By now, authors know that getting stress free support from IngramSpark and KDP for even the most basic questions can be a daunting task. You either can’t get live support or your questions aren’t answered properly. There are also some questions that expose how two of the most popular self-publishing platforms don’t complement each other with a seamless process, even though they cater to the same audience. How frustrating!
As a publisher and marketing agency, we have been dealing with both companies for a long time. This is not a new problem. When a support issue arises for our publishing company Stress Free Kids, my heart starts to beat faster, and I find myself doing eye rolls. It shouldn’t be this way, but providing proper support in any industry is a challenge. And the pandemic made things worse in my opinion.
Below is some information on support services offered by both IngramSpark and KDP along with 5 suggestions for getting stress free customer support.
IngramSpark has several options for getting customer support. In 2021 they replaced live phone support with email support 24/7. Response time is listed as 1 day but most of the time it’s faster than that. Authors can get many of their questions answered through their Most Frequently Searched Questions section on their website or the IngramSpark Author Community Facebook Page.
Another service IngramSpark is offering is a one-on-one paid service called IngramSpark Connect where they offer a virtual appointment with a dedicated team of book publishing professionals. Right now, this service is $49.00 for 60 minutes and $25.00 for 30 minutes. *This service is intended to address questions related to the IngramSpark platform and general title setup questions. IngramSpark will not advise on certain topics, such as pricing, discounts, and/or metadata-related fields.
Our thoughts: We find the representatives to be knowledgeable and willing to escalate an issue if they can’t resolve it. We have had to adapt to email support and find answers through other creative ways.
KDP customer support team is available to help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Some topics allow you to receive a call from a dedicated representative, email in a question, or Live Chat. You need to be logged into your account to receive this support. KDP breaks down the topics with an easy-to-navigate sidebar menu. Once you choose the topic you will be given the appropriate way to contact support.
Our thoughts: live support is the only way to deal with questions for KDP as most of the emails sent in receive a generic response back. The cultural and language barrier creates a ton of frustration in trying to resolve the most basic questions. Reps that support one group (Amazon ads, Author Central and KDP) cannot help you with questions outside of their own group so be prepared to make multiple calls.
There are so many things to learn when publishing a book. Proper planning and a mentor to help you along the way will avoid wasting time and money. There is a right way to self-publish a book and learning this way is critical for any author, especially those who want to publish multiple books. Stress Free Book Marketing is not just a marketing agency. We also are a publisher of our own titles and offer guided self-publishing services that will bring your written words to life with 100% satisfaction.
Rick Lite, the founder of Stress Free Book Marketing, stands at the forefront of the ever-changing book industry. He is a seasoned sales and marketing professional with over 20 years of experience in the book industry. Rick’s experience comes from tirelessly working on new and innovative ways to promote books. Embracing the core values of integrity, innovation, and growth, Rick works closely with authors to create custom, robust book marketing programs. His easygoing manner provides “stress-free” support and comfort to authors going through the self-publishing and marketing process for the first time. Rick is quick to share his knowledge and “insider tips” for a successful campaign that will lead to increased exposure, awareness, and most importantly, sales. You can read more about Rick and his success in the book industry by visiting his website at www.StressFreeBookMarketing.com.