When it comes to selling books, the term ‘bestseller’ carries a certain amount of prestige. But how many copies does a bestseller actually sell in the UK?
At JHP, we consider a book to be a bestseller when it reaches a combined total of 5,000 copies sold in both print and ebook formats. Once this milestone has been achieved, we notify the author and celebrate the success of their book.
The 5,000 copies benchmark is a relatively low threshold when compared to other countries. For example, in the US, the New York Times Bestseller List requires a minimum of 10,000 copies sold in the first week of publication. In the UK, however, the number of copies sold to reach bestseller status is much lower.
The UK book market is highly competitive, with a wide range of titles available from both independent and major publishers. This means that the 5,000 copies benchmark is a realistic goal for many authors.
Of course, some books will sell far more than 5,000 copies. For example, JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone sold over 500,000 copies in its first year of publication. This kind of success is rare, however, and most authors should aim to reach the 5,000 copies benchmark to be considered a bestseller.
In conclusion, at JHP we consider a book to be a bestseller when it reaches a combined total of 5,000 copies sold in both print and ebook formats. This benchmark is achievable for many authors, and is a great way to measure success in the UK book market.