Just For Thought...(15)

I didn't get the Just For Thought post up last week. Sorry.


We have the poll in for "Do you read the free books you get?".
There was 19 who answered in the poll on the side bar.  The answers fell as so:

• 2, or 10% - Always
• 6, or 31% - Mostly
• 3, or 15% - Never
• 8, or 40% - I'm stocking up for a rainy day

Thank you everyone that voted.  This was interesting to see.  I'm just like everyone else with Mostly and I'm stocking up for a rainy day. :)


Now onto a thought for today...


With all the free books, are the authors making the "best seller" list on Amazon this way?


I'm confused.  And I really don't know how it works with making the list.  How can someone be a "best seller" when they give their book away free? The next question is, are people reading it them?  We kind of see that answer above.


Okay, so Amazon has become the major big thing with all the lists of who's the top selling authors; Today, this Week, this Month, and Year.  So, are all the books that are free considered "top sellers" since people are downloading them?


And maybe it depends on if the book is free for only a few days to draw people in or if it is free for ever. Maybe that is the piece I'm missing.


If the free books are making the "best seller" list, it kind of sounds lopsided to me.  Free...Best Seller.... Um, I'm confused.  I can't seem to mix the words 'Free' and 'Seller' together in my head.


Then, if the books are free, does that mean people are reading them?  I know.  Like I should talk.  I spend money on amazing books, and I haven't read them yet.  But, I don't feel like I took advantage of a "free" thing to just say I have the book.  I paid for it, to help the money game keep going round.


Now I think I'm sounding mean.  I don't want to come across that way.  I'm just not sure.  If a book is free, downloaded because it's no charge, but not really being read, should it qualify to be a best seller?  Any ideas?


I know there are books free for only a few short days, and maybe those aren't considered here because that is a tactic to get you to look at the book, but should those days of free download be considered as "sales"?


I'm curious as to what you think.  I don't know much about the way these lists are figured.  I kind of have mixed thoughts about the free books and best sellers lists.  


Just a thought... ;)