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CreateSpace review: Scammers 79

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6:53 pm EDT
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In August I entered into business with CreateSpace for the purpose of printing and selling books I wrote exclusively to the Amazon marketplace. I ordered 15 proofs in order to make sure that the quality and availability of the books were up to par with the market standards before posting them on the Amazon list. To date, I have only sold 3 books through them, and I have not been paid timely. Their site help page for payments had said "we pay you within 30 days after the end of the month in which the book has been sold, net of any adjustments or returns." I sold the books in August and September, and when I contacted them in November when I found that the money had not been deposited in my bank account, they suddenly turned around and said that I had to have an accumulation of $20 before I would be paid anything at all. When I went onto their community forums to investigate, I found out that they had changed the accumulation twice since I signed on, without any notice to anyone. Certainly not to me. CreateSpace is a subsidiary company of Amazon, which has grown so complex in its accounting practices that it stands to reason that many people will not get paid, ever. Some authors have complained that they never sold a single copy of a book through CreateSpace for over a year. After having already been scammed by LULU, another self-publishing company offering the same services, you can imagine my extreme anger at this betrayal of my trust. I am not the kind of person who goes into a venture blindfolded. But if I have micromanage every single thing that goes on at a company which is suppposed to know what it is doing, then I am better off not using them in the future. And neither should anyone else.

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79 comments
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brenchris
Pembroke Pines, US
Mar 03, 2015 7:09 am EST

There is a minimum amount to be accumulated before payout. Who wants to be paid less than $20.00 anyway?
I have not received payment either because I have not met the minimum threshold, but I am not worried.
I will continue to use Create Space and Amazon.

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Gwendolyn Olmsted
Palm Harbor, US
Mar 23, 2015 12:41 pm EDT

CreateSpace is a publishing company. they are not a marketing company, nor do they advertise.

The people responding tho these are complaints about $20, and $25. They honestly should't even be allowed to publish books. It is the author's job to market their book. CreateSpace is a Godsend for authors to get their works out there---for free. Very few other self publishers can publish--for free, Most want $1000, yes, that $1000, not $100, just to publish your book.

Please fell free to review my literary works of art under Gwendolyn Olmsted...

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Marc Libidinsky
North Las Vegas, US
Apr 02, 2015 11:09 am EDT

"Bread Upon the Waters" by Marc Libidinsky was offered in the CreateSpace estore and on Kindle, as well as softcover. I won't complicate the story, but here are some of the facts. I found out that I had been "sold out" by someone at createspace/Amazon and my PDF ended up in the hands of some pirate sites. My losses due to copyright infringement last year exceeded $200, 000. I needed proof, and I have a double degree in IT and Mathematics, so I went after one of the pirate sites, and was able to prove that someone at CreateSpace/Amozon was in collusion with one of these pirate sites. The other pirate sites simply download from "patient zero" and likewise offered the PDF of my book. I further proved that the damages to me and other Indies exceeded $10, 000, 000 . When I took all the evidence that I had to the FBI, the FBI's Cyber Crime Unit validated my information and opened a criminal investigation. The FBI counseled me to contact Amazon to try and come to a settlement, which if reached would let Amazon off the hook in the criminal investigation. I contacted Amazon Corporate and Create Space with the exact same emails. I was "paid a visit" each time I reached out to them...Some B*&%#$D sent someone to intimidate me from pursuing the matter. The matter is now out of my hands, and fully the burden of the FBI. Good luck Amazon!

The claims made here are truthful and historically accurate, and definitely not a fiction.

Marc Libidinsky

Author of "Bread Upon the Waters" and "Rise of The Beast"

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upset author
New York, US
May 15, 2015 5:44 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I wouldn't recommend anyone to use createspace. They are nothing but a HUGE waste of time. I 've tried to use their services twice and was not impressed. They want your book to be perfect, yet they provide a flawed service to authors.

