Frequently Asked Questions

Amazon categories are organized in a hierarchical tree structure. Each book can belong to multiple categories, and BSR is calculated separately for each category.

Key features:

• Categories vary by marketplace (USA, UK, Germany, etc.)
• Selecting a parent category automatically includes all subcategories
• Some books may be incorrectly categorized outside the "Books" tree

BeyondBSR allows you to explore all categories and filter only those relevant to books.

BeyondBSR handles data for both main print book formats available on Amazon:

• Paperback: books with flexible covers, the most common and accessible format
• Hardcover: books with rigid covers, typically with higher prices and margins

Amazon reports many format variants depending on the marketplace and language (for example Broschiert, Copertina flessibile, Tapa blanda, Relié, etc.). Solely for the purpose of providing a consistent simulation of printing costs and royalties, BeyondBSR normalizes these variants into the two KDP categories: Paperback or Hardcover. This is done only when the format is reasonably comparable: for example, brochure, spiral-bound, or flexible bindings are treated as Paperback, while leather or special cover bindings are treated as Hardcover. Formats that do not fit either category (such as calendars, sheet music, or cards) are not normalized.

BeyondBSR currently supports the following Amazon marketplaces:

• Italy (amazon.it)
• Germany (amazon.de)
• Spain (amazon.es)
• France (amazon.fr)
• United Kingdom (amazon.co.uk) — coming by end of February

USA (amazon.com) and Canada (amazon.ca) will be added in the future.

BeyondBSR tracks all book genres and subcategories within the Books category on Amazon, including:

• Fiction: novels, thrillers, romance, fantasy, sci-fi, and more
• Non-Fiction: self-help, biographies, business, history, health
• Activity Books: coloring books, puzzle books, workbooks, planners
• Children's Books: picture books, early readers, young adult
• And every other genre within the Books category

Important: The only constraint is BSR range. We only track books with a BSR within a certain threshold (the best-selling books). Books with very high BSR values (i.e., very low sales) are not included in our database, as they provide limited value for market analysis.

This approach ensures that our data focuses on books that actually sell, giving you insights into viable market opportunities rather than dormant listings.

Royalties for paperback books are calculated with this formula:

Royalty = (List Price x Royalty Rate) - Printing Cost

The royalty rate is typically 60% for most marketplaces. The printing cost depends on:

• Page count of the book
• Ink type (black & white or color)
• Trim size of the book
• Marketplace where it's sold

In some European countries, VAT is also applied, which reduces the royalty calculation base.

For official costs see the Amazon documentation: Paperback | Hardcover

Printing costs vary based on several factors:

• Binding type: Paperback or Hardcover
• Ink type: Black & white, standard color, or premium color
• Page count: fixed cost + per-page cost
• Trim size (book dimensions)
• Printing marketplace

Hardcover books have higher printing costs but allow for higher selling prices.

All BeyondBSR calculations are based on official Amazon sources.

Official documentation: Paperback | Hardcover

Amazon offers different options for book interiors:

• Black & White: the cheapest printing cost, ideal for novels and text without images
• Standard Color: good color quality, intermediate cost
• Premium Color: best color print quality, higher cost

How BeyondBSR calculates: since Amazon doesn't publicly provide the interior type of books, BeyondBSR uses:

• Paperback: calculations based on Standard Color
• Hardcover: calculations based on Premium Color

This choice represents the most common scenario for color books in the market.

Amazon applies VAT across 10 European marketplaces: UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Ireland, and Belgium.

There are two VAT rate categories:

• Reduced rate: for most books (e.g., Italy 4%, Germany 7%, UK 0%)
• Standard rate: for children's books, planners, diaries, coloring books, activity books, and titles with digital bonus content (e.g., Italy 22%, Germany 19%, UK 20%)

Competitive impact: Amazon seems to apply VAT inconsistently - books in the same niche can have different rates. Those with reduced VAT show a lower final price to customers, gaining a competitive advantage.

In BeyondBSR you can set VAT in calculations to simulate "worst case" scenarios and evaluate profitability even with the standard rate.

Official documentation: VAT on European marketplaces

Traditional publishers have private commercial agreements with Amazon that are not publicly accessible. These agreements may include discounts, distribution terms, and margins different from those of self-publishers.

How BeyondBSR calculates: since it's impossible to know these agreements in advance, royalty calculations are always performed as if the book were published by a self-publisher. In other words, we show the royalties an independent author would earn by publishing a book with the same specifications (pages, format, price, interior type).

This approach allows you to:

• Evaluate the profit potential of a niche as a self-publisher
• Compare books from different publishers on a consistent basis
• Estimate what you could earn by publishing a similar book

Some books on Amazon don't have all the data needed to calculate royalties precisely (e.g., missing page count or dimensions). In these cases, BeyondBSR applies default values to still perform the calculation.

Examples of default values:

• Missing pages: a default value of 150 pages is used
• Dimensions unavailable: standard dimensions are applied

Printing Limits: Amazon imposes limits on the number of pages allowed for self-publishers. If a book exceeds these limits (e.g., over 800 pages for some formats), the calculation is performed using the maximum value allowed.

