How Important Are Amazon Sales

A reader recently wrote me asking about the importance of Amazon sales rank. Here’s my two cents on the Amazon sales rank issue:

Your Amazon rank is important, but it doesn’t represent the entire picture of a book’s success. For example, some of my most popular books sold the majority of copies through channels other than Amazon. Many books do very well in bookstores, in direct sales to libraries, in nontraditional markets, and in other formats such as ebooks.
Some authors recommend not selling ebook versions or autographed copies on your website in order to funnel all sales through Amazon. Although this will spike your sales rank at times, I feel it’s a disservice to readers who might prefer an electronic version or the personalized touch of an autographed book. In addition, it eliminates a viable income stream for the author (ebooks are far more profitable than print books on a per-book basis).
Remember to compare your sales rank to true competitors, not to all books. Some niche books will never have a low sales rank. New books usually have brisker sales than books published more than a year ago. If you want to do some analysis try TitleZ or Charteous (enter your ASIN or your book title in the Search field).
Focus your efforts on quality writing backed by solid book promotion that generates a steady stream of sales. Avoid the temptation to participate in “overnight Amazon bestseller” schemes.

3 Responses to “How Important Are Amazon Sales”

Frances Lynn

Good article, especially about e-books.
Lorraine Cormier

I’m just wondering about the e-books. Is it a good idea to publish your book in this type of format? It’s very easy to be passed around and you’ll lose many sales this way. Most big name authors do not publish their books this way that I can find.
Patrice-Anne Rutledge

Actually, many major publishers do publisher ebook versions of their print books. Most of the publishers I’ve worked with do.

Take a look at http://www.diesel-ebooks.com and http://www.mobipocket.com. Yes, people can pass around an ebook (although there are security measures to avoid excess printing, etc.), but the same can be said for a print book. I even discovered someone teaching a class from 30 photocopied versions of a book I wrote! Hm …

If you write for a traditional publisher, the decision about ebooks will be made for you. If you self-publish, the choice is yours …

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