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Amazon KDP Faces Growing Backlash From Authors Over Account Terminations, Withheld Royalties, and Quality Issues

 

Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform is facing intensifying criticism from independent authors, who allege widespread account terminations, withheld royalties, declining print quality, and a lack of meaningful customer support. Complaints posted across consumer review platforms, author forums, and watchdog sites suggest that problems reported as early as 2023 have not only persisted but worsened.

Authors claim that Amazon KDP has terminated accounts without clear explanations, restricted access to dashboards and earnings, and, in many cases, withheld unpaid royalties. Others report that their books remain for sale on Amazon despite losing access to their KDP accounts.

Allegations of Withheld Royalties and Sudden Terminations

A recurring theme among complaints is the abrupt termination of author accounts, often following years of publishing activity. Numerous authors report receiving brief or template-style emails citing violations of KDP’s terms, without specific details or a meaningful appeals process.

One author wrote, “Imagine my shock when I received an email stating my account had been terminated and my royalties would be withheld—an outright act of stealing.” Another stated, “I worked hard publishing over 50 books. My account was terminated over one book and I could not get a straight answer as to why. Amazon kept my royalties.”

Several authors report losing access to earnings accrued shortly before termination. One complaint reads, “To top it off, they kept that entire month’s earnings.” Others allege being denied access to their dashboards while their books continue to generate sales.

In some cases, authors say their accounts were terminated years after publication. “My account was terminated over one book that was published three years ago,” one author wrote. “This is unfair and disrespectful.”

Printing and Quality Control Concerns

In addition to account issues, many complaints focus on print quality problems with KDP’s print-on-demand services. Authors report books arriving with inconsistent colors, missing or falling-out pages, incorrect editions, and poorly bound spines.

One author stated, “About every third page just falls out of the book as you turn the page.” Another wrote, “50 books ordered and they are all different shades.”

Several authors say these defects affected book launches, damaged professional reputations, and caused financial losses. One first-time author described the experience as causing “emotional distress, an inability to provide quality work, and significant wasted resources.”

Customer Service Criticized as Unreachable or Ineffective

Across nearly all platforms, authors describe Amazon KDP’s customer service as inaccessible or ineffective. Many say they were instructed to log into accounts they could no longer access, while others report repeated emails, phone calls, or support tickets without resolution.

A case example of the worst customer service experience that should be studied by Harvard MBA students as lessons in what not to do, wrote one reviewer.

Another author said, “I’ve sent over 25 emails and made 15 phone calls and still don’t know why my issue hasn’t been resolved.”

Some authors also claim Amazon continued charging advertising fees even after their KDP accounts were terminated.

Complaints Across Multiple Platforms

Allegations against Amazon KDP appear on numerous consumer and author-focused websites, including Trustpilot, Better Business Bureau, ComplaintsBoard, PissedConsumer.org, and Amazon’s own KDP author forums.

On Trustpilot, reviewers describe experiences ranging from withheld royalties and account suspensions to unresponsive customer service and quality failures. One reviewer wrote, “You could wake up one day and find your account gone, your income stolen, and no recourse available.”

Complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau similarly cite closed accounts and unpaid earnings. On ComplaintsBoard, one author stated, “Once your books are trapped in KDP’s back-end system, escape is nearly impossible.”

On Amazon’s own author forum, writers have posted detailed accounts of misprinted books, incorrect editions being shipped, and accounts allegedly terminated in error. One longtime children’s book author wrote, “My account has been accidentally terminated after twenty years selling children’s books on Amazon.”

Ongoing Concerns for Independent Authors

Many authors say the lack of transparency, combined with the scale of Amazon’s publishing platform, leaves independent publishers with little leverage or recourse. Several expressed concern that KDP’s automated enforcement systems may be triggering account closures without adequate human review.

One complaint summarized the sentiment shared by many: “They profit off our work, then shut down accounts without cause, keeping the money we’ve rightfully earned.”

As of this report, Amazon has not issued a public response addressing the volume of recent complaints or the specific allegations raised by authors across multiple platforms.

For authors considering self-publishing, the growing number of reports has raised questions about the risks of relying exclusively on a single platform for distribution, income, and rights management.

Why Lulu Self-Publishing Is a Great Platform for Authors

Self-publishing has opened the door for writers to share their work with the world without needing a traditional publishing deal. Among the many platforms available, Lulu stands out as an excellent choice for authors. Having published books through Lulu myself, I can confidently say that it is a reliable, high-quality, and author-friendly platform.

One of the biggest strengths of Lulu is how easy it is to use. The publishing process is straightforward, even for first-time authors. From uploading your manuscript to designing your book and choosing distribution options, Lulu guides you through each step clearly. This makes the experience far less intimidating than many people expect self-publishing to be.

Another major advantage is print quality. The books I’ve published through Lulu have always looked professional and well-made. The paper quality, binding, and cover printing are excellent, which is especially important if you want your book to feel polished and credible. Whether it’s a paperback or hardcover, Lulu delivers results that authors can be proud of.

Lulu also offers print-on-demand, which is a huge benefit. This means books are only printed when someone orders them, so authors don’t have to pay for large print runs or store boxes of books. It’s cost-effective and low-risk, especially for independent writers who are just starting out.

Another reason Lulu is so good is the control it gives authors. You keep full rights to your work and can set your own prices. There are no forced exclusivity agreements, which means you can sell your book elsewhere if you choose. This freedom is one of the best parts of self-publishing, and Lulu respects that.

Customer support and resources are also strong. Lulu provides helpful guides, templates, and support articles that make the process smoother. Whenever I’ve needed help or clarification, the information has been easy to find.

