and I have no idea how to use ACX promo codes properly.
> 
> A couple of questions still stuck into my mind:
> - Could anyone use the promo codes to redeem books other than it was published with?
> - How scammer exploit promo codes?


Before the change to the new promo code system last fell, you could redeem any audiobook with a promo code. You'd shop on Audible, add the audiobook to your cart, and then enter the code at the end to "pay" for it.

Now, the code is very specifically tied to the book. You don't go to the book's page and add it to your cart, you go to the promo code redemption page, enter your code, and then the book shows up in your cart and it's "paid" for with that code.

I suppose you could return the book later and get an Audible credit back to use on something else, but i don't know if that actually works or not.


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## MMSN (Feb 27, 2019)

As long as you give a code away, you are susceptible to the scammers. What happens is, Scammer hires someone cheap on Fiverr to create him an audiobook. Scammer puts "his" audiobook up on Audible, receives free promo codes. Scammer-author creates free-trial Audible accounts, redeems his promo codes with them. Audible pays Scammer-author in full for the redeemed promo codes.

But Scammer has a problem. Amazon maintains algorithms that constantly prowl around looking for this sort of thing. So, to trick the algorithms into maybe not noticing him, he gets himself some "cover." This cover is that he gets ahold of legitimate Audible authors' promo codes, and redeems them in his scammy-accounts. He doesn't end up with any money for doing this, but the more legitimate redemptions his scammy-accounts have, the more likely a scammer-searching algorithm might not notice them. Until it does.

Scammer-author is spotted, and to deal quickly and cheaply with him, Audible simply tells ALL the Audible authors of ALL those promo codes redeemed in Scammer's scammy-accounts, "No more promo codes for you!" Fine. Problem solved. Scammer can't get (and cash in on) any more promo codes from his "audiobooks". Problem is though, the innocent authors' promo codes that Scammer used for cover are treated no differently that the Scammer's promo codes, hence the nastygram sent to LOTS of very astonished Audible authors. Amazon knows its net is sinking not just the scammers, but innocent authors used in the scam as well, but doesn't care.

Amazon is not going to use its time to figure out how an Author's codes got into a Scammer's hands. They did. That Author is now probably forever on that Scammer's list, indeed the Scammer has probably made even more attempts to get codes out of the Author. But they can't. Why? Because Amazon won't give that author any more codes.

The only solution as far as I can see, is for Amazon to change the system.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

starkllr said:


> I suppose you could return the book later and get an Audible credit back to use on something else, but i don't know if that actually works or not.


No, they can't return the book and get another code. I asked Audible about it. Probably in the past they could with the old redemption way. I think a lot of audible customers though are using Audible as a library these days as my returns have really grown over the last six months. It's very annoying. A year to return an audible is quite unreasonable!



MMSN said:


> As long as you give a code away, you are susceptible to the scammers. What happens is, Scammer hires someone cheap on Fiverr to create him an audiobook. Scammer puts "his" audiobook up on Audible, receives free promo codes. Scammer-author creates free-trial Audible accounts, redeems his promo codes with them. Audible pays Scammer-author in full for the redeemed promo codes.


This is increasingly growing. I'm a member of a Facebook group of mostly narrators and they are bombarded every day by spam identical messages asking if they'll narrate a three hour book for $25 an hour. They're told to talk slowly to ensure the book is over three hours. They don't care about the quality. Nobody is going to listen to them. Most of the time they say when they look at the book the editing is woeful and seems like it's written as a conversion from another language. Most narrators are wise to them being code farmers. They've known about code farming long before we did. It's been going on for awhile, which means for a long time these crooks have had their dirty fingers in the ACX shared pot too. Just like KU.

These messages target new narrators, which they can tell are new because whenever a profile is edited it comes up as new apparently. Thus wiser, experienced narrators receive the emails or messages as well, and they say the common factor is that they had just updated their profile.

Other thing, many of us aren't aware of is that your narrator also receives the same amount of codes whether it is 50:50 split or paid for completely. So a code farmer asks for their codes too and therefore they receive 200 codes to use. That is a lot of money returned for probably around $150 investment in a shonky three hour pirated or ghost written book.

It's been more than two months now since they took my codes. I gave out a lot of codes to my reviewers over the years. That might also have set off alarm bells because it's the same people I send codes to. However, if they checked their accounts they'd see they behave like real humans listening to books. I also just produced a couple of novellas back in July and October, so I think the fact that they were just over three hours long may have pinged me up as well. Although if they checked, they'd see I've had these books out for years and they are well reviewed.

They wrote to me and said they were investigating this back in November and were very friendly about it. Some guy from the Audible executive team wrote, but I've heard nothing since. I've written over and over again and they ignore me. It's so damn rude and wrong. Yet, they use my book in promotions for Audible because one of them that I market sells really well. I've sold more than five thousands audibles in the last twelve months, introduced hundreds of members through their bounty system and they do this?

If I'm a code farmer, how come they slap an 'Only available on Audible' sticker on the cover of my most popular audible (covering up a chunk of my nice cover), invite me into Prime reading across three countries now, over and over again and pay good money. Then the latest is a Kindle Deal in the UK in February. They are so enthusiastic in supporting a supposed code farmer, aren't they?

