I have never understood the sales rankings that Amazon.com posts for books. I know that the lower the number the higher the ranking. I use to think it was the other way around, the higher the number the better the ranking but that is not the case. I don't know what it means when there is no ranking at all posted by a book. Does this mean that the book hasn't even sold 1 copy on Amazon?
I have also never understood how Amazon comes up with their list of best-selling books under genres and even sub-genres (i.e. romance, then with the sub-genre of sensual romance which is the category that I write).
Just today I did a search under Amazon Kindle books (I have 4 of my titles released in the Kindle version) for sensual romance. My novel Desert Heat is listed as Number 15 and my novel Cabin Fever is listed as Number 21 out of 119 books on the BEST SELLING sensual romance books list.
This is copied and pasted from the Amazon site:
15. Desert Heat (Affairs of the Heart) by Kristie Leigh Maguire (Kindle Edition - Jan 15, 2009) - Kindle Book
Buy: $3.19
Auto-delivered wirelessly
(10)
Other Editions: Paperback
Buy: $3.19
Auto-delivered wirelessly
(10)
Other Editions: Paperback
-------------------
21. Cabin Fever (Affairs of the Heart) by Kristie Leigh Maguire (Kindle Edition - Jan 15, 2009) - Kindle Book
Buy: $3.19
Auto-delivered wirelessly
Buy: $3.19
Auto-delivered wirelessly
However when I go to the Amazon Kindle pages for Desert Heat and Cabin Fever, there are no sales rankings listed. Does this mean that NO copies of those books have been sold? If that is the case how are they Number 15 and Number 21 on the Best-Selling Sensual Romance Books at the Amazon Kindle Store?
When I did the same search but had it sorted by RELEVANCE instead of BEST SELLING, my Cabin Fever book came up as Number 1 and my Desert Heat book came up as Number 6.
This is copied and pasted from Amazon:
1. Cabin Fever (Affairs of the Heart) by Kristie Leigh Maguire (Kindle Edition - Jan 15, 2009) - Kindle Book
Buy: $3.19
Auto-delivered wirelessly
Buy: $3.19
Auto-delivered wirelessly
-----------
6. Desert Heat (Affairs of the Heart) by Kristie Leigh Maguire (Kindle Edition - Jan 15, 2009) - Kindle Book
Buy: $3.19
Auto-delivered wirelessly
(10)
Other Editions: Paperback
Buy: $3.19
Auto-delivered wirelessly
(10)
Other Editions: Paperback
As I said, it is all a mystery to me. I have never found anyone who understands the system. I have an author friend who knows someone who works for Amazon. According to the friend of my friend, even Amazon doesn't understand how their system works. Do YOU?
Whatever the system, Kristie--you're doing pretty darn good!
ReplyDeleteAs long as you are moving in the right direction, which seems like it would be the wrong direction, I guess you could say "It's working." And yes, no ranking at all means they have not sold a single copy of the book. Does that make it as clear as mud?
ReplyDeleteJanet Elaine Smith
As to the rankings: Typically, if there is no number, the printed edition of the book probably hasn't sold anything--the electronic versions seem to have their own system.
ReplyDeleteHaving an electronic book under more than one category may also cause the ranking not to show for some reason--but then again, you want to be listed under more than one category for search reasons, go figure.
The closest explanation as to how to decipher the rankings is by Morris Rosenthal, his Amazon rankings page site is at http://www.fonerbooks.com/surfing.htm
He has spent quite some time researching the data and I believe he now also has a Kindle breakdown too at: http://www.fonerbooks.com/kindle.htm
FWIW
dehanna
Thanks much,Joyce, and thanks for "following" me. :)
ReplyDeleteKristie
Janet, that's what I thought too but if no ranking means no sales then wonder why my 2 books are listed on the BEST SELLER list under sensual romance if they haven't sold a single copy? Makes no sense to me at all.
ReplyDeleteKristie
Thanks, dehanna. I'll check out that link. I really would like to understand this.
ReplyDeleteKristie
Well, I read Morris' article and I still don't understand.
ReplyDeleteKristie