Why “New York Times Bestseller” Means Nothing

What does it take to get on the New York Times Best Seller list? A lot of money, that’s all. Here’s how publishers looking to cash in on those golden words do it. The secret: “bulk sales” — where a few bookstores receive massive orders driven by a small number of buyers. The NYT now reveals the reporting of bulk orders in the footnotes of its listings.

In related news, it’s true: Nothing is sacred.

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Christopher Null

Christopher Null is a veteran technology journalist and the owner of Null Media, a custom blogging company.