[Alain Gomez]

Is how the sales rank doesn't update until sometimes hours later. If you sell hundreds of copies every hour, this is not quite so big of a deal. But if you're like me and you look forward to your one sale a day, having your sales rank spike during peak buying hours is the difference between making another sale or no sale at all.

Grr...

 

[Victorine]

I've found the rank to be fairly consistent with sales. I mean, it does take at least one hour since rank updates once per hour, but *usually* the hour after the sale shows up in my KDP my rank updates.

Vicki

 

[Alain Gomez]

I've found the rank to be fairly consistent with sales. I mean, it does take at least one hour since rank updates once per hour, but *usually* the hour after the sale shows up in my KDP my rank updates.

Vicki

Generally this is the case. But then there's days like yesterday where I made a sale around 2pm my time. The sales rank didn't update until 10pm. If I make any sales on Amazon US it's usually between 3 and 9pm my time.

 

[Maria Romana]

Yes, Alain, I've seen it act crazy, too--a lot more the last few weeks or so.  Amazon seems to be having a few growing pains right now.  I just noticed my product description acting all wonky today.  It was actually showing an old version of the book description, which I changed substantially about 2 weeks ago.  I refreshed the page, and voila, it was back to normal, except the "About the Author" section was missing.  I hit refresh again, and that part popped up, refresh again, and it went away.  WTH?  I guess they are experimenting...

--Maria

 

[Lisa Scott]

Mine seems to be opposite.  The rank changes then the sale shows up.  Yep, just a few a day so far, so its easy to track. Makes no sense to me.

 

[Bob Mayer]

This is a marathon, not a sprint.

 

[kyrin]

This is a marathon, not a sprint.

Bob.... carry me. I hate running.

Can we call it a long distance car race or something like the race from Hidalgo?

If we did that, I might be able to muster enough energy to do some marketing next month.

 

[Alain Gomez]

This is a marathon, not a sprint.

*mumble, mumble* I know...

It's just that not being able to control your sales is bad enough. And this type of mess just makes it even harder to sell things.

 

[B. Justin Shier]

You'll find your sanity is indirectly correlated to your KDP refresh rate.

Before I click, I ask myself the following questions:

1) Is knowing going to sell more books?
2) How about if I spend the time writing?
3) How about if I spend the time editing?

Then I click the KDP tab. Every. Single. Time.

 

[Ilyria Moon]

Bob.... carry me. I hate running.

 

[RebeccaKnight]

You'll find your sanity is indirectly correlated to your KDP refresh rate.

Before I click, I ask myself the following questions:

1) Is knowing going to sell more books?
2) How about if I spend the time writing?
3) How about if I spend the time editing?

Then I click the KDP tab. Every. Single. Time.

AHAHAHAHA .

I read 1-3 and thought "Aw, he's totally right... dangit" then got to the last part and laughed out loud.

At least we're all equally insane.

 

[ToniD]

You'll find your sanity is indirectly correlated to your KDP refresh rate.

Before I click, I ask myself the following questions:

1) Is knowing going to sell more books?
2) How about if I spend the time writing?
3) How about if I spend the time editing?

Then I click the KDP tab. Every. Single. Time.

Thanks, now I've learned the secret handshake.

 

[Bob Mayer]

There's no mess.  In traditional publishing you have little clue what your sales are.  Every six months a royalty statement which you get three months after the end of the reporting period, plus two weeks if there's a check, which your agent waits to clear.

I just see so much need for instant gratification which sends a message that few will be around for the long haul.  Which is okay.  If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.  Which many are.

But few will succeed.

 

[Javier Gimenez Sasieta]

Well, knowing the sales rate may help you to decide whet to make some efforts in marketing and publicity, right?

No sales--> more publicity and MK efforts needed.
Good sales --> You can relax a bit!

 

[Christopher Bunn]

This is a marathon, not a sprint.

Didn't the Greek fellow who ran with the news of the battle of Marathon die when he finally reached the city? Athens or Sparta or wherever it was? I'm not liking where this metaphor is going.

 

[Alain Gomez]

Didn't the Greek fellow who ran with the news of the battle of Marathon die when he finally reached the city? Athens or Sparta or wherever it was? I'm not liking where this metaphor is going.

I've heard that too. He had to run back and forth several times. Which led to a heart attack.