What is Amazon BSR?
Amazon Best Sellers Rank (BSR) is a numerical ranking that indicates how well a product is selling compared to other products in the same category. For books, BSR is assigned separately to each format (Kindle, Paperback, Hardcover) and reflects recent sales velocity.
How BSR Works
Amazon's BSR algorithm is proprietary, but here's what we know about how it works:
- Hourly Updates: BSR is recalculated approximately every hour based on recent sales data.
- Sales Weighted: Recent sales carry more weight than older sales. A sale today impacts BSR more than a sale from last week.
- Relative Ranking: BSR compares your book against ALL other books in the store, not just your category.
- Category Specific: Each book also receives category-specific rankings (e.g., #5 in Science Fiction).
- Format Separated: Kindle, Paperback, and Hardcover each have their own BSR rankings.
How Our Calculator Estimates Sales
Our BSR calculator uses a logarithmic formula derived from industry research and publicly available data to estimate sales based on BSR:
BSR to Daily Sales
We convert your BSR to estimated daily sales using proven formulas that account for marketplace size and format popularity.
Marketplace Adjustment
Different Amazon marketplaces have different sales volumes. We adjust estimates based on marketplace size.
Revenue Calculation
We calculate gross revenue by multiplying estimated sales by your book price.
Earnings Estimate
We subtract Amazon fees and printing costs to show your net earnings.
Why BSR Matters for Authors
Track Sales Performance
Monitor how your book is selling without waiting for royalty reports.
Measure Marketing Impact
See the immediate effect of promotions and marketing campaigns.
Compare Competition
Benchmark your book against competitors in your niche.
Research Potential
Analyze niche viability before writing or publishing.
Differences Between Marketplaces
Each Amazon marketplace has different characteristics that affect BSR interpretation:
| Marketplace | Relative Size | Currency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 United States | Largest | USD ($) | Most competitive, highest volume |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Large | GBP (£) | Second largest English market |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | Large | EUR (€) | Largest European market |
| 🇫🇷 France | Medium | EUR (€) | Growing market |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | Medium | EUR (€) | Spanish language focus |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | Medium | EUR (€) | Italian language focus |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | Medium | CAD (C$) | English & French markets |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | Small | AUD (A$) | Growing market |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | Medium | JPY (¥) | Japanese language focus |
Limitations & Accuracy
- BSR fluctuates constantly throughout the day
- Sales patterns vary by genre, season, and promotions
- Amazon's algorithm is proprietary and not fully known
- Category rankings don't directly correlate to overall BSR
- Free promotions and Kindle Unlimited affect BSR differently