Overall, Lulu is an excellent self-publishing platform for authors who want quality, control, and simplicity. Based on my own experience publishing books with them, I’ve found Lulu to be dependable, professional, and genuinely supportive of independent writers. For anyone considering self-publishing, Lulu is a platform well worth using.

Amazon KDP Stole My Royalties – Authors Beware! – I am incredibly disappointed with Amazon KDP and their unethical treatment of authors. After dedicating countless hours and money to researching, writing, and publishing my books, Amazon suddenly terminated my account without warning or a valid explanation, leaving me without access to my earned royalties. KDP’s treatment of independent authors is nothing short of exploitative and unfair. They profit off our work, then shut down accounts without cause, keeping the money we’ve rightfully earned. If you’re an author considering publishing with Amazon, think twice—you could wake up one day and find your account gone, your income stolen, and no recourse available. – Dr. Tina

AMAZON KDP beware of  – AMAZON KDP beware of their deceptive practices. I had an account for two years, spent quite alot of money and time on their ads and never came out ahead. I do not know why i wasted my time. I worked hard publishing over 50 books. My account was terminated over one book and i could not get a straight answer as to why. Amazon kept my royalties, refused to respond to my inquires and continued to try to charge my card for ads after my account was terminated. I think they need to be investigated for fraud. I would never do business with them again in any form. – Jeannette Azar

They deserve a big zero – Only if I could give a zero! Pathetic company. Their customer care doesn’t exist. We published a picture book with them but the quality was awful. – Y Allsop

Unhelpful and unprofessional!!! – They blocked my account a few times, and when I queried it, they’d apologise and tell me it was a mistake – only to suspend me again the same day for supposedly having issues with my keywords. Before I even had a chance to fix anything, they terminated my account completely. To top it off, they kept that entire month’s earnings. KDP is honestly the worst, most useless, and completely unprofessional. – Hannah

This company is the Absolute worst – I tried several times to verify my ID on the KDP website and after several failed attempts, I was told I had 13 days to comply. Then I was told later that same day my account was being terminated. There are hundreds who share this same experience with this company. Save yourself time and find another publishing company. KDP is the worst. – Andrew Mcglocking

Just got terminated by KDP for… – Just got terminated by KDP for “multiple accounts” with zero proof. Total BS. I’ve had my account for a while, no issues—until now. I write children’s books, and this is the treatment I get? Ridiculous. KDP will nuke your hard work over nothing. Beware before you waste your time. – Joseph Graziano

Kdp Amazon is supposed to be an easy… – Do not choose amazon if you are considering publishing your book, I had so much headache with this site. Not worth it!!! – Petes Varga Mark

Do not waste all of your hard work on this site – It is absolutely shocking that a company of this size has ZERO customer service! They locked me out of my retail account, and subsequently blocked my KDP, because I tried to change my debit card. They are still selling my book but I am unable to get into my account. When you try to get help they tell you to log into your account!!!! – Agatha P Daisy

Every time I call I get a worthless CSR – A case example of the worst customer service experience that should be studied by Harvard MBA students as lessons in what not to do. – Arthur Lazarus

I would give them zero stars if… – I would give them zero stars if possible! I’m a graphic novelist and went to publish my novel on KDP Amazon and it was like pulling teeth. Finally got it formatted and after 2 days Amazon blocked it. I own all copyrights and it’s my artwork and story. Avoid Amazon, Avoid kindle altogether. – e nordkvist

My Amazon KDP Account Was Terminated… – This has been emotionally draining. I’ve invested so much time and effort into publishing on KDP, and it feels like I’ve been locked out with no explanation and no fair review. – Ani Abigail

Theft of royalties, under sales reporting – My website tells me I have sales of 56000 and the kdp software also was confirming the same but when royalty report is generated suddenly 2/3 royalties have disappeared. This is pure theft and scam. – Vaibhav jain

Closed account without proper reason – I received an email a few weeks ago saying I would get paid so I logged into the account and realised I had sold 10x one of my notebooks back in february 25, I was so pleased. And then a week or so later account closure stating they would not pay me and removed all my books/notebooks from sale. – Steph

I can not express enough how frustrated… – I can not express enough how frustrated I am with KDP customer services. My account was blocked and deleted for no apparent reason in January and no matter how many times I have reached out, not a single person has helped me. I am beyond frustrated and can’t imagine how a company operates like this. If I could give them a 0/100 stars I would! – Natalie Drayton

Uploaded a new book a week ago – Uploaded a new book a week ago, should take less than 48 hours to be reviewed, but so far still under review, very unprofessional.
And now reading all the trustpilot reviews about closing down author’s accounts for no reason, stealing their products and commissions and no customer service? Wondering if I made a huge mistake uploading my book on kpd! – KimJ

Terminated for no reason – Terminated for no reason. Lied about notice sent or emailed. No phone. Misguided, or disgruntled reps of KDP hide behind contact forms and “resolve” or “close” cases through their inane email message portal. They removed titles from terminated account of which I am the copyright holder, and continue to sell my books. – Mike

What is going on at kdp? – I’ve published all my books on this platform for many years and today I get a email saying my account was terminated over one book that was published three years ago saying there was a violation of the terms and conditions which makes no sense and I’m finding out that many other self publishers are getting the same treatment. This is unfair and disrespectful. – Mark Dudley

Incompetent KDP Customer Service! – Despite my diligent efforts to resolve this issue, including over 25 emails and 15 phone calls, I am no closer to understanding the root cause of the delay, nor have I received any indication of when I can expect a resolution. Amazon simply does not give a S*** about small independent authors! Utterly disgusting customer service! – Nick

No help – The wrong coloring. No help with getting the refund for the books I ordered. No help. 50 books ordered and they are all different shades. – Caliatra Riesterer

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