It really has flattened me, I can say that. I've spent a lot of money on my Audibles and it's been so disgusting to be treated this way and really hobbled my Audible business. I had a book in production at the time and two just released when this happened and I can't promote them. I'm setting up a business outside my author business to diversify my income. Yes, I could diversify where I load my books, but honestly I don't want to spend the extra time and if Audible or Amazon slam down my business because I'm caught up in something that would still impact even if I'm wide. Just my thought process.

All I can say, is keep writing to ACX if you've been affected and [email protected] I intend to.


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## StRandomX (Jan 14, 2020)

So guys, I checked this forum and thread several times already and decided to sign up as well and write this for you guys.

I have over 100 audiobooks produced as a narrator and currently am the best known narrator in Germany for self help books. We sell over 400 audiobooks per day.

Still, the ACX problem hit me in November.

I have worked with so many authors from across the globe, mostly from Germany and America.

Even my American Author got freezed now. They keep telling me that _my_ Account was not under review, so I should feel free to produce further audiobooks. Well, thanks! Now I can get further work done for zero money and earnings.

Over 15 audiobooks are now on hold for me. Those are several thousand $$$ a month, just missing. It is the work from October until today, and whenever I message ACX, I of course get no answer back.

I find it interesting that EVERYBODY gets banned at the moment. Not just my own publishing account, but also those of everybody I know. Literally, I know just 1 person with a functioning ACX account... at least by now.

Even my American author got banned. I first thought that Germans got banned because they were not signed up properly, but what do I know. Everything worked out well so far.

So with the ban, do you guys think we will still receive all of our income along the way? I don't know why, but I'm afraid they will also freeze the income?

With 15 audiobooks on hold, I will not proceed with ACX. I will start a new business, even though I as a narrator who is known on German TV, cinema, radio and among the internet, love producing audiobooks. I guess there is a point when you need to let something die 

What I have learned so far: never give another company, person or whatever the power about your business. It is YOUR work, YOUR money that you put into it and YOUR business... but _their_ platform. So we are f*cked nontheless 

Let me know what you guys think!


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## Undercover Writer (May 27, 2019)

StRandomX said:


> So guys, I checked this forum and thread several times already and decided to sign up as well and write this for you guys.
> 
> I have over 100 audiobooks produced as a narrator and currently am the best known narrator in Germany for self help books. We sell over 400 audiobooks per day.
> 
> ...


I suggest this: sign up with Findaway Voices. They could certainly use you, and Findaway handles distribution of audiobooks. If the author doesn't want a book sold through ACX/Audible/Amazon, it isn't sold through those vendors. Findaway CAN post your audio to Apple, and doesn't rely on ACX for that distribution portal.


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## MMSN (Feb 27, 2019)

And Findaway gives out free codes too, the Listener just has to download the app at AuthorDirect to redeem them (Listeners speak very highly of AuthorDirect).


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## StRandomX (Jan 14, 2020)

Undercover Writer said:


> I suggest this: sign up with Findaway Voices. They could certainly use you, and Findaway handles distribution of audiobooks. If the author doesn't want a book sold through ACX/Audible/Amazon, it isn't sold through those vendors. Findaway CAN post your audio to Apple, and doesn't rely on ACX for that distribution portal.


But couldn't it be a bit counterproductive for a German to submit his audiobooks non-exclusively on audible? Because royalties will go further down, and as far as I know those other platform that findaway publishes in are not known in Germany?


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## Undercover Writer (May 27, 2019)

StRandomX said:


> But couldn't it be a bit counterproductive for a German to submit his audiobooks non-exclusively on audible? Because royalties will go further down, and as far as I know those other platform that findaway publishes in are not known in Germany?


Google Play isn't known in Germany? Kobo? And don't forget the library services like Bibliotheca, and OverDrive!

Here's a link to the complete list of distribution partners at Findaway: https://support.findawayvoices.com/portal/kb/articles/where-will-my-audiobook-be-for-sale

Audible/ACX/Amazon aren't the only fish in the Audiobook business...


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## Aaronhodges (Dec 19, 2015)

Just resent my earlier email to ACX and CCed Jeff since i never heard back, see if anything happens, otherwise I'll get my royalty share narrator involved. I have a new release i haven't been able to get hardly any reviews for since the codes were taken away, so sales have understandably been nada


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## StRandomX (Jan 14, 2020)

Just received another answer from the amazing ACX support, which should prove that they practically ban everyone right now:

_Greetings,

Thank you for contacting ACX!

I understand you'd like to know the status of your recent submissions which have been delayed.

The delay is due to our internal teams reviewing the Rights Holder's ACX activity to ensure compliance with our content guidelines and terms of use. Until this work is completed the titles associated with this Rights Holder will remain on hold, and will not be made available for sale. While we hope our internal teams complete this investigation soon, as you can tell from the wait thus far, we cannot guarantee it. In the meantime we ask that you do not audition for any more projects by this Rights Holder.

