With more online bookstores such as Abebooks and Booktopia taking the top position in book sales, Amazon faces more competition than ever before.
So if you’re looking for book sales statistics for Amazon, continue reading through this article for statistics on top-selling genres, book formats, top deals, and more.
23 Amazon Book Sale Statistics, Trends & Facts
1. Top Book Genre in Sales
Amazon’s top-selling genre was reported as Memoirs & Biographies, and it currently holds that position.
Below Memoirs & Biographies are Self Help, Religion and Spirituality, Health and Fitness, and Politics and Social Sciences.
Amazon regularly updates its top-selling books by genre, so it should be noted that these statistics may not apply at a later date.
2. Amazon Ebook vs Paperback Sales
While Amazon doesn’t release much information on their ebook vs paperback sales, ebooks make up only 21% of total book sales.
Of that small market, Amazon holds 67% of sales in ebooks.
The most recent statistic of ebook vs hardcover sales on Amazon is from 2016, in which Amazon sold $4.6 billion more in hardcopy books than ebooks.
However, while this statistic is over 5 years old, considering that physical paperback/hardback books still outsell ebooks in general, it’s reasonable to conclude that Amazon still sells more paperback books than ebooks.
3. Audible Statistics
Amazon’s Audible still currently ranks as the most used audiobook app above Audiobooks.com and Serial Box.
While there are no available sales statistics for their audiobooks, they frequently update their bestseller list per genre, the #1 selling genre currently being Romance.
4. Amazon Charts Most Read List
Amazon Charts Most Read List ranks Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir at #1 for Fiction and A Promised Land by Barack Obama at #1 for Non-Fiction.
5. Amazon Charts Most Sold List
Amazon Charts Most Sold List ranks The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave as #1 for Fiction and Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey as #1 for Non-Fiction.
6. Kindle Bestsellers
Amazon’s bestseller for Amazon Kindle is in the Suspense, Mystery, and Thriller genre, The Cellist by Daniel Silva.
The #1 free book on Amazon Kindle is Lies: Mystery Thriller Series by Andrew Cunningham, also in the Suspense, Mystery, and Thriller genre.
7. Audible Bestsellers
Amazon’s current number one book in Audible sales is in the Health and Fitness Genre, The Energy Paradox: What to Do When Your Get up and Go Has Got up and Gone by Steven R. Gundry, MD.
8. Top Amazon Hardcover Book Genre Sales
The top 3 hardcover book sales are as follows:
- Number one: Politics and Social Sciences
- Number two: Actor and Entertainer Biographies
- Number three: US Presidents
It should be noted that these sale statistics are updated quite regularly and are subject to change.
9. Top Amazon Paperback Book Genre Sales
The top 3 paperback sales are as follows:
- Number one: Reference Books
- Number two: New Adult and College Romance
- Number three: Success and Self-Help
It should be noted that these sale statistics are updated quite regularly and are subject to change.
10. Top Amazon Children’s Book Sales
The top 3 books in Children’s Book sales are as follows:
- Number one: If Animals Kissed Goodnight by Ann Whitford Paul
- Number two: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- Number three: My First Learn to Write Workbook by Crystal Radke
It should be noted that these sale statistics are updated quite regularly and are subject to change.
11. Top Amazon Sales in Classic Books
The top 3 books in Classics sales are as follows:
- Number one: The Fellowship of the Ring Trilogy by J.R.R Tolkien (audiobook)
- Number two: 1984 by George Orwell
- Number three: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
It should be noted that these sale statistics are updated quite regularly and are subject to change.
12. Top Amazon Sales in Literature and Fiction
The top 3 books in Literature and Fiction are as follows:
- Number one: How I Saved the World by Jesse Watters
- Number two: The Cellist by Daniel Silva
- Number three: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (audiobook)
It should be noted that these sale statistics are updated quite regularly and are subject to change.
