MSI Press Blog

If authors understood only one thing about Amazon, it should be this: Amazon rewards movement. Not prestige, not quality, not awards— movement . And the metric that captures that movement is  sales velocity . Everything else—pre‑order buttons, Prime shipping, “In Stock” status, Buy Box control, overnight delivery—flows from that one concept. Let’s break it down. 1. What Sales Velocity Actually Means Sales velocity is  the rate at which your book sells over time . Not total sales. Not lifetime sales. Speed. Consistency. Recency. Amazon’s algorithm tracks: How many copies sold today How many sold yesterday How many sold this week Whether the trend is rising, flat, or falling A book that sells 20 copies in one day after selling none for a month looks “hot.” A book that sells 20 copies every week looks “reliable.” A book that sells 2 copies a month looks “dormant.” Amazon adjusts its behavior accordingly. 2. How Sales Velocity Affects Amazon’s Decisions A. Pre‑Order Button Activa...

  The pre‑order window isn’t just a waiting room before launch—it’s the first act of your book’s marketing story. Used well, it builds momentum, signals demand to retailers, and gives readers a reason to commit early. 1. Treat Pre‑Orders as a Campaign, Not a Countdown A pre‑order period is a marketing phase , not a passive interval. Authors who treat it as active time—sharing excerpts, early reviews, and behind‑the‑scenes posts—create anticipation that translates into sales. Retailers notice engagement: clicks, wish‑lists, and pre‑order conversions feed algorithms that determine visibility. 2. Use the “Early Access” Psychology Readers love being insiders. Frame pre‑orders as participation in your book’s journey— “Reserve your copy before the first print run ships” or “Be among the first to read what reviewers are already talking about.” This turns a transaction into belonging. 3. Leverage Advance Reviews and ARCs Send out Advance Review Copies (ARCs) during the pre‑order windo...

  It is Tuesday. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side.  This week, we share in part what kinds of things help a good book get even more attention and better sales. (Note: typically, more attention and better sales go hand in glove.) So, sharing some things (not research, but ones we have noticed over time): Success Breeds Success When books are successful, it becomes easier to make them even more successful.  Everyone loves success. So, if a book achieves "bestseller" status in any way (on Amazon in a niche category, there is a story! When that story gets repeated by the author, the publisher, and others on various media platforms or in ads, more sales come, and the bestselling label re...