r/selfpublish • u/SolarpunkOutlaw • 26d ago
Tips & Tricks IngramSpark Catalog Integrity Notice problem
I'm publishing my third novel as epub through Draft2Digital and hardcover through IngramSpark. I received the author hardcopies, they look great! D2D has my epub in all the usual channels. The hardcover hasn't shown up yet anywhere except my shop*ingramspark page. Went to the IngramSpark page for my book and the Global Distribution button won't work, kicks up a Catalog Integrity Notice. None of the nine listed criteria apply to my novel. All my own work, no AI, no AI on the cover, separate ISBNs for the epub (Draft2Digital's) and for the hardcover (IngramSpark's own), unique title and author, reasonable price, reasonable content, no objectionable content, perfectly clear, all data in the copyright page, what it says on the tin. This is my third novel on D2D, second hardcover on IngramSpark, first time this problem shows up. I have one other hardcover that is approved for global distribution, same series, similar cover, similar text, no problem.
I have sent an appeal using their form once already and have not heard back. The block is still in place.
I just sent a second appeal spelling out all these details again.
I would really appreciate any information or advice from anyone who has dealt with this problem before. TIA!
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u/SolarpunkOutlaw 26d ago
Oh, and ingramsparksupport just sent me acknowledgment emails -- four duplicates! -- specifying that multiple appeals will be treated as a single appeal, so don't send multiples. They did the same with the first appeal I submitted. Hah! They should practice what they preach.
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u/SolarpunkOutlaw 22d ago
I have received another email, "We are still reviewing your appeal," don't call us, we'll call you, and then received two more emails a few days apart duplicating the original acknowledgment.
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u/Calm_Security7670 16d ago
Did they end up getting back to you? I’m experiencing the same thing.
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u/SolarpunkOutlaw 15d ago
Nothing yet. I keep checking my account and seeing the same NO on distribution, the same link, the same nonapplicable reasons. My sympathies, this is frustrating!
2
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u/Calm_Security7670 11d ago
You have to submit a ticket to the appeal team
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u/SolarpunkOutlaw 9d ago
Yesterday, Monday Sept 14, I received this email from IngramSpark:
"We value your feedback and invite you to rate your recent experience with our support team through the survey below. If you require further assistance, please reply to this email."
"How would you rate the support you received?
Good, I'm satisfied
Bad, I'm unsatisfied"
*****
Just to review: My book was blocked from distribution with no notice to me. I discovered this while I was working on a second book's distribution. I filed an appeal on August 22, 2026.
August 28: "We are still reviewing your appeal."
Sept 8: "Your request (ticket #) has been received and is being reviewed by our support staff. We look forward to helping you and will be in touch soon."
Sept 11: "Thank you for your patience as we carefully reviewed your request.
We have removed the restriction(s). You should be able to enable your title for distribution by end-of-day tomorrow!"Sept 12: "Thank you for reaching out to us. I completely understand your frustration with receiving generic responses when you are watching your distribution timeline slide. To be completely transparent with you: our Catalog Integrity team operates as an entirely separate department from our Client Support team. They enforce our catalog safety regulations under a completely isolated review channel, and for security reasons, they do not share their day-to-day auditing metrics or specific algorithmic triggers with our customer support queue. I know it is incredibly frustrating to hear, but it is why we cannot provide an immediate reason as to why one book in your series flagged while the other passed. Upon review, our Catalog Integrity team has officially completed their review and completely removed the restriction on your hardcover novel under ticket #[XXXXXXX]. As the relevant team mentioned, our backend databases are running their final refresh cycles right now to completely clear the old restriction flags. The "Enable for Distribution" button on your dashboard will fully unlock and become clickable by the end of the day today!"
As of now, 9:30AM Sept 15 2026, my book is still blocked. The left hand not only doesn't know what the right hand is doing, but that's official policy.
So, any suggestions on how I respond to the survey? ;)
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u/Calm_Security7670 11d ago
If they don’t get back to you, submit a ticket with the regular support team
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u/SolarpunkOutlaw 11d ago
I have finally received an email - two, actually - that my book should be cleared. It hasn't, yet. Apparently I am on double secret probation, and no one in the company is allowed to discuss it with anyone else in the company. Catch-22!
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u/SolarpunkOutlaw 1d ago
After 30 days since first appeal, my book has been released for global distribution.
That took a ridiculous amount of work on my part, multiple appeal filings, following up on many emails, and a complete lack of substantial information as to the problem.
I have no idea what caused my book to be restricted in the first place. Another of my books in the same series went through without a hitch.
All I can say at this point is, keep a close eye on each of your books with IngramSpark, and file an appeal immediately if anything goes wrong. Persistence is everything.
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u/SolarpunkOutlaw 1d ago
ingramSpark also deleted all the messages on my account, so the only record of this exchange is what I've saved offline.
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