About this plugin
🚀 Upgrade to Pro | 📚 Documentation
RS ARC Manager is a powerful WordPress plugin designed for authors, publishers, and book marketers to streamline the distribution and management of advance review copies (ARCs). The plugin automates the entire process from application to review submission, making it easy to manage reviewer teams and track compliance.
Key Features
- Campaign Management: Create and manage multiple ARC campaigns with custom post types
- Secure File Delivery: Protected downloads with unique tokens and watermarking support
- Reputation System: Track reviewer performance with automated reputation scoring
- Application System: Allow reviewers to apply for campaigns with social media verification
- Review Tracking: Monitor review submissions across multiple platforms (Amazon, Goodreads, etc.)
- Embargo System: Prevent reviews before launch date
- Automated Reminders: Email reminders for review deadlines (Pro feature)
- Dashboard: Frontend dashboard for reviewers to manage their ARCs
- CSV Export: Export applicant data for analysis (Pro feature)
- Manual Reviewer Management: Add reviewers manually to campaigns (Pro feature)
Free Version Includes
- Campaign creation and management
- Secure file downloads (PDF, EPUB, MOBI)
- Basic application system with Goodreads verification
- Review submission tracking
- Reputation score calculation
- Frontend reviewer dashboard
- Welcome email notifications
- Amazon and Goodreads retail links
Pro Version Features
Upgrade to Pro for advanced features including:
* Multi-stage email automation (4 reminder stages)
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* Manual reviewer addition
* CSV export functionality
How It Works
- Create Campaigns: Set up ARC campaigns with book details, files, and deadlines
- Reviewer Applications: Reviewers apply through the frontend with their Goodreads profile
- Approval Process: Approve or reject applicants based on reputation scores
- Secure Downloads: Approved reviewers receive unique download links
- Review Tracking: Reviewers submit their review URLs which are tracked automatically
- Compliance Monitoring: Monitor review submission rates and deadline compliance
Reputation System
The plugin calculates reviewer reputation based on review submission rate:
* Super Fan: 90-100% submission rate
* Reliable Reviewer: 70-89% submission rate
* Good Reviewer: 50-69% submission rate
* Average Reviewer: 30-49% submission rate
* Bad User: 1-29% submission rate
* New User: 0% (no reviews yet)
Security Features
- Unique download tokens for each user
- User permission verification
- Nonce protection on all forms
- Input sanitization and validation
- Direct file access prevention
- Watermarking support for PDF files
Developer Friendly
The plugin includes extensive action hooks and filters for customization:
* rs_arc_user_approved – Fired when user is approved
* rs_arc_review_submitted – Fired when review is submitted
* rs_arc_reminder_sent – Fired when reminder email is sent
* rs_arc_deadline_missed – Fired when deadline is missed
* rs_arc_file_downloaded – Fired when file is downloaded
1.0.1
- Fixed issue with Pro badge display
- Fixed issue with CSV export button display
- Fixed issue with social media field display
- Basic email notifications
1.0.2
- Security: Added strict nonce verification for secure file download requests to prevent unauthorized access[cite: 733, 734].
- Security: Implemented early data sanitization ( sanitize_text_field, wp_unslash, etc.) for all $_POST, $_GET, and $_REQUEST inputs[cite: 733].
- Security: Applied late escaping ( esc_html, esc_attr, wp_kses_post, esc_html_e, etc.) to all output variables, options, and translation strings to prevent XSS vulnerabilities.
- Security: Stopped processing the entire $_POST stack directly; the plugin now only processes specific required fields.
- Changed: Updated generic JavaScript object names (e.g., renamed to rs_arc_manager_admin_vars and rs_arc_manager_public_vars ) to avoid conflicts with other plugins or themes[cite: 261, 809].
- Fixed: Removed non-compliant trialware/license checking functions and replaced them with standard class existence checks ( class_exists ) for premium features to fully comply with WordPress.org guidelines[cite: 832].
- Tweak: Overall code optimization and formatting improvements for better performance and stability.
1.0.3
- Security Fix: Added missing nonce validations across all form submissions, AJAX handlers, and input calls to prevent CSRF vulnerabilities.
- Security Fix: Implemented strict user capability (current_user_can) and user ID verification for the secure file downloading process to prevent unauthorized access.
- Security Fix: Applied late escaping (esc_html, esc_url, esc_attr, wp_kses_post, etc.) to all echoed variables, options, and generated data to strictly prevent XSS vulnerabilities.
- Compliance Update: Completely removed all trialware, license checks, and locked “Pro” features from the free version codebase to fully comply with WordPress.org Plugin Directory guidelines.
- Update: Cleaned up the settings and campaign dashboard by removing premium-only fields, up-sell banners, and restricted UI elements.
1.0.5
- Added popup Signup & Login forms.
- Added Forgot Password link in Login form.
- Minor Bug Fixes.
1.0.6
- Added Auto Approved Featured and Guest Apply Features.
1.0.7
- Added front-end embedded login and password recovery form to the reader dashboard shortcode for logged-out visitors.
- Added {set_password_url} placeholder support to transactional ARC welcome emails for seamless guest account credential setup.
- Added fallback review submission fields (Primary and Secondary Review URLs) when campaign retail links are unconfigured.
- Improved guest application flow to gracefully handle existing user accounts with inline authentication prompts.
- Improved review submission validation to accept any valid review link without strictly requiring Amazon URLs.
- Fixed an issue where the review submission modal body rendered blank when retail links were empty.
- Suppressed unbranded WordPress core registration emails in favor of unified ARC branded onboarding notifications.
Development
The plugin is actively maintained and regularly updated. For feature requests, bug reports, or contributions, please visit the plugin website.
Credits
Developed by RS WP Themes for authors, publishers, and book marketers worldwide.