We know that NetGalley gives out badges. One that I’ve been striving for is the 80% badge. (I’m now standing at 76%)
Just for the fun of it, I decided to figure out what my feedback ratio would be on Edelweiss – just to see if I was using their service in a productive way. Taking note that I had 79 titles approved and feedback sent for 36, I was shocked to discover that my feedback ratio for Edelweiss is only 46% !!!
I will have to seriously attempt to raise that poor ratio in the near future!
I guess giving out badges does work. I seem to try to read NetGalley titles first to increase my feedback ratio. Perhaps if Edelweiss had badges to strive for, I’d be reading more of their titles first. Just a thought…
What do YOU think?
Fictionophile 
For me, it’s not the earning of the badge that motivates me (though that’s nice), but the ratio %. It feels like a grade (I mean, it kind of is, right?), and I don’t get bad grades. It sounds terrible, but it’s more like I’m driven by shame (my ratio is SO low) than by the reward of a badge. I do track my Edelweiss ratio in a spreadsheet, but fortunately, I don’t use them as much, so it’s easy to stay ahead.
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I find that I am using Edelweiss more and more. Recently their selection seems more to my genre tastes than previously.
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I’ve never even heard of Edelweiss but it doesn’t seem to be offering as many encouragements as NetGalley. As a reviewer for the latter I do like their badge incentives but in the end find myself in guilt mode as I’m so far behind! Fear I’ll never catch up…Well done on almost your 80% badge! 😀
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Edelwiess does have many stellar titles on offer. As of today they have 2,270 digital ARCs available. With my personal filters applied, I have 371 titles that are in my genres of choice. Edelweiss never pressures bloggers to review. Just sayin’…
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I will definitely take a look at them…many thanks for the recommendation.
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As several others have said, Edelweiss isn’t that easy to use. I search there for books only after I can’t find them on NetGalley. As for the 80% badge on NG – I’ve had that for a long time (I’m actually at 96%), but that’s mostly because when I started using them, I had a Nook, and those files expired if I didn’t read them within a certain amount of time, so I pushed myself. (Now that I have a Kindle, I don’t have that problem.) But also, if I realize I’ve taken a book that I don’t really like, I send in a review as soon as I can to drop it off my list. In addition I’ve learned how to pace my requests on NG. So for example, right now I have two books being published in October, and the rest in January and March. I’m now looking for books that will be published in November and December, to make up that gap!
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Wow Davida, I wish I had your self control! I’m SO impressed with your 96% feedback ratio!
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Yeah… you do need some self control – to not ask for every book that sounds okay, and hold out for just the ones that sound really good!
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I am not a huge fan of Edelweiss. The website is hard to navigate. NG is just easier to manage and keep up with my books.
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I totally agree with you – it takes too much time to find a book on Edelweiss, even with a filter.
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That is IF you can figure out how to use the damned filters.
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I think the badges on NG are great I wonder if Edelweiss was try something similar to encourage more members?
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I wish they would too Nicki, but I fear that they are not as blogger oriented as NetGalley. Most of their users are professionals who work for libraries and bookstores. These people are not as interested in badges or feedback ratios as bloggers are.
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I love using NetGalley. Their site is easy to use and designed well. I love their badges and seeing my feedback ratio. I think both are positive incentives for quick turnarounds for reading and reviewing. I have never used Edelwiess, but the site looks a bit daunting to me.
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The new version of Edelweiss is more user friendly than the old version. That being said, it does take a bit of learning – especially when using those pesky filters.
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I’ve started on NetGalley and then found out about Edelweiss later on. I’m nowhere near as many approvals as you are, but I do know that I’ll have to find some time to mess around with Edelweiss. NetGalley just looks so much more use-friendly than EW does and it makes me not want to use it? I don’t know, haha. Maybe once I figured it all out, I won’t think like that anymore.
The NetGalley badges definitely are a motivation to get those eARC’s read though! I’m easily below 80% [only got 17 approvals so far], but I control my requests and have only been blogging for three months. And maybe, just maybe, I’ve been buying too many books that need to be read as well, haha.
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I fear that Edelweiss is not as blogger oriented as NetGalley. Most of their users are professionals who work for libraries and bookstores. These people are not as interested in badges or feedback ratios as bloggers are.
But for bloggers… you are correct. Badges definitely serve as motivation.
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Despite signing up to Edelweiss I’ve never actually requested anything. It just seems too complicated. NetGalley is much more user friendly and the badges definitely motivate me.
I recently started using Readers First however and they’ve definitely got it sussed as far as motivating you to read and review. They give you points for every book reviewed with extra points if you share your review on multiple sites. Get enough points you can get any book that’s available.
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I only wish that Readers First was open to North American bloggers, but sadly they are not.
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I thought they were for ebooks?
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Both NetGalley and Edelweiss provide ebooks or DARCs (digital advanced reader’s copies)
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Nice post, Lynne! The badges definitely give you motivation! I have 241 books approved on NetGalley and 220 Feedback sent! I’m now trying to limit myself to 20 books approved at one time although you can see this week I’ve just gone over. On Edelweiss I never seem to get responses as quick, and don’t get approved as much, so to be honest I’ve stopped requesting but I have only ever been approved for 12 and feedback sent 12!
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Impressive Zoe!
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I know some don’t like the feedback ratio on Netgalley but it honestly never bothered me and now it would take so many books to be below 80% that I doubt it would ever happen. I just like that Netgalley is easier overall to use but I started watching EW when I saw some of the books weren’t on both so that gives me that oh my gosh what am I missing feeling.
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Well done with the NetGalley feedback Carrie! As for missing something… This month I was turned down for a title I really wanted on NetGalley, SO… I requested it on Edelweiss and GOT IT! Just sayin’
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Thanks! That’s exactly what got me over there, turned down on NG and someone brought it to my attention that the same book was available to just download on EW so who can pass that by? 🙂
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Exactly! If NG says no, I check out EW. Of course, sometimes I get so excited about a book that I ask for it on both sites and oops! both were approved and now I have downloaded two copies of the same book.
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I think there may be better name recognition with NG. I’m not sure how the other’s participating publishers compare but I do like NG for their reach.
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Yes, I think NetGalley’s name is branded in the minds of bookbloggers more. Edelweiss has been around for some time, but before it was mainly an industry tool for libraries and booksellers. Now it is going more mainstream and bookbloggers are catching on.
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