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Jeffrey p Johnson
US
Sep 30, 2015 11:14 pm EDT

I just published two books with create space and thus far am not disappointed. I tried agents, publishers the whole game and got nowhere, don't get me wrong, I will continue to try that route endlessly with the other novels I am working on. In the meantime I have had a great experience with create space, of course I have to shamelessly self promote and it helps that my books are nicely priced. I can buy many copies at a low rate that I hawked from my car at gas stations and while renting tables at swap meets on a recent trip around the country. I have not sold impressive stacks but I did get some sold and spread the word. I even purchased 4 X 6 cards with the description of one of the books to hand out for free. Who knows how well I'll do but createspace makes it easier then paying hundreds of dollars to a vanity publisher.

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edwin's sister
US
Nov 01, 2015 11:47 am EST

I have published 2 books with Create Space and have had NO PROBLEMS at all. When publishing, one must keep realistic expectations.

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Annie Gaddis
US
Jan 01, 2016 7:23 am EST

Am interested in knowing how much was spent on advertising the books, and where. If you're not advertising, you're lucky you sold even ONE.

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John E. Wright
US
Feb 25, 2016 2:45 pm EST

Createspace has printed all five of my detective-fiction novels plus a short story and a very short non-fiction biographical and one political non-fiction compilation of my past blogs. Orders for my books I've place have been handled quickly and professionally. I am thoroughly satisfied with their Product and their Customer Support staff. What's to complain about

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Richard Johnson
US
Apr 28, 2016 9:25 pm EDT

Yes Create Space use author like toilet paper flush down toilet it been about year and four book's Publish through Create Space no royalties .This another Company not regulated steal on back of authors.I hope have conscious and sleep at night.

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Tom Olsen
US
Sep 14, 2016 2:24 pm EDT

CreateSpace has a NO RETURN POLICY. I was linked only to a 2nd Edition of Survival Medicine Handbook. There is a 3rd Edition. I called Customer Service and said I wanted to return the 2nd Edition and get the newer 3rd Edition. I was told Create Space has a NO RETURN POLICY. I have bought items on the Internet for many years and find CreateSpace way of doing business to be extremely sleazy. Obvously, I will never buy from them again and will place their name into the slime in any possible word of mouth encounter I can work their name into. "Into the mud slime queen". Your name now mud in my social sphere. Sorry self published authors, try another self publishing company that is reputable. I have bought from Lulu without issue.

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PublishedWord
US
Sep 15, 2016 3:25 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I am so glad that my experience with Createspace has been great. I have always been notified of a sale through my email as well as on my member board. Money has always went to my bank account as scheduled. Proud of my books and proud of my sales that I ADVERTISE TO MAKE. Help from newspapers, radio stations and word of mouth is a big plus. Great Job Createspace.👌🏾

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Alexie Linn
US
Nov 04, 2016 4:12 am EDT

I use CreateSpace and have had sales as well as payments deposited for me since early 2015. I paid no fees to anyone to publish. Someone is either lying or greatly confused.

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Didi Pershouse
US
Mar 10, 2017 10:43 pm EST

I published "The Ecology of Care: Medicine, Agriculture, Money, and the Quiet Power of Human and Microbial Communities" through create space a year ago and have sold over 1000 copies, and have been paid for every one. They are available to answer questions with hardly any wait times over the phone, which is amazing. The book doesn't look self published, thanks to the fact that I hired a professional book designer, a cover designer from Random House, and a top-notch copy editor. It took 9 years to write, and many many many rounds of editing. You can browse what it looks like inside here: https://www.amazon.com/Ecology-Care-Agriculture-Microbial-Communities/dp/069261303X/ Using the off-white paper and a good font, and having illustrations helps.
The first month I made over $1000 in royalties and yes, I had to wait a couple of months to get the check, but it was worth waiting for. When the book was under contract with a publisher I would have gotten about 50 cents a copy in royalties, and still would have had to do a lot of my own marketing. As it is, I get $7 a copy in royalties. The only drawback is that my hometown library doesn't take self published books. Their loss.
I am very pleased with Create Space. Didi Pershouse

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Kenneth Anderson
US
Apr 15, 2017 8:32 pm EDT

If you want to make money self publishing you have to do two things: write content worth reading and market it like mad. Between create space and kindle self publishing I sell about 10 books per day because I did the work. Create space likes it when you sell books because that's where they make their money since the service itself is free. But some people can't help but look a gift horse in the mouth.