When default values are applied, royalty estimates may be less precise. We recommend verifying the book's data directly on Amazon to confirm the actual specifications.

Search filters allow you to find specific books based on various criteria:

• BSR Filters: search for books within a specific sales range (based on time-averaged BSR)
• Book Filters: filter by binding, publisher, publication date
• Keyword Filters: include or exclude words from the title
• Category Filters: search in specific Amazon categories
• Rating Filters: filter by rating and review count

You can combine multiple filters to refine your search and find the best market opportunities.

A book's current BSR can fluctuate dramatically within just a few hours: a single purchase can move a book from BSR 50,000 to 5,000 and back. This makes the point-in-time value unreliable for evaluating actual sales performance.

For this reason, search in BeyondBSR exclusively uses BSR averages calculated over different time periods (7 days, 30, 90, 180 and 365 days). Averages smooth out daily fluctuations and provide a much more realistic and stable picture of a book's sales over time.

Averages are calculated using the data actually available in our database for each book. If fewer days of data are available than the selected window, the average is still calculated using whatever data is on hand.

The current BSR remains available in each book's historical charts, where you can view the point-in-time trend over time.

The Categories section allows you to explore Amazon's category tree to discover low-competition subcategories where it's easier to rank your book and earn the prestigious Bestseller badge.

How it works:

• Navigate the category hierarchy by marketplace
• View the number of books in each subcategory
• Identify niches with few competitors but existing demand

Note: Amazon categories are updated periodically. Since the category structure changes frequently and the data volume is substantial, some subcategories may not reflect the most recent changes. We recommend always verifying categories of interest directly on Amazon.

BeyondBSR allows you to save your favorite searches for quick access:

1. Configure your desired search filters
2. Select or create a Portfolio to organize your searches
3. Click Save Search and assign a name

Portfolios allow you to group related searches (e.g., by niche or marketplace). You can edit or delete saved searches at any time.

For each book in the search results, you can view historical charts by clicking on the corresponding row. A detailed panel will open showing:

• BSR Chart: the Best Sellers Rank trend over time, useful for understanding sales stability
• Price Chart: historical price variations
• Ratings and Reviews: the evolution of ratings

Charts allow you to analyze trends over time and identify seasonal patterns or significant variations that could influence your decisions.

If you notice differences between BeyondBSR calculations and the official Amazon calculator, the main reason is VAT on European marketplaces.

Key difference:

• Amazon Calculator: shows royalties without VAT - a "gross" value that doesn't reflect the actual tax impact
• BeyondBSR: applies VAT to European markets to show you the actual net royalty you'll receive

VAT can range from 4% to 25% depending on the country and book classification. This can make a significant difference in actual profitability.

Tip: for conservative planning, you can set the standard VAT rate in BeyondBSR to simulate the worst-case scenario.

Currently, BeyondBSR is optimized exclusively for desktop use. The interface, data tables, and charts are designed for larger screens and may not display correctly on mobile devices.

We're working on a responsive version that will allow you to access data from smartphones and tablets as well. We'll let you know as soon as this feature becomes available.

For now, we recommend accessing BeyondBSR from a desktop or laptop computer for the best user experience.

Sales and profit estimates are approximations, not absolute values. BeyondBSR calculates all possible combinations (BSR, interior type, format) to provide you with the most accurate estimate possible.

What they're based on:

• Historical correlation between BSR and sales
• Official Amazon printing cost data
• Amazon royalty calculation formulas
• Seasonality factor: our algorithm applies a bonus or malus depending on the month, as sales vary significantly throughout the year

Keep in mind that BSR fluctuates constantly throughout the day and that seasonality has a significant impact: a book with BSR 10,000 in August will sell far fewer copies than the same BSR in December. Additionally, traditional publishers have different commercial agreements that can affect margins.

Use estimates as relative indicators to compare opportunities and identify promising niches.

BeyondBSR relies on trusted and established data sources to ensure maximum accuracy:

• Amazon Data Provider: we partner with an industry-leading provider, active for over 10 years, that tracks millions of products across all major Amazon marketplaces worldwide
• Official Amazon Documentation: printing costs, royalty rates, and marketplace constraints are based on official Amazon sources
• Proprietary Algorithms: our sales estimates are calculated using internally developed algorithms based on BSR-sales correlations

The reliability of our data provider, recognized as a benchmark in Amazon analytics, allows us to offer you accurate and always up-to-date information.

Each book in BeyondBSR has a maximum of 2 years of historical data for all its metrics, provided the book has been published long enough.

Historical data includes:

• BSR trends over time
• Price changes
• Rating and review evolution
• Pre-order data (when available)

This enables in-depth analysis of sales trends and seasonality.

BeyondBSR data reflects a snapshot frozen as of 18 March 2026. Active data synchronization was permanently discontinued on that date, as the platform now operates as a read-only portfolio demonstration.

All BSR data, prices, and catalog information displayed are historical records from that date. No further updates to product data or BSR rankings will occur.