[Joe_Nobody]

As many of you know, my little publishing company offers a service to non-US, Canadian, and UK authors to publish on ACX.
While I can't make any promises, we have an ACX Rep that I can ask about this.
Personally, I have over 20 audio books on ACX, and I live in the USA. I didn't receive this email.

 

[Patty Jansen]

As many of you know, my little publishing company offers a service to non-US, Canadian, and UK authors to publish on ACX.
While I can't make any promises, we have an ACX Rep that I can ask about this.
Personally, I have over 20 audio books on ACX, and I live in the USA. I didn't receive this email.

I use your company. I didn't receive it either (not yet at least). My ACX account is set as being with you in Florida, not in Australia. I have eleven audio books and have used the new audio codes quite a bit recently.

 

[SusanMayWriter]

As many of you know, my little publishing company offers a service to non-US, Canadian, and UK authors to publish on ACX.
While I can't make any promises, we have an ACX Rep that I can ask about this.
Personally, I have over 20 audio books on ACX, and I live in the USA. I didn't receive this email.

That would be fantastic Joe. I feel this is some kind of false positive. It's curious that nobody has heard back from executive team. Has anyone even had acknowledgment from them, even to say they are investigating?

This ban can't possibly stand as there is no rhyme or reason to it. We're all from different countries, have handed out varying quantities of codes. The amount of codes I've given away in the last few weeks is a lot more than normal because they told us that the old codes were expiring & to advise our readers. I can prove that I sent out a newsletter to 30k of people & this relates directly to the jump in handing out codes. But that's not manipulating the system or being shady. They said to do it.

If a few people are running some kind of manipulation, this sure is an over-reaction. You think they'd work with their suppliers to try & stop the practice as opposed to just booting us in the ass.

 

[anotherpage]

Not sure, but I spoke to another author who's a fellow South African, and she claims to have gotten actual detailed input that it was because people outside of the US and UK had been redeeming the codes. Apparently it's in the T's and C's that only US and UK are allowed to redeem the codes.

Well thats always been the case.

If you attempt to do it outside of those countries without a USA or UK account it doesn't let you redeem them. So that can't be the case. Literally the area for redeeming it will flat out stop you if you give it a US or UK code and you are not logged into your US or UK account.

So i don't believe its that.

However, if you are out of the USA or UK and you HAVE a USA or UK audible account and redeem it even though you live outside. That works. But again i cant see that being the problem. The codes are designed for USA and UK. As long as they are used for your book and the code matches your account ( usa account ) then thats no different than a USA person doing it through USA.

I still think this is a duplicate content issue if they are referring people to the Ts and Cs

 

[SusanMayWriter]

I think I have hopeful news. I just returned to the thread on Reddit & two authors there persisted in contacting ACX & they've had their codes reinstated. They persisted back
& forth.

I haven't even heard back from my first email to ACX or from
Executive team. But I think I'll start writing direct to ACX & not a reply to the original email, as I did.

Here's the Reddit post. The latest are right down the bottom.

https://www.reddit.com/r/audiobooks/comments/dioyfu/ban_on_acx_codes/

 

[anotherpage]

I think I have hopeful news. I just returned to the thread on Reddit & two authors there persisted in contacting ACX & they've had their codes reinstated. They persisted back
& forth.

I haven't even heard back from my first email to ACX or from
Executive team. But I think I'll start writing direct to ACX & not a reply to the original email, as I did.

Here's the Reddit post. The latest are right down the bottom.

https://www.reddit.com/r/audiobooks/comments/dioyfu/ban_on_acx_codes/

You should ask them what did they say in their emails. That might help others. It hasn't happened to me as of yet and i hope it does but would be good to know if it arises.

Also are these 2 people from outside USA and UK? and did they ever redeem a code for their own book with a USA or UK account. That's what i would like to know.

 

[SusanMayWriter]

You should ask them what did they say in their emails. That might help others. It hasn't happened to me as of yet and i hope it does but would be good to know if it arises.

Also are these 2 people from outside USA and UK? and did they ever redeem a code for their own book with a USA or UK account. That's what i would like to know.

Someone asked the question in the thread about what they said. I presume it was pretty much what I've written. One did ask for the code details that were used fraudulently (supposedly, I say) as they had kept a record. That might be a good tactic. I've also got a spreadsheet with names, so I'm going to use that in mine.

 

[CJArcher]

Are all of the affected parties outside of the US?

It's looking that way. I from Australia.

As many of you know, my little publishing company offers a service to non-US, Canadian, and UK authors to publish on ACX.
While I can't make any promises, we have an ACX Rep that I can ask about this.

That would be great, Joe. Thanks.

I emailed Amazon's White Glove rep who spoke to her colleague at ACX. Apparently "the team" will follow up to clarify and I should have more info soon. So maybe tackling this from various angles will bring some attention to it. I don't care about the codes, I just want to know what's going on and why, and have the strike against my account removed since I've done nothing wrong.

 

[EmparentingMom]

It's looking that way. I from Australia.

That would be great, Joe. Thanks.

I emailed Amazon's White Glove rep who spoke to her colleague at ACX. Apparently "the team" will follow up to clarify and I should have more info soon. So maybe tackling this from various angles will bring some attention to it. I don't care about the codes, I just want to know what's going on and why, and have the strike against my account removed since I've done nothing wrong.