SimoneGallina
SimoneGallina
IT
Mar 15, 2018 12:19 am EDT

apropos, as Amazon Author, I'm dealing with shipping of the infamous CreateSpace Proof of Print, which, supposedly, should be a SAMPLE; I had to pay more than the 10% of final value amount, detailed by Amazon on the parcel, to pass the Custom here in India. As if it was a good for sale!
I know that Trump and Modi are plotting to Make Your Country Get Worse Again, but it is simply ridiculous that CreateSpace does not apply basic fees for printed matter all over the Globe.
And yes, I agree fully with Andersen.

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Author09111
US
Mar 22, 2018 9:02 pm EDT

I used another self publisher for a few years. About 6 years ago I switched to CreateSpace.
I have 14 books now and now NOT 1 complaint.
Createspace is the best, turnkey publisher an author could possibly have!

They never miss a beat and have 24 hours customer service!
Super satisfied!

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BestSellingAuthor43
US
Mar 22, 2018 9:04 pm EDT

These complaints sound like competitors making up stuff.
This is called "professional jealousy" and is very very common today.
Just because someone wrote something on the internet doesn't make it true ;)

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Christopher R Michael
US
Jun 01, 2018 2:54 pm EDT

I have used CreateSpace and it's been a wonderful experience. My latest book, "Chestnut Ridge, " is perfectly formatted and they helped me create a great cover. I haven't had any problems with them. I don't know why these people are complaining. I honestly think it is a great way to get published. But, as someone else said above, you have to be a good writer and have a good story to tell, plus you have to know how to promote the book. I am still struggling with promotion, but am learning every day.

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Christopher R Michael
US
Jun 01, 2018 2:55 pm EDT

Oh, and if you're interested search for "If Only You Were Gone" and "Chestnut Ridge" by Christopher R Michael on Amazon. But, like I said, CreateSpace hasn't been a problem at all for me.

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d_hajek
PR
Jun 26, 2018 11:01 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I have published several books with CreateSpace,
(Introduction to Computers, Introduction to Computers 2018 Edition, Introduction to Computer Graphics, Introduction to Computer Graphics 2018 Edition, Life and Times of Harry Wolf 2018 Edition)
mostly as a way to provide my students with affordable textbooks.
(Harry Wolf was actually more of a hobby and experiment in how to use CreateSpace, not a textbook.)
My writing is probably not up to the standard of other authors in the field, but when the cost of a text gets to 3 digits, I am pretty sure none of my students are going to buy it, and a textbook that nobody reads is not an effective learning tool.
I never expected to get rich as an author, don't have time to do promotions and don't have the personality or inclination to be a salesman. That being said, I have been very happy with CreateSpace. Easy to use. Costs nothing unless I choose to order physical proof copies, and/or demo copies to distribute to colleagues or use some of their paid services (which I have not.)
Amazon has, in fact done some promotion of my books, and they have been adopted at 3 other universities that I know of.
I have not experienced the limitation of minimum $20 payments that other commenters have reported. I have been getting payments at the end of every month (for the month ending 30 days earlier) and normally for amounts less than $20, sometimes less than $1.00

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Zak Shirey
US
Sep 10, 2018 11:17 pm EDT

I woke up this morning to $182.22 charged to my bank account, but ive never heard of Createspace before . I knew nothing about it or that it even existed till this morning . why am i being charged for it? Now i cant get a responce to any types of communication.

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Nickolaus Pacione
US
Nov 12, 2018 9:47 am EST

Both Lulu.com and CreateSpace.com lied through their teeth, I was plagiarized because of the latter and caught Creeger job shaming when I was booted so they have a scandal on their hands of textbook fraud. I work with The Book Patch now a family business where you need http://www.docupub.com to merge files like Lulu.com and arrange covers like your CreateSpace custom covers but front for your ISBN for $25.00-$50.00 then work with http://www.bookow.com to make the barcode.

