Amazon: If we released Kindle sales numbers, it would only hurt us

[Kali Yuga]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

...I think I'd post things every quarter to my blog about how my "The Sedona O'Hala Series" is my BEST SELLING product ever! And I could even come up with statements like, "In the last two days, it sold more copies than in any two day period prior!"

Sure, why not?

But yes, even without real numbers it is much more meaningful when you are a major international retailer instead of one author.

By the way, IIRC the term "best seller" is often bandied about regardless of actual sales figures.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

Sure, why not?

But yes, even without real numbers it is much more meaningful when you are a major international retailer instead of one author.

By the way, IIRC the term "best seller" is often bandied about regardless of actual sales figures.

I know--I've seen authors use it when they were the "best selling" in a particular category. For example, Kindle has "Kindle Store" and then "mysteries, women sleuths." (The actual category stated here is an example, not precise). I've been as low (high?) as 10 in women sleuths--but I wouldn't classify that as "best seller," yet I know authors who have used those categories to be "on the best selling list of Kindle Thrillers."

I'm not saying it's not a worthy feat or anything, but we all know that authors are probably hoping that people mistake it for "best selling" as in the NY times list...

Marketing. It's basically a license to lie so long as you don't cross any legal lines. And in truth, I don't think the legal lines are noted and obeyed all that well either.