Comments on: Lulu Lens – How Can We Improve Our Author Storefronts? http://www.lulu.com/blog/2009/10/02/lulu-lens-how-can-we-improve-our-author-storefronts/ Adventures in Self-Publishing Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:20:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Nick Popio http://www.lulu.com/blog/2009/10/02/lulu-lens-how-can-we-improve-our-author-storefronts/#comment-2855 Nick Popio Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:43:06 +0000 http://lulublog.com/?p=1690#comment-2855 Lee, Can you post a link to your storefront so I can take a look? Lee,
Can you post a link to your storefront so I can take a look?

]]> By: Lee Barnett http://www.lulu.com/blog/2009/10/02/lulu-lens-how-can-we-improve-our-author-storefronts/#comment-2854 Lee Barnett Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:36:44 +0000 http://lulublog.com/?p=1690#comment-2854 With no html allowed in product descriptions now, how can an author separate out paragraphs in the description? I know it can be done (I've seen it) but my own book description in storefront is just a single stream of text despite separate paragraphs in the 'edit descriptions' bit. With no html allowed in product descriptions now, how can an author separate out paragraphs in the description?

I know it can be done (I’ve seen it) but my own book description in storefront is just a single stream of text despite separate paragraphs in the ‘edit descriptions’ bit.

]]> By: Arati http://www.lulu.com/blog/2009/10/02/lulu-lens-how-can-we-improve-our-author-storefronts/#comment-2853 Arati Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:55:22 +0000 http://lulublog.com/?p=1690#comment-2853 Allow a preview of the calendar to be accessed from the storefront without having to go to the calendar specific page. Allow a preview of the calendar to be accessed from the storefront without having to go to the calendar specific page.

]]> By: Nick Popio http://www.lulu.com/blog/2009/10/02/lulu-lens-how-can-we-improve-our-author-storefronts/#comment-2852 Nick Popio Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:14:11 +0000 http://lulublog.com/?p=1690#comment-2852 David, We are working on some improvements to that section and hopefully will be able to tweak it further soon. Jan, That's an excellent point, and one we are striving to improve on. Jay, Thanks for the feedback, and that's an interesting idea. I will pass it along. Maureen, Please see my Lens on how we can improve the checkout process. http://lulublog.com/2009/10/17/lulu-lens-what-can-we-do-to-improve-the-checkout-process/ David,
We are working on some improvements to that section and hopefully will be able to tweak it further soon.

Jan,
That’s an excellent point, and one we are striving to improve on.

Jay,
Thanks for the feedback, and that’s an interesting idea. I will pass it along.

Maureen,
Please see my Lens on how we can improve the checkout process. http://lulublog.com/2009/10/17/lulu-lens-what-can-we-do-to-improve-the-checkout-process/

]]> By: Maureen Moore http://www.lulu.com/blog/2009/10/02/lulu-lens-how-can-we-improve-our-author-storefronts/#comment-2851 Maureen Moore Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:12:01 +0000 http://lulublog.com/?p=1690#comment-2851 I have an angry complaint from someone trying to buy one of my books through the storefront, the complaint being he cannot buy the book without signing up for lulu first. He says he refuses to do so and is irritated that he would be expected to do so.. Now i am worried about how many sales I may have lost from people to felt the same way but didnt take the time to chastise me... I hadnt realized that this obstacle existed until now. So I have to ask, why? Pleae remove this requirement from my storefront purchasing process. Maureen I have an angry complaint from someone trying to buy one of my books through the storefront, the complaint being he cannot buy the book without signing up for lulu first. He says he refuses to do so and is irritated that he would be expected to do so.. Now i am worried about how many sales I may have lost from people to felt the same way but didnt take the time to chastise me… I hadnt realized that this obstacle existed until now. So I have to ask, why? Pleae remove this requirement from my storefront purchasing process. Maureen

]]> By: Jay http://www.lulu.com/blog/2009/10/02/lulu-lens-how-can-we-improve-our-author-storefronts/#comment-2850 Jay Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:01:53 +0000 http://lulublog.com/?p=1690#comment-2850 I know it is for internal profit purposes, but it would be phenomenal to have access to our own storefront to drive traffic there ourselves with personal SEOs and SEMs. I have friends in the market but will have to utilize lulu if I want any marketing. Only cuz I dont have ftp access. I know, may be impossible, and less profitable to you- Which already provides a fantastic serive! I know it is for internal profit purposes, but it would be phenomenal to have access to our own storefront to drive traffic there ourselves with personal SEOs and SEMs. I have friends in the market but will have to utilize lulu if I want any marketing. Only cuz I dont have ftp access. I know, may be impossible, and less profitable to you- Which already provides a fantastic serive!