What is a White Glove rep?

 

[ImaWriter]

What is a White Glove rep?

IIRC, only authors who have agents are eligible for a rep. Or something like that.

 

[CJArcher]

What is a White Glove rep?

White Glove is a service offered to Apub authors when they're no longer Apub authors and want to self publish instead. I was dumped by Montlake after 3 books so was offered this service. Since I was self publishing before I was pubbed by Montlake, I found it unnecessary. I used it once to see if it was worthwhile back in 2013 but hadn't used it since. It was just easier to self pub myself rather than wait for someone else to upload files, which they controlled etc. I'd forgotten about it until they sent an email a few weeks ago saying my rep had changed and here was her new email.

 

[Gabry_ddo]

I also received the email from ACX and I am in the same situation as you. I would like to know if anyone has tried to call them and if he has managed to get a clarification

 

[SusanMayWriter]

I also received the email from ACX and I am in the same situation as you. I would like to know if anyone has tried to call them and if he has managed to get a clarification

I think some have and no good, but do try. I've just sent off another email. I've had no reply from two emails so far. There's a Reddit post where two people got theirs reinstated by persistence in writing.

I've also included in mine that I have a record of every person that I've given a code to over the years.

So just persist with calls & emails even if they say it's final & you don't hear back. And check back here to see if anyone has had success.

 

[EmparentingMom]

I just wrote to jeff@amazon.com.  I will let you guys know if I receive a reply. Anyone receive one yet?

 

[nerinedorman]

After about six or seven tries (I've stopped counting) I just get the same form response. Honestly can't see how bashing my head against a wall will get any new response. TBH, I give up. It's not like I was even using those promo codes much (I had the grand total of six people request codes when I was looking for reviewers).

This entire debacle has left such a bad taste in my mouth I doubt I'll trust anyone to produce audiobooks for me unless my publisher handles the drama. If I put out any audio content now I'm going to get my husband to record it for me now that he's set up a home studio with a proper microphone.

No response from the Jeff Bezos email either, so IDK.

 

[EmparentingMom]

Just got a slightly different form 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
ACX.com

 

[ImaWriter]

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.

Well, at least they provided more info. And the ACX residency part is interesting.

Did they change the TOS rules at any point? What was the deal before on having a TIN? Because I just checked the current rules.

https://audible-acx.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/9575/~/what-countries-is-acx-open-to%3F

ACX is currently open to residents of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Ireland who have a mailing address, valid local Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and banking details for one of these countries. We hope to open up to a wider global audience in the future.

So if I'm reading that correctly, if you don't have a US, UK, or Canadian TIN, you are not legit. Anyone else read that differently?

 

[The one with all the big dresses on the covers]

Well, at least they provided more info. And the ACX residency part is interesting.

Did they change the TOS rules at any point? What was the deal before on having a TIN? Because I just checked the current rules.

So if I'm reading that correctly, if you don't have a US, UK, or Canadian TIN, you are not legit. Anyone else read that differently?

You can't open up an account without a TIN for one of those countries. I think the issue is those who have all the relevant info, including a TIN, but don't actually reside in the US (or UK or Canada). (So any indie authors considering moving overseas, be aware you may be shooting your ACX account in the process!) This is just the oddest way imaginable to crack down on such a thing.

 

[ImaWriter]

You can't open up an account without a TIN for one of those countries. I think the issue is those who have all the relevant info, including a TIN, but don't actually reside in the US (or UK or Canada). (So any indie authors considering moving overseas, be aware you may be shooting your ACX account in the process!) This is just the oddest way imaginable to crack down on such a thing.

Ah, okay.

So is a TIN the equivalent of my Social Insurance Number here in Canada? Or SSN in the US? I guess so, since both of those are indeed Tax Identification Numbers. And what you say makes sense with regards to the "residency" portion of that email.

Having said that, aren't there many authors here who do have ACX accounts that aren't in US, UK, or Canada? And therefore don't have valid TINs? If that's the case, coupon codes are the least of their worries, I would think.

 

[The one with all the big dresses on the covers]

Ah, okay.

So is a TIN the equivalent of my Social Insurance Number here in Canada? Or SSN in the US? I guess so, since both of those are indeed Tax Identification Numbers. And what you say makes sense with regards to the "residency" portion of that email.

Having said that, aren't there many authors here who do have ACX accounts that aren't in US, UK, or Canada? And therefore don't have valid TINs? If that's the case, coupon codes are the least of their worries, I would think.

Like I said, you can't get an account in the first place without a valid TIN. There are plenty of reasons why someone might have one without being a current resident. (And, in fact, I believe you can apply for a US one without ever having lived in the US. That's why they say TIN rather than SSN, because there are different types of TINs. From what I've heard, back in the day, you had to get whatever version of a TIN they have for overseas people to even be able to publish on KDP.) Plus, for instance, if you moved to New Zealand tomorrow for a year, then nothing would actually change with your ACX account (assuming you have one), but you would suddenly be liable to get this email, apparently. But I do agree, it seems an odd way to apparently crack down on the whole thing by just removing the promo codes