08-27-2009, 07:52 AM
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The "Amazon Case"
Hi there!
I've received today a newsletter from Carlos in which he invites to write fair reviews to his "Dating Black Book" for introducing some balance to the bad ones. I've looked at the reviews and especially to the two bad ones (1 and 2 stars). One bad review was from M.Kunze: http://bit.ly/YnsWK I don't agree with him, but the point is that someone replied defining himself as a "Carlos Xuma Fan" named Chris D. Some other guy named "J. Gardner" accused this "CX Fan" to be the real Carlos Xuma faking to be some else: http://bit.ly/45tg9M In fact, Chris D. edited his post removing the signature (- Chris D.) and changing his username to "Carlos Xuma" (according to J. Gardner that posted the pre-editing comment). Looking "Chris D. aka Carlos Xuma"'s signature he lives in San Francisco (like the real CX I think, am I right?), but according to his profile: http://bit.ly/l4RgS He comes from Oakland (CA). Ok, now I'm confused. Probably "Carlos Xuma" and "J. Gardner" made this up to discredit the real CX. In fact, if this Chris D. really wants to defend the DBB, why he changed his username to "Carlos Xuma" apparently confirming the J.Gardner's accusation? And instead, if he is infact the real CX, why he changed his username to "Carlos Xuma" again confirming the J.Gardner thesis? Finally, if you look at the dates, you'll see that J. Gardner posted his replies in february, but the "Chris D." posts were edited some hours ago... Although, regardless of Chris D. is really CX or not, this situation is really pathetic. What do you think? PS: Keep it R.E.A.L.! 
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06-09-2010, 11:30 PM
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Quote:
Shit happens in the publishing and sales world. A lot of people with personal adgendas with use reviews to grind their axes. The problem isn't so much giving a book one or two stars because that is the reader's opinion, but giving them one or two stars and writing a review that clearly shows the reader's objective is that the writer not sell any more books. In normal situations the book takes care of itself, and if it has merit the positive reviews drown out the negative ones. Normally. Self published and e-books can be a bit different. I am going to guess that Amazon sales account for a very small percentage of Carlos's sales. You'll get a better price buying from him. Even though Amazon accepts reviews from people who didn't buy the product from them, most people don't do that. I have 50 or so reviews on Amazon and only 2 or 3 are for books/CD's I didn't buy there. So reviewing Carlos's e-books on Amazon isn't in a lot of people's minds. I'll also guess that some guys, well aware that women will Google the name of a guy they're starting to get involved with (a good practice for guys to follow with women too, btw) and some of those guys don't want to risk what a woman's reaction will be to discovering that 'this great new guy' has read everyone from A to Xuma. Freaks some girls out, others are cool with it. A lot of girls enjoy psych and behavioral topics and it makes for fun conversation. The woman I'm involved with at present took my copy of The Red Queen home with her the other day. Whatever. Every author has to deal with attacks in his/her own way. I'm in sales, I have my own ideas of how to deal with things, but I learned long ago not to evaluate a product or service I'm considering buying based on the sales effort behind it. When it comes to Carlos my take is this . . .Sales is what I do, coaching guys on self development and dating is what Carlos does. If I tried to coach I wouldn't do it near as well as Carlos does. So why should I care one way or another about how Carlos sells his services? Apples and oranges. The thing that really matters is that the review being responded to was crap. The review had two serious problems . . .three if you include the fact that the guy painted a picture of Carlos's book that was very different from my take on it. It was almost like he'd read a different book of the same title. Leaving that aside . . . the reviewer clearly had his own philosophy on how to approach dating. That's fine, there are multiple good approaches. It was a different philosophy from what Carlos coaches. Let's call Carlos's Theory X and this guy's Theory Y . . . the guy's review was less a review of Carlos's book and more a soapbox to push his theory. A fair and objective review could have said 'Carlos devotes the entire book to Theory X. He doesn't touch on Theory Y or any others. If you're a follower of Y and want to hone your skills within that idiom, this book isn't for you. If you're looking to explore other ideas, this book will give you a chance'. Fair review there, and one that helps the buyer decide . . . this reviewer was more about MAKING the buyer decide on Theory Y and preventing him from buying Carlos's book. Secondly . . . a lot of people who don't read much NF seem to have odd expectations for a book they try to . . .they seem to think that if 80% of the book doesn't cover new stuff they'd not been aware of, it's not worthwhile and instead is recycled material. That is a very naive view to take. I swear by Brian Tracy and his sales books. The typical Tracy book is 40% of things I already know and use, 40% things I've encountered before and have slid on and don't use, and 20% of the content is new to me. If I finish the book and apply some of that second 40% I'd not applied before, than in the course of the next year I'll easily make 200 times the price of the book. And that's if I don't even apply any of the new stuff. I've found the same applies to Carlos's e-books and the 5 programs I've bought from him. Each covers some things I already know and do, each reminds me of some things I know and don't do, and each exposes me to some new ideas. But to demand that a book be 'all new' . . . well maybe if someone has been stuck on the dating short bus it will be . . . but I'm not gonna knock Brian Tracy or Carlos and make it their problem that I generally know what I'm doing. Their work helps me become better. CX is the only dating guy I do business with. Most of his stuff isn't even aimed at me, I'm not his target market . . . I'm 47, divorced, not interested in another marriage, women under 30 or club girls. But the principles behind his coaching work well for me in meeting the kind of women I enjoy while maintaining the lifestyle I choose . . .some of these other bozos told me to go to clubs 5 nights a week. Screw that, I'm not gonna give up my interests, my activities, a couple worthy organizations I donate time to, etc just to chase skirts. But even though Carlos never wrote 'ok Deac, here's how you handle yourself at a charity fund raiser' I've been able to take his concepts, tweak them a bit, and put them to work with great results. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth when some sap who has made up his mind that his pet theories are the best tries to deny other guys the chance to throw down $40 and see what they can do with Carlos' insights. Last edited by El Deac; 06-09-2010 at 11:37 PM.
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07-26-2010, 01:13 AM
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I have read the bad 'reviews', these were done by people who are either talking out of their ass, or slagging people off. Actually both. I did not read the book yet ( still busy with my Power skills program), but I will review it when I get the chance to read it.
I have, however, posted a couple of comments (I am Late Bloomer , on Amazon). they are probably guys who work for the competition. It's a shame that there are haters like these...I suppose there's a lot of competition in the 'dating information world' Anyways.... Carlos' material kicks ass. In a few months I have expanded considerably on all my understanding of women and the world in general. His material goes straight to the points, it's very clearly laid out and very insightful. I frankly don't believe the book is anything but that.
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