]]> By: Jan Berinstein http://www.lulu.com/blog/2009/10/02/lulu-lens-how-can-we-improve-our-author-storefronts/#comment-2849 Jan Berinstein Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:18:56 +0000 http://lulublog.com/?p=1690#comment-2849 At the risk of belaboring the point, displaying -- and labeling as "Related items" -- books (and calendars) that bear no logical relationship to the work featured on an author's product page makes Lulu look unprofessional. In view of the stigma that already is attached (fairly or unfairly) to publishing on demand, it seems to me that Lulu would want to avoid anything that reinforces the idea of self-publishing as an amateurish enterprise. Jan At the risk of belaboring the point, displaying — and labeling as “Related items” — books (and calendars) that bear no logical relationship to the work featured on an author’s product page makes Lulu look unprofessional. In view of the stigma that already is attached (fairly or unfairly) to publishing on demand, it seems to me that Lulu would want to avoid anything that reinforces the idea of self-publishing as an amateurish enterprise.

Jan

]]> By: David Bruce http://www.lulu.com/blog/2009/10/02/lulu-lens-how-can-we-improve-our-author-storefronts/#comment-2848 David Bruce Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:51:48 +0000 http://lulublog.com/?p=1690#comment-2848 I don't like having other people's products displayed on the pages for my products simply because their products and my products don't match up. For example, on my page for "Mark Twain's 'Adventures of Tom Sawyer': A Discussion Guide" is a book titled "Nude Posing Guide." Also, some books by other people have vulgar language in the title. Would it be possible for an author to "flag as inappropriate" these products so that they would not displayed on the author's pages? Of course, the products would still be offered for sale; they just would not appear on the page of an author who does not want that product displayed on his or her page. Thank you. I really do appreciate Lulu. I don’t like having other people’s products displayed on the pages for my products simply because their products and my products don’t match up. For example, on my page for “Mark Twain’s ‘Adventures of Tom Sawyer’: A Discussion Guide” is a book titled “Nude Posing Guide.”

Also, some books by other people have vulgar language in the title.

Would it be possible for an author to “flag as inappropriate” these products so that they would not displayed on the author’s pages? Of course, the products would still be offered for sale; they just would not appear on the page of an author who does not want that product displayed on his or her page.

Thank you.

I really do appreciate Lulu.

]]> By: Elizabeth Elias http://www.lulu.com/blog/2009/10/02/lulu-lens-how-can-we-improve-our-author-storefronts/#comment-2847 Elizabeth Elias Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:32:06 +0000 http://lulublog.com/?p=1690#comment-2847 Hi Nick. So, I'm wondering what a girl has to do to get some service? It's been over 2 weeks. What am I doing wrong? Elizabeth Hi Nick. So, I’m wondering what a girl has to do to get some service? It’s been over 2 weeks.
What am I doing wrong?
Elizabeth

]]> By: David Bruce http://www.lulu.com/blog/2009/10/02/lulu-lens-how-can-we-improve-our-author-storefronts/#comment-2846 David Bruce Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:54:54 +0000 http://lulublog.com/?p=1690#comment-2846 Have one page on which customers can both download the book or buy a print copy of the book. The storefront is OK, but the separate page for a particular book requires the customer to jump to a new page to find the download, and the way to jump to the new page is not at all clear. It is silly in my opinion to have one page for the download and one page for buying a print copy. I can't imagine why Lulu engineers would think that is an improvement. Have a link for a hardcover if you want, but have the download button and the buy-a-print-copy button on the same page. The change has really hurt me. I give away free downloads of many of my books because I want to help teachers and students, and now the teachers and students can't find the free downloads. When they Google "Jerry Spinelli's 'Stargirl': A Discussion Guide," for example, the link takes them to a page that says that they can buy a print copy. Actually, I have made print copies unavailable in an attempt to fix the mess created by Lulu engineers. Have one page on which customers can both download the book or buy a print copy of the book.

The storefront is OK, but the separate page for a particular book requires the customer to jump to a new page to find the download, and the way to jump to the new page is not at all clear.

It is silly in my opinion to have one page for the download and one page for buying a print copy. I can’t imagine why Lulu engineers would think that is an improvement. Have a link for a hardcover if you want, but have the download button and the buy-a-print-copy button on the same page.

The change has really hurt me. I give away free downloads of many of my books because I want to help teachers and students, and now the teachers and students can’t find the free downloads.

When they Google “Jerry Spinelli’s ‘Stargirl’: A Discussion Guide,” for example, the link takes them to a page that says that they can buy a print copy. Actually, I have made print copies unavailable in an attempt to fix the mess created by Lulu engineers.

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