13. Top Sales in Mysteries and Thrillers
The top 3 books in Mysteries and Thrillers are as follows:
- Number one: The Cellist by Daniel Silva (Kindle edition)
- Number two: The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave (audiobook)
- Number three: The Cellist by Daniel Silva (audiobook)
It should be noted that these sale statistics are updated quite regularly and are subject to change.
14. Top Sales in Sci-Fi and Fantasy
The top 3 books in Sci-Fi and Fantasy are as follows:
- Number one: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
- Number two: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
- Number three: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
It should be noted that these sale statistics are updated quite regularly and are subject to change.
15. Amazon Book Coupons and Sales
Amazon regularly updates its coupons and sales for books and offers coupons in the following categories: Deal of the Day, Lightning Deals, Savings & Sales, and Prime Early Access Deals.
They offer book discounts in the following price ranges: 10% off, 25%, and 50% off or more. Currently, the most consistent book discount offer is 50% off.
16. Daily Amazon Book Discounts
Amazon changes its book discounts/sales daily on the Today’s Deals coupon section.
Their top discounts are currently on Music Books, Fiction, Children’s Activity Books, and Children’s Storybooks. The top discount price is between 40-50% off.
17. Audiobook CD Amazon Sales
Amazon currently has no information on its Audiobook CD sales statistics.
However, despite Audible’s current success, they still include CD Audiobooks on their bestseller list.
18. Best Selling Book Set Genres on Amazon
Currently, the top 3 best selling genres for book sets are as follows:
- Number one: Magical Fantasy
- Number two: Greek & Roman Tales/ Myths for Children
- Number three: Children’s Books on Adoption
It should be noted that these sale statistics are updated quite regularly and are subject to change.
19. Best Selling Book Publishers on Amazon
While Amazon doesn’t list their top sales by a book publisher, the companies that published the top 3 bestselling books are as follows:
- Number one: Threshold Editions
- Number two: Broadside Books
- Number three: Henry Holt & Co.
It should be noted that these sale statistics are updated quite regularly and are subject to change.
20. Best Selling Amazon Kindle Authors
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing houses hundreds of bestselling authors. The Amazon Kindle authors that currently rank the highest are as follows:
Number one: L.J Ross
- This author has sold over 4.5 million copies of her 19 novels through Amazon.com, and broke the Kindle eBooks Best Seller record seven times between 2019-2021.
Number two: Rachel Abbot
- This author has sold over 4 million copies of her 11 books through Amazon.com, and each one has hit six figure sales in its first year of publication.
Number three: Adam Nevill
- While the figures for this author’s sales on Amazon are not currently available, his current books published through Amazon.com have outsold all of his other traditionally published works, including a 2011 novel that was recently adapted into a Netflix Original film.
21. Amazon Warehouse Deals in Books
The Amazon Warehouse Deals are regularly updated in all categories, including books.
Currently, the top deals are in the Health Care Delivery, Drivers Education and LPN & LVN genres.
It should be noted that these sale statistics are updated quite regularly and are subject to change.
22. Amazon Outlet Deals in Books
Amazon Outlet offers deals for books that include free shipping, discounted prices, and varied book genres.
Currently, the top deals are between 10-20% off, free Prime delivery by ordering within 15-20 hours, and a guaranteed delivery date no later than 7 days.
23. Amazon Holiday Deals in Books
Amazon currently offers holiday deals in Children’s Books, Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Romance, Science Fiction, and Fantasy.
When the holiday season is not in full swing, there are still dollar-off deals currently being offered from about $5 off.
To know more about Amazon, you can also see our posts on what is Amazon pay, the Amazon slogan, and Amazon target market.
Conclusion
Amazon generates about $386 billion per year, and around billion comes from book sales.
According to the statistics listed above, Amazon is set to maintain its top position as the leading eCommerce website for book buying.
Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing services puts them ahead of other bookselling websites by not only stocking books but producing and selling their own.
Gathering from the above statistics, Amazon is set to continue growing in book sale revenue in 2024.
