How do Amazon charts work?

[Matt]

Anyone know just how the Amazon charts work? I have always wondered if they are a true reflection of simply sales and I now know for sure that it isn't. I currently have 2 eBook novels both inside the top 20 on the UK Horror chart but one is higher placed than the other despite selling about half of the number of copies in March.

[D.M.]

It's impossible to follow mine. I don't think they're that accurate, or maybe it just takes them time to catch up on everything.

[K.A.]

Does one book have more reviews than the other?

[Matt]

Yes the one that is lower sold over 600 copies just in March and has 62 reviews. The other one which is higher in the chart has sold over 300 and currently has 5. I have heard that Amazon has their own system that no-one seems to understand.

[D.M. Andrews (author)]

Yes, no one understands it apart from Amazon employees working on that area!

There are some things we can say, though:

1. Consistency of sales, not just the number, are a factor

2. Borrows count toward ranking (they look to count as sales, but might be less significant, but not by much)

3. Rankings ARE delayed in the way they are reported (I've read that they update faster when you're high in the rankings)

4. Not proven, but some feel that Amazon factor in their profit, so a book at 3.99 that sells 10 copies over a 24-hr period will rank higher than one that sells at 2.99 and sells the same amount over the same period of time


5. From my own experience, I can only break into the top 3000 if I'm selling about 20 ebooks and getting 20 borrows per day (not sure if that is the same as 40 sales per day, see #2)

Just some insights ;)

[Nancy]

Thanks for the solid answer - well, as much as a non-Amazon guru can furnish. I'm to have my book posted in a three months so am struggling to understand the whole counting-cyber-thing

[Diann]

This is great I've been trying to figure Amazon out, thanks.