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I received an invitation in my email box today that directed me to a page which contained the following scheme. I’m wondering, do you think that this is ethical? I am changing identifying information from the text below.
It is not my intention to do anything here but to make a point. Identifying this individual would do no one good, the hypnotist would continue in this way despite what I think of such tactics.
The webpage said the following:
$$ Thousands of Dollars in “Thank You Gifts” when you help me drive my book up to #1 on Amazon.com today.
Step 1) Buy the book, (my book) from amazon.com using one of the links on this page.
Step 2) Then order my book from amazon.com.
Step 3) When you get your receipt, forward it to me.
Step 4) Then, I’ll send you an email link to all of those thousands of dollars of gifts that I promised you!
So, what do you think of this approach? Is it ethical? Why would someone want to artificially drive his or her book to a number one position on Amazon.com? The answer is obvious to me. It is being done so that the individual can deceive the public into thinking the new book was really that great and achieved the position through the greatness of the book when really, it was an artificial elevation of the book through graft, excuse me, I mean “gifts”. What do you think? Although I do not name this individual, I will say that this kind of deceitful approach to advertising works, unless you get caught, and the word gets around. I believe that this deceptive approach will work against the individual in the long run.
By the way, the book that I co-authored, Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy: Basic to Advanced Techniques for the Professional, reached number one for the categories of “hypnosis” and “hypnotherapy” without such tactics. I hear it is a pretty good book. When you get a chance have a look.
Leave a comment. (And, no I will not divulge the identity of this hypnotist!)
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November 13th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
I don’t see any scam here. It’s a form of promotion like another….
And your assumption that the book is not good is as deceiving as the opposite one.
Since you’ve not read it!
Because the book may be damn good, or damn awful, but nobody will discover it if nobody reads it.
Anyway… I’m appreciating your blog, congrats!
November 14th, 2007 at 9:04 am
Thanks for you comment. So, deception and graft is a form of promotion like any other? Sorry, I have higher standards.
I did not assume that the book was either good or bad, only that falsely driving up the book to #1 on Amazon, is being done to send out the message that the book is a great one, when what was working here is graft and deception.
I would rather not be associated with an author who promotes his or her work in that way. If cheating and deception are way that this individual works, then I would wonder about the validity of the content of the book itself. Wouldn’t you?
Now I’m off to a birthday party!
Cal
November 24th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Cal,
I have responded to an offer like this in the past, but it didn’t specify that I buy the book on a specific day. The person I bought the book from has had other similar offers. I didn’t feel there was anything unethical about the offer. This seems to be this Authors’ (hypnotist, guru) standard operating procedure.
By the way, I am enjoying your sites and blogs very much. Keep up the good work!