RPGNow Sales Numbers Update

[philreed]

I'm showing mine in the hopes that others will show me theirs.

These are RPGNow sales only.

101 Arcane Spell Components -- 139
101 Mundane Treasures -- 277
101 Spellbooks -- 270
Construct Mechanus -- 79
In the Depths of BlackWater -- 33

What I'm learning is that the more generic I make a PDF, the more copies it sells. This should have been something I knew from the start (hell, it's obvious when I actually think about it).

The Construct Mechanus numbers have been disappointing. Again, on thinking about it, I can see where something this odd would appeal to a very small audience. I had fun working on it but as of now I consider it a failed experiment.

BlackWater actually did better than I expected. The idea behind it was a test to see how well a printed product would do as a PDF. If it was a better product from a know author (or if I had added 10,000 or so words of my own) it probably would have done much better.

 

[philreed]

No other numbers?

None at all?

 

[tensen]

City Guide: Coffer of Coins - 152

I imagine Death and In the Saddle are around that number.. but I don't know exactly.

 

[philreed]

Thanks for playing!

Too bad we don't have any prizes to offer.

 

[malladin]

Sorry Phil, only just clocked this one...


Forgotten Heroes: Paladin 168
Academy Handbook: St John's 58
Unearthed Adventurers (Vol I) 35 (only out last week, though)


Interestingly, neither of our other two products is doing as well as Paladin. Not entirely sure why - I suspect it might be that Paladin got 4 or 5 reviews in its first week, whereas St John's still only has two and UA has yet to figure, but maybe its that Paladins are a damn sight more interesting than Abjurers in most people's eyes .

Anyway, I'd certainly be interested in any thoughts (provided I don't get too badly slated .

Cheerio,

Ben

PS. Phil did you get my emails back in Jan, only I've not recieved any response...

 

[philreed]

Got one and responded.

I'll try e-mailing you right now from a different address.

 

[jmucchiello]

Interestingly, neither of our other two products is doing as well as Paladin. Not entirely sure why - I suspect it might be that Paladin got 4 or 5 reviews in its first week, whereas St John's still only has two and UA has yet to figure, but maybe its that Paladins are a damn sight more interesting than Abjurers in most people's eyes .

Well, my Enchanter's are up to 159. I can't wait to see what release #2 does for sales of release #1, i.e. does that "also by this publisher" stuff actually help sales?

Paladins are probably a lot more frequent in games than Abjurers. You should also note that the names vary in descriptiveness. One says it's about paladins the other mentions an academy and a saint, is it about clerics?

Reviews help generate sales. I spread them out over the months so that I have sales spurts through the book's lifetime. (I may send Psion or Simon a comp copy of Enchantment someday for review just to get my 5th review and a spot on the topXX boards at the review site).

 

[Krug]

Revised editions seem to be popular too. Now Joe you KNOW your book could use a few extra illustrations...

Malladin; you might want to send out review copies to get your books more exposure. Perhaps those who reviewed your FH: Paladin?

 

[philreed]

I think you'll see an increase.

Well, my Enchanter's are up to 159. I can't wait to see what release #2 does for sales of release #1, i.e. does that "also by this publisher" stuff actually help sales?

Each time I've released a new PDF I've seen sales of earlier ones spike. Not that I've done enough of them to have any reliable data . . .

 

[HellHound]

We DEFINITELY see a spike in product sales across the board when a new product is released.

And our revised editions HAVE been selling particularly well. Although I think the revised sales of Everyone Else are merely because the product itself made it back onto the front page of RPGnow. This is a product that sells itself it seems, quite popular as long as people see it on the front page.