ACX would like to clarify that your account is not under review, and you are free to work on other projects.

We certainly appreciate your patience while we work toward resolution of this matter.

For any FAQs, please visit our Help Center here: https://audible-acx.custhelp.com

To review the ACX User Conduct and Content Acceptance Guidelines: https://audible-acx.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8887

The ACX Account Holder Agreement: https://www.acx.com/help/account-holder-agreement/201481940

Sincerely,
The ACX Team
ACX.com
Original Message
Dear ACX-support,

could you please tell me if there is any possibility to know the status
of a current audiobook?

Should I just send you a link of the title or how can I know that? 

Thanks a lot,

Patrick _


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## StRandomX (Jan 14, 2020)

TwistedTales said:


> @StRandomx.
> 
> That's an interesting reply. Is anyone getting "unbanned" right now? If they are, then it's a bottleneck in the review process and eventually every account will be checked and released (or at least decision will be made). If they're not, then it must be a legal type review where the decision will affect all accounts at once.
> 
> Such a strange situation.


I think so as well.... and as someone in this thread stated, their author gut unbanned after 3 months. I have no idea man.

But, can anyone tell me: do you think there is a possibility of ACX deciding that you won't receive money anymore? Like, delete your audiobooks from the platform and leaving you alone with the problem and without any of the income?

I rely on my ACX income veeeeery much. So it would absolutely hit me if anything went wrong ._.


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## MMSN (Feb 27, 2019)

I agree with Twisted although I think ACX's statement to you that they "...ask that you do not audition for any more projects by this Rights Holder" is a fairly strong indication of the direction they are headed.


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## StRandomX (Jan 14, 2020)

MMSN said:


> I agree with Twisted although I think ACX's statement to you that they "...ask that you do not audition for any more projects by this Rights Holder" is a fairly strong indication of the direction they are headed.


And which direction do you mean? Every rights holder that I worked with in the couple of months got banned!


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## StRandomX (Jan 14, 2020)

Okay guys, so I am currently mailing with Audible Germany, where you can also publish without ACX. You need 5 audiobooks upfront to be eligible to publish with them.

I now wanted to take the audiobooks that are currently banned on ACX and put them directly into Audible Publishing.

Does anybody know how it is with the rights of distribution? As soon as you upload a project or submit it through ACX... do they have part of the rights? Or is it possible for you to publish it on Audible via another publisher? I guess since they are banned on ACX nontheless, that shouldn't be a problem, should it?


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## Aaronhodges (Dec 19, 2015)

Whelp finally an update from acx, kind of. They didn't get my name right 😂


Hello Vidya,

I am responding to your escalation on Jeff and Don's behalf. I wanted to inform you that we are looking into your request and will get back to you with our findings as soon as possible.

In the event you need help with anything else, feel free to contact us. Replay to this email directly [email protected]

Best regards,
Muriel G.


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## SusanMayWriter (Jan 7, 2014)

Aaronhodges said:


> Whelp finally an update from acx, kind of. They didn't get my name right &#128514;
> 
> Hello Vidya,
> 
> ...


Well, that's something. I got one of those back in late November. Not the exact words but investigating was what they said. Despite emailing about five times asking what's happening, they ignore me.

I'll keep writing every week from now & see what happens.

I see in the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/ACXNarratorsProducers/ that the scammers are just continuing on happily unhindered. There must be so many rubbish books on Audible now from the scammers. Just beyond a joke too that they have their fingers in our pot & get our codes taken because of their dishonestly. So there is less $$ to go around to legitimate authors.

And for anyone who wants to tell me the scammers just have a different business model, do your research. Nobody listens to these books. They are "read" by people paid to hit download & hit play.

If I ever hear back from woeful ACX, I'll report back too.


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## Aaronhodges (Dec 19, 2015)

Fingers we eventually get something 


SusanMayWriter said:


> Well, that's something. I got one of those back in late November. Not the exact words but investigating was what they said. Despite emailing about five times asking what's happening, they ignore me.
> 
> I'll keep writing every week from now & see what happens.
> 
> ...


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## StRandomX (Jan 14, 2020)

2 of my authors are now in business again. They are no longer freezed and 3 books are live now, after 3 months...


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## anotherpage (Apr 4, 2012)

I noticed one of my audios has not shown up and its been well over the 14 days. I've emailed them to find out why there is a delay and will phone them. Anyone run into this?


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## MMSN (Feb 27, 2019)

Findaway is now warning that it is taking ACX 45 days to process a submission. I have one going on a fifteen days wait now.


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## anotherpage (Apr 4, 2012)

MMSN said:


> Findaway is now warning that it is taking ACX 45 days to process a submission. I have one going on a fifteen days wait now.


That's right. I phoned them and the lady told me its taking upward of 30 BUSINESS days that a book can be in audible review vs the 10 to 14 business days.

I was beginning to panic and thought my account had been flagged but was relieved to hear that, even though i wish they were pushing them out quicker.


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## rilli (Jun 6, 2020)

Any updates? I lost my codes too. I have given only 4 codes and I have a screenshot from every message where I give a code. Still, ACX doesn't give my codes back...


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