Amazon Ranking Calculation

[Michael]

Does anyone know how Amazon calculates genre rankings? My first published novel is currently ranked in the top 1% of all Sci-Fi eBooks, which surprises me since I'm only averaging 1-2 downloads per day, and only have 8 reviews posted.

I'm sure newer books fare better, and it certainly doesn't hurt that my book is priced at $0.00, but I never expected to be so high in the ranking in a category of over 100K books, so I'm curious to know what Amazon's formula is.

[Philip]

Can't tell you the formula - an Amazon secret, but free is a different category from paid for. Then there is continuous monitoring which mean high numbers of downloads for a few days bumps up rank until sales drop off then rank drops quickly.

Also it depends where you look in a sub-sub category, international or national etc.

had a similar experience when my first thriller started and was offered for free. Number 1 for a few days now they languish much lower

[V.W.]

The only thing that the Amazon ranking can tell you is that if it stays around a certain ranking for a month or more, then your book is doing quite well in terms of sales, although it doesn't tell you what the quantum of the sales is.

[Michael]

Philip wrote: "Can't tell you the formula - an Amazon secret, but free is a different category from paid for..."

This would make complete sense to separate free and paid for, but that distinction isn't made on the book's details. It just says:

#1102 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction

This category doesn't specify that it is in the free category. The details does also specify my rank in free books as well, which follows:

#18,746 Free in Kindle Store

But this ranking would be for all free titles, and not just by genre.

[Jim]

Rankings on Amazon must be taken with a "grain of salt" or ignored altogether. The results are often blurred by free downloads, extremely low pricing ($2.00 or less) and/or timing.

The most accurate measurement of a book's commercial success is the quarterly sales report and accompanying royalty check which take into account total sales from all of the commercial vendors (domestic and foreign) that sell the book.

[Deborah]

Michael wrote: "Philip wrote: "Can't tell you the formula - an Amazon secret, but free is a different category from paid for..."

This would make complete sense to separate free and paid for, but that distinction ..."

There is ranking by genre in Free Books and Fee Books. It breaks it down through genre subs and gives a listing of the Top 100.

[Michael]

Jim wrote: "Rankings on Amazon must be taken with a "grain of salt" or ignored altogether..."

Jim, I would think that rankings would increase visibility, which would always help move even more books. But... I suspect that it really doesn't matter until you break the top 100.

[Jim]

Michael wrote: "Jim wrote: "Rankings on Amazon must be taken with a "grain of salt" or ignored altogether..."

Jim, I would think that rankings would increase visibility, which would always help move even more boo..."

Michael,

You are correct on both counts. Message 5 is intended to view Amazon's ranking system within the big picture. All sales from all vendors must be taken into account when determining a book's sales performance. The work may be selling great through one vendor yet poorly through another. Thus the reference to the quarterly sales report and royalty check as the most reliable measurement of commercial success.

[Deborah]

I just finished a free book promotion--offering one of my books for free for five days. Did advertising with Amazon and on Facebook.
I was at about 15 sales a day (this book has been out almost 2 years) and I jumped to 1,000 a day during the five free days. Amazon put my ad about the book on their site more than 6,000 times. My Facebook boosted posts did very well, too.
My book was in the top 10 free books for my genre during the 5 day experiment. Since it is #1 in a series, the #2 and #3 books also tripled in their usual daily sales.
Today with it back to its usual $3.99 price tag it's #26,696 in all paid Kindle and #286 in its breakout genre division. But my agent is very pleased and Amazon did take notice. so that's good. Might be a Daily Deal out of it. ;-) I love those.

[Michael]

Congrats, Deborah... sounds like some great movement there!