Are corona virus fears affecting sales?

Al X.

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February has been a shut out month for me, and I haven't had a sale since the end of January. This is very uncharacteristic for me. Sales didn't just taper off, they came to an abrupt end. Nothing promotion wise is working.

I suppose this applies in a broader context than self publishing, but is anyone else experiencing an unexpected drop in sales?
 

Woollybear

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My sales (self-pub) tapered in January after the initial 30 day boost Amazon gives. Sales have remained low but steady through the coronavirus period.

I've seen others talking about a drop-off and the best guess is that the push to promote free books (to encourage isolation) is leading some people who might otherwise buy a book to find free options more easily.

Just speculation, obviously, and on FB not everyone is seeing a drop-off.
 

stephenf

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I don't know about your sales , the epidemic is having an affect on sales of non essential goods . Most are siting tight, and hanging on to their money .
 

cool pop

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We can't say if the virus is or isn't affecting some authors' sales but I don't think it to the level some authors think it is. I think it's just a slow period for some people and (like us authors always do) try to find some outside reason as to why sales are slow. Sales will just be slow at times. Even if it's the virus, we can't worry about it in terms of book sales because it's a waste of time worrying about something we can't control. Anyway, I just released a book March 3 and it's doing very well, jumping back and forth between the number 2 and number 1 bestseller in my category so I am very happy. I have seen some authors wonder if the virus is affecting them but also see some authors still doing well so as I said...we don't know for sure. But the moral is, all we can do is focus on our books because we can't do anything about other stuff. I'm continuing to do what I usually do, write and publish unless I am unable to.

I also feel sales should be better overall because you got so many people hunkering down and if they are readers they will be reading even more.
 

cool pop

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I'd also ask, are you promoting too? Have you had a new release lately? This will make a big difference. You gotta constantly be marketing or releasing to get sales. If you stop promoting even one day (on Amazon) you can drop to the bottom of the ocean before you bat an eye depending on how you sell on a regular basis. Amazon ads have become a must there just to keep heads above water so I always have an Amazon ad running (at least) even when I am not releasing. Some authors don't advertise until they release a new book. That's not a good idea. I always promote and I just got a Bookbub for a box set and I know that's gonna do well. You need to be constantly doing something to promote even if you don't release. Even if it's promotion for your mailing list or running ads or having a PA to promote old books. Authors should always do something to keep their name on readers' minds. Not saying you aren't, just speaking generally because I've seen many authors who stop all advertising when they don't have a new book and if you don't have a release for months, you most likely will see a big collapse in sales.

So it depends on a lot of things, has the author released anything lately and if not, have they done something to keep their brand growing in the meantime?

And, as I said, sometimes sales are just slow. LOL! That's a bummer but the nature of the beast.
 
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indianroads

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You know, I would otherwise think that with everyone sequestered in their homes that electronic book sales would be up... not down.
 

cool pop

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You know, I would otherwise think that with everyone sequestered in their homes that electronic book sales would be up... not down.

Exactly! I think that's more likely the case and maybe it's just a coincidence that it's slow for some authors right now.
 

Al X.

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I'd also ask, are you promoting too? Have you had a new release lately? This will make a big difference. You gotta constantly be marketing or releasing to get sales. If you stop promoting even one day (on Amazon) you can drop to the bottom of the ocean before you bat an eye depending on how you sell on a regular basis. Amazon ads have become a must there just to keep heads above water so I always have an Amazon ad running (at least) even when I am not releasing. Some authors don't advertise until they release a new book. That's not a good idea. I always promote and I just got a Bookbub for a box set and I know that's gonna do well. You need to be constantly doing something to promote even if you don't release. Even if it's promotion for your mailing list or running ads or having a PA to promote old books. Authors should always do something to keep their name on readers' minds. Not saying you aren't, just speaking generally because I've seen many authors who stop all advertising when they don't have a new book and if you don't have a release for months, you most likely will see a big collapse in sales.

So it depends on a lot of things, has the author released anything lately and if not, have they done something to keep their brand growing in the meantime?

And, as I said, sometimes sales are just slow. LOL! That's a bummer but the nature of the beast.

My last release was the end of November, and yes I have been promoting on AMS. I will say though that despite stupid high CPC bids, I'm not getting the volume of impressions I am use to seeing.

You know, I would otherwise think that with everyone sequestered in their homes that electronic book sales would be up... not down.

I would think the same thing, so it's a little bit baffling to me as well. Then again, as previously mentioned, ebooks (and new books in general) are discretionary expenses, so, there is that argument too.

I think the bottom line here is that there are just so many books and authors out there, and that unless you have Random House promotional capabilities, you get lost in the mix. I feel I got in the game at least two years too late (2015.) If I had my current lineup five years ago, the story would probably be a lot different. Frankly, it's a little bit hard to stay motivated to write, although I do have a small but steady group of fans that will buy my latest works.
 

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I saw a few people on Reddit saying their sales had noticeably spiked since COVID-19 really started to kick off. I guess it's probably a mixture of factors, including how much/what kind of promotions you've been doing.

It's true it's a nonessential expense, but it's also a relatively small expense (like when the recession hit in 2008, nail salons started to take off because a manicure was an affordable treat).

I'm an editor, and I've noticed my concentration has been shot to pieces these last few days. I think in terms of the virus, a lot of people might be finding it hard to relax with a book right now (as well as being busy either doing their day jobs or wrestling with home-working technology, not to mention kids that are home from school) ... hopefully for authors, over the next few weeks people will start to settle into the circumstances and go looking for books to entertain themselves with.
 

Al X.

