For more than a generation writers, readers and publishers have eyed bestseller lists with a sense of triumph or trepidation. The rise of the e-book means that someone has to figure out how to keep tabs on what’s selling in the virtual universe. Laura Hazard Owen writes on how e-book bestseller lists are being developed and compiled. The challenge is to meet the demand for a way to measure sales in a market that, with at least six different platforms available to consumers, is still finding its feet.
In related news, the New York Times has announced it will begin printing e-book bestseller lists. Unlike bestseller lists for books in print, numbers won’t be weighted to reflect nationwide sales until the industry “finds its feet”.