Feb 18, 2020

Let's Discuss: Goodreads Rant

Every now and then I spit out ranting tweets on twitter about something or other. Lately it's been about Goodreads. And while I do enjoy Goodreads to an extent, I love finding all the editions possible of favorite books, love getting descriptions and possible release dates for new releases...there are still some things that I absolutely HATE about Goodreads!


Goodreads Rant


Okay, first off, my #1 rant has to do with their contests! I check the contest page everyday now and in the almost 10 years that I've been on Goodreads and entering contests, I think I've won 5 or maybe 4? So basically I can count on ONE hand how many contests I've won. Do I remember every contest I enter? Goodness no, but "thankfully" Goodreads is so "kind" to remind me! 

They send me emails like: Hey, do you remember you entered a contest to win a/n (early) copy of THAT BOOK you really wanted to read? Well guess what? YOU LOST!!!  We hope you'll still buy the book eventually and read it! Have a great day!

Yeah. That's pretty much how they go. They might ramble a bit more about the book and why I should go out and buy it right away or in the case of it being a contest for an ARC, they hope that I will still buy the book when it releases in X months. I mean really? REALLY?! You have to go to the trouble to tell me I LOST A CONTEST! Who does that?! I mean when I run a blog contest on my blog, I don't email all 1000+ entrants to tell them they lost and then email that one or two people who won. I mean for real!! Why does Goodreads have to do that? I've tweeted at them constantly to stop it, but I feel like that just falls on death twitter ears.

And you know what else bugs me? The "Want to Read" marking. The way I function on Goodreads is to use "Want to Read" as "I Physically Have a Copy." Then later Goodreads is like, "Hey that book you 'Want to Read' has a contest up. And I'm like...I have it. Duh.

I know there's an option to select somewhere in the review status or something like that to say you own a copy. But that just seems soooo tedious. Yes, I know it's not sound logical. All it takes is an extra click during my clicking "Want to Read" and such. But I wish there could be separate tags for "Want to Read--but do not have" AND "Want to Read--it's physically in my possession." But I feel like this issue is just mine alone and I should just start, from here on out, marking all those "Want to Read" as "own a copy" as well. Then maybe I'll stop getting those emails.


Anyone else have these problems with Goodreads? What do you like or not like about the website?








4 comments:

  1. I personally have entered maybe 5 Goodreads contests, but I definitely agree it's annoying getting an email saying you lost. If I don't get an email saying I won, then I think everyone pretty much assumes that they lost anyways

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  2. I don't think I've gotten all that many emails about not winning a Goodreads contest, but I know I definitely have gotten them from time to time (I don't enter to win as many as you do, so that might be the difference right there). I honestly always assumed it was the publisher's choice to send that "sorry you didn't win" email though---a way to remind the reader that they still really want to read that book. :-)

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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  3. I hate that Goodreads reminds me I lost a contest too! I figure if I didn't get an email saying congrats, then I am pretty sure I can get that after a few months I lost since I didn't get a congrats email!

    I wish they had Wishlist on their main list more than want to read. Cause I end up with everything on my want to read but I don't own them. Or maybe they should have a need to read besides the want to read....lol.

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  4. Since I can't join Goodreads contests because I'm an international reader, I never received one of those emails. But I don't understand why they would do that... Why would someone want to be notified about losing a giveaway?

    Happy readings!
    Tânia @MyLovelySecret

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