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I've been averaging about 5-10 books a month for the last couple years. My best month was 70, when sales spiked in 2016 for some reason. So I've made a total of about $1,200 in book sales so far. I actually did better, much much better, in KU revenue back when I still did it (long story.) No, that's not super impressive, but it's still in the upper percentile of self published authors. I guess it's just a cyclic thing but I've only had one shut out month in the last four years, and the way it's looking I'm heading for two consecutive.

Well okay I did actually sell a couple books through D2D last month. I'm referring to Amazon sales. I don't sell many books through D2D. A little over 50 since I started three years ago. I sell so few through Smashwords I don't even bother to upload new books there anymore.
 

Al X.

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Okay this is really weird... If I look at my author central author rank, I find that there is a slight upward trend from the end of January despite not having a single sale. That means one of two things: Either Amazon is playing games and not crediting me with sales, or everyone has had a sharp reduction in sales.
 

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Don't forget people would be looking after their pennies post-Christmas. My brother is a supply chef and Jan/Feb is typically a slow month for work, so a lean period for available cash.

Now, with the lockdown in progress, I believe there may be many people wondering what they are going to do for their next paycheck and looking to economise by cutting non-essential spending out of their budgets. For some five quid spent on a book would be better spent on food.
 
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I wonder if part of the issue is not being enrolled in KU? I have been seeing about the same in terms of royalties (a few sales, but most of my royalties are through KU and that's been steady.) I have been reading lots during this time, but books that I can get through the library or my KU subscription which is already paid through later in the year. I think a lot of people are being very budget conscious right now because food and shelter are the priority.
 

indianroads

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I started up amazon ads for my books and a paid for pitch on Facebook - basically pointing out that folks are locked away and a good book might help pass the time.

My sales are up.

ETA:
Maybe people are taking audible up on their 100s of free audiobooks (to conserve money while out of work).

Creating an audio book can be pretty expensive, and it sells really big I kinda doubt you'll get a positive return on the investment.

My kindle books are priced at $2.99 - which for most is pretty inexpensive.
 
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Laer Carroll

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I don't promote at all any more. All my efforts in the past resulted in zero sales or tiny bumps in them. So I spend all the time I might have spent promoting writing the next book. Or occasionally shorter works in the same universe. Works for me.

Also, my POD books don't sell. I focus on ebooks. Too, only Amazon sells for me, not any of the other markets. So I went exclusively Amz and have reaped the benefits. I get as much or more money from the KU/KOLL subscription services. That money starts later than that from book sales but lasts longer.

The pattern of my sales is the same as pre-virus. A quick ramp up to a level for a month or two, then a slow decline. But I price my books at $3.99 for my books and $.99 for my shorter works. Even in these stressful times those are not high prices for most book readers.
 

Al X.

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Well I did as Indianroads suggested and ran a Facebook ad promoting my newest as a thing to read during the cower in place order. So far I have one sale.

My POD books don't sell well either but they do sell. The way I look at it, it's very little effort to create a POD version after the ebook is finished, so why not. Some people just like their hard copies.
 

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My sales had wiggled around since release in November (sales have been mostly POD, then KU and e-book together selling as much as print, FWIW) but never FLAT FLAT FLAT, zero, until about 12 days ago, where they've stayed since. Not a single sale. On average I was selling every day before that, except for a 5-day flat period in January.

Now, last 12 days, no sales, no page reads, nothing--despite starting two AMS ads and participating on a podcast.

I assume a SFF book that very openly declares itself to be about climate science has less appeal now, because it might not be seen as particularly escapist. :)

But also, it doesn't bother me much--the overall effort of writing and publishing met my definition for success, which was, specifically, to reach more readers (strangers) than the number of citations I have on one of my published articles (which was chosen as a benchmark for a few reasons.).

My reasoning being that if fiction can reach more hearts than pure science, to inch us toward sustainability, it's a win.

Now, my thinking is that the additional books build readership, in other words things keep going forward and upward, and there's more learning ahead, all of which is good.

:)
 

Al X.

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So far another sale. Right now my Facebook ad is doing better than my current AMS campaign. With luck, if I sell one, I will sell up to ten. So I don't need to make a lot of sales to have a positive ROI on this ad.
 

Laer Carroll

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Any author starting out, even ones who become big sellers later, will experience small sales at the beginning. Even the seemingly instant big blockbuster careers start slowly over a period of months and years. We think of the Harry Potter books and the Twilight and Hunger Games books as instant best sellers. Not so.

You can struggle all you want with sales efforts. They are good practice for when you do begin to build up your fan base. But useful? Very little. What sells is your books. The more books you write the more your sales are likely to grow. You become known. You excite curiosity about your previous books.

One practice I suggest is short-term price drops. Amazon will let you price your ebooks for free for five days. I price my new books at $.99 for the first two weeks. I've priced the first book in my blockbuster (by MY standards) trilogy permanently as $.99 though the next two are my usual $3.99 for most of my books.

These are only useful if you've already established a social media presence of some sort AND have a following who will pass on the availability of your price drops. I have Facebook and Twitter accounts where I have few dozen followers, some of whom sometimes repost my posts. I also have a web site with 200+ followers where I post a weekly message.

Another practice if you can manage it is to establish a shared universe. All my books are in the Shapechanger Tales universe. Which is a subset of my Confederation Tales universe. Which is a subset of my World Walkers universe.

None of these efforts are hugely successful. But over years they add up. Writing is a career, folks.
 

Dave.C.Robinson

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I gave away 1100 books in mid-March by making my entire Doc Vandal series free--and since then I've had consistent sales of the entire series. April 2020 hasn't been my best month of all time, but it's already passed all but two previous months. The biggest change for me has been that 40% of my income so far has come from paperbacks, which normally form a much smaller proportion of the total.