Did you know you can estimate how many sales any eBook or print book on Amazon is currently selling just by looking at its listing on Amazon? Even better, you can see how many books you have to sell in order to reach a specific rank.
All you have to do is find the Amazon Sales Rank for any eBook or print book on Amazon and type that number into the simple Amazon Book Sales Calculator developed by Skye Chilton.
You can use this handy tool to give you an accurate estimation of how many copies are being sold on Amazon for any eBook or print book, but also to find out how many sales you need in one day or one month to hit a certain bestseller ranking.
If you’re planning a book launch or promotion, this data can help you predict how high your book will rank on Amazon and if you can hit #1 in your bestseller categories on Amazon.
You can also use this data for market research, to get a good idea how big a niche or market is before you invest the time writing, publishing and marketing a book in that market. For example, if you notice all your competitors in a market aren’t selling more than 100 eBook copies per month on Amazon Kindle, you can be pretty sure your book won’t be selling more than 100 eBook copies per month on Kindle unless your book is a lot better than the competition, is more appealing to the market, and you have a better marketing strategy than the competition.
You can find out more on the Amazon Book Sales Calculator on TCK Publishing. And if you’re looking for a more conventional kind of calculator, I typically use calculator online.
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Guess I’m missing something…
I look at the category Books / Politics & Social Sciences / Social Sciences / Philanthropy & Charity
and The Generosity Network shows up. It’s rank is #33,175.
I used the calculator which says I need to sell 133 books per month to rank as #1.
Then…
I look at the category Books / Business & Money / Small Business & Entrepreneurship / Nonprofit Organizations & Charities and The Generosity Network shows up again with a rank of #33,175.
Of course, the calculator says I need to sell 133 books per month to rank as #1.
It does not make sense that I have to sell the same number of books in two different categories to rank as #1 when the audience size of these two categories are not the same.
Help?
The #33,175 rank refers to the overall Kindle Store rank. That’s why it’s constant, no matter which subcategory you’re looking at. However, the book ranks #35 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Philanthropy & Charity
#95 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Business & Money > Industries > Nonprofit Organizations & Charities
and #125 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Philanthropy & Charity
These are the ranks that depend on the subcategory.
Hope that helps 🙂
Fantastic tool! Just tested it with my recent KCD deal stats and it was quite accurate – the discrepancy to the actual figures low. Thank you for sharing this Nicholas!
So glad you found it useful 🙂
I feel like I want to release a book just in order to use this calculator. Something tells me I may not be approaching this the right way.
I’ve heard worse reasons. Like, some think it will make them rich. Instantly, too.
Dammit. That was my next reason.
Oh, you misunderstood. Obviously, that doesn’t apply to you. When *you* publish, you’ll be richer than the Queen. Just remember us knaves when you’re on your private island sipping martinis.
I’ll remind you of this comment when I’m hitting you up for a loan.
Funny, I was about to say the same thing. Seriously though, you should definitely hit me up for a loan. My interest rates are *very* reasonable. On a completely unrelated note, do you own or rent?
Actually, I squat, but I’m too disgusted you’re asking such a personal question to give you a reason.
Uh huh, uh huh *scribbles notes, nodding* That’s okay, I can offer you our premium personal servitude option. I’ll send your way our friendly 620-pages-long questionnaire. Just for reference, you know.
Yeah, no problem, Nick. Just send it to me c/o Bono’s house. 😀
Bono? Who do you think puts up our capital? :b
I would be happy to sell 100 books a month, Nick! Sigh…
Lol – wouldn’t we all 😀
Hey, there, Nicholas …
I am not sure of where to go, but since my friend Christopher via Dracul van Helsing is not here, I need a little help from you. If you don’t mind …
I was about to fill in the KDP Amazon data until I stumbled upon the Tax Declaration. Because I am a non-US citizen and I am here in Germany, I got stuck there. What should I do? Can you please do help me?
Thank you so much, my friend.
I really do appreciate your advises on this matter.
Hi Sherrie,
You have two options: one is to be taxed directly by Amazon. They will withhold 20% of your earnings. The other is to ask to be taxed in Germany. I’m unfamiliar with German tax laws, I’m afraid, but if they’re anything like Greek ones, it may be more complicated: you need to submit your earnings in your annual tax returns form, then be taxed for them.
For me, option #1 is simpler, so that’s what I’d recommend.
Good morning from Germany, dear Nicholas. Thank you so much for your help. I will look into that and will inform you more if I do need a little help on this. Many people are confused on that matter, actually. A friend here asked me on the tax declaration and asking me about filling the online form in Amazon and didn’t get further because of the few questions she cannot understand.
If you said that I can take option one which taxed directly by Amazon, which would mean I do not have to fill the Tax Declaration form, right?
There is a part here that asked … Foreign (non-U.S.) income tax identification number (TIN)
Enter your income tax identification number issued by your local tax authority for income tax purposes.
Should I fill in it? Or leave it?
You should check with an accountant, to be sure (as I said, I’m unfamiliar with German tax laws). However, I can tell you that I did fill it in, giving them my tax registration (VAT) number. I take it you, too, have one?
Yes, of course I have one. In the form it did says that Germany has the Double Taxation with the USA.
I am here right now filling in the page that says I must click in which country I am and if it is Double Taxation with the USA … and right below it they asked for my Tax foreign number, of course, or TIN.
Nicholas, in the comments section, Tom of TCK says, “Please note the calculator tells you how many sales you need to sell in one month (30 days) in order to achieve a certain ranking OR how many sales you need in just 1 day (24 hours). If the calculator says you need to sell 8 books in ‘1 Day Sales’ to hit your ranking, that’s just 8 sales in one single day (not 8 sales per day for a month).” Thus, it’s and either/or calculation.
Thanks for the clarification, Connie. I’ll add it to the post 🙂
Interesting tool, Nicholas. Thanks!
Hope you find it useful, D 🙂
Interesting. Thanks for the tool. 🙂
🙂
Good tips as always, Nicholas. The more I read about all this, the less inclined I feel to ever want to launch a book!
Best wishes, Pete.
Lol – I know what you mean 😀
This looks very handy. I have a box set launch coming soon and will definitely be looking to place it in a sensible category. I haven’t done very well at that so far. Indeed, the best placed book seems to be the fourth book in my series due to some categorisation it received on Shelfari. Which I was never able to replicate with the other three including, crucially, the first one.
Here’s hoping I can make a better job of it with this tool. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers
MTM
Sweet! I’m glad you’ve already found a use for it 🙂
Thanks! I don’t have any published books (yet), but this will be very helpful in future. 🙂
Glad to hear it! Thanks and welcome 🙂