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Nickolaus Pacione
US
Nov 12, 2018 9:51 am EST

This is where I am at now. Don't feed Creeger's plagiarism addiction as you might add to her addiction to bath salt snorting too -- all the plagiarism scandals are on her head. I was with them from 2008 to 2015 they lied to my face, not telling me they were booksurge. I will tell you The Book Patch keep it all when you do your markup, your money is in the 190-220 page count class, careful with higher page counts because at cost it's higher than Lulu.com but you see a strong result if done right. Take your tools http://www.pdfsam.org then strip out your ISBN at CreateSpace -- turn a new copyright page then merge them. Use http://www.docupub.com to assemble them too.

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Eva Newberry
US
Mar 11, 2019 5:23 pm EDT

Amazon and Createspace sent me a 1099MISC for the sale of my book( income tax in the amount of $837.00), of which I never received and of today 3/11/2019 I don't know where the money went. I did not get it.

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Eva Newberry
US
Mar 11, 2019 5:25 pm EDT

Now that Createspace is out of business what happens to the accounts. Where is the money for the sale of my book from 2016 to 2018?

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Mark A. Stanley
US
Mar 24, 2019 1:26 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Check out your account at KDP. It took me awhile to translate their accounting, but it seems accurate. Make sure the deposits are not listed as "failed" Then check out your bank account where you should be receiving deposits.
I just did this, because I cannot figure why my sales are lagging

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Nikki Ty Tom
Honolulu, US
Mar 22, 2019 12:00 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I used CreateSpace for my first book and it was a terrific experience. I wanted to prove to myself that I could create a professional quality book for the price of the one required proof copy. Which was at that time $2.75. I didn't go into this adventure thinking I would become an overnight sensation in the publishing world. I wanted a beautifully produced book to honor my mother's inspiring life ... and to give to friends and associates. True, I worked my tail off for six months. I learned to proof read and to format. I learned the technical terms for printing. It was an adventure.

The result, "Bird Songs" was beautiful from the lovely glossy cover, to the perfectly printed photos and text. I sold dozens in my little shop just by laying a pile of them on my counter. And it wouldn't have occurred to me to quibble about the few dollars worth sold through Amazon. I recommend this experience to anyone who wants to learn the details of publishing and who craves the thrill of holding your own book in your hands.

Now I have the confidence to approach an agent for my next book, which is a commercial one. And I'll be proud to refer to my CreateSpace book as proof of my sincerity and writing skills. Thank you, CreateSpace.

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Mark A. Stanley
US
Mar 24, 2019 1:14 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I have published four titles through Createspace from [protected]. Four different subjects: Compost Tea Making (Marc Remillard), Solar Flare Survival (Marc Remillard), The Sacred Spring of the Blood Royal (fiction by Mark Stanley), and Creating World Class Red Wine (Mark Stanley). I am the author of all.
Now that Amazon has swallowed Createspace I am pondering as to how I shall proceed to publish two more fiction books. Self-published fiction is a tough sell, unless one is lucky or aggressive.
I did not purchase Library of Congress # for any titles yet (mistake). I also previously allowed Createspace to assign an ISBN# for each one, and I'm not sure about the wisdom of that choice. So far I can only report positively about Createspace, but Amazon seems more opaque, or at least predictably techy (difficult).
Sales have been declining, and I simply cannot figure out why. No, I have not promoted lately, but the winemaking book is absolutely the best of it's genre by far(truth, no arrogance), and sales lag, compared to other similar books in it's genre. That sales curve should at least be steady. So I checked out the accounting at KDP, and compared to Amazon deposits into my LLC it all seems honest.
Two of my how-to titles would be selling to libraries but are not since they have no Library of Congress #. I am wondering about un-publishing and re-publishing with different titles to capture more sales.
Any ideas?

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John Stephen George
Newbury, GB
Nov 09, 2022 12:04 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hello,

I would like to cancel the following title, “A Touch of BIPOLAR: The Madness of a Suicide" by Joss Smith Wesson (my pseudonym)

Yours sincerely,

John George

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