ResultSource

ResultSource is a San Diego-based book marketing company that conducts "bestseller campaigns" on behalf of authors.[1] The company states "'We create campaigns that reach a specific goal, like: "On the bestsellers list," or "100,000 copies sold.'"[1] For example, for a negotiated fee ResultSource will guarantee that a book becomes a bestseller.[2] It does this through bulk book buying programs designed to manipulate the metrics used by Nielsen BookScan and the New York Times Best Seller list, among other strategies.[1] As a result of ResultSource's business practices, Amazon.com has stopped doing business with the company.[3] The company was founded by Kevin Small.[1]

The details of ResultSource's business are private and few in the publishing industry will speak openly about it.[3] "It's no wonder few people in the industry want to talk about bestseller campaigns. Put bluntly, they allow people with enough money, contacts, and know-how to buy their way onto bestseller lists."[3] However some information has come to light. In 2014, the Los Angeles Times published a story titled "Can bestseller lists be bought?"[2][4] It describes how author and pastor Mark Driscoll contracted with ResultSource to place his book Real Marriage on the New York Times bestseller list for a $200,000 fee. The contract was for ResultSource "to conduct a bestseller campaign for your book, 'Real Marriage' on the week of January 2, 2012. The bestseller campaign is intended to place 'Real Marriage' on the New York Times bestseller list for the Advice How-to list." To achieve this, the contract stated that "RSI will be purchasing at least 11,000 total orders in one week." This took place and as a result, the book was successfully ranked #1 on the hardcover advice bestseller list on January 22, 2014.[2] Driscoll later published an apology letter.[5]

Other authors who are known to have contracted with ResultSource include:

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg (February 22, 2013). "The Mystery of the Book Sales Spike". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Carolyn Kellogg (March 6, 2014). "Can bestseller lists be bought?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Jeff Bercovici (February 22, 2013). "Here's How You Buy Your Way Onto The New York Times Bestsellers List". Forbes. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  4. Julia Fleischaker (March 7, 2014). "Got $200,000? Congratulations, you're a bestselling author.". Melville House Publishing. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  5. "Mark Driscoll Posts an Open Letter of Apology". Relevant Magazine. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  6. http://web.archive.org/web/20140317122044/http://www.resultsource.com/bestseller/deliveringhappiness.php
  7. Malcolm Maclachlan (April 29, 2010). "Hundreds reportedly received unsolicited copies of Poizner memoir". Capitol Weekly. Archived from the original on May 4, 2010. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  8. Scott Herhold, etc (May 2, 2010). "Internal Affairs: The mysterious case of Poizner's best-selling book". The Mercury News. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  9. Ferrazzi, Keith. "Who's got Your Back". The WayBack Machine. ResultSource. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  10. & Don Hutson, Ken Blanchard. "One Minute Entrepreneur: The Secret to Creating and Sustaining a Successful Business". The WayBack Machine. ResultSource. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  11. Lindstrom, Martin. "Buyology". The WayBack Machine. RealSource. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  12. Chester Elton, Adrian Gostick. "The Daily Carrot Principle". The WayBack Machine. ResultSource. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  13. Yellen, Pamela. "Bank on Yourself: The Life-Changing Secret to Protecting Your Financial Future". The WayBack Machine. Result Source. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  14. Schwartz, Tony. "The Way We're Working Isn't Working: The Four Forgotten Needs That Energize Great Performance". The WayBack Machine. Result Source. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  15. Li, Charlene. "Open Leadership: How Social Technology Can Transform the Way You Lead". The Wayback Machine. Result Source. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  16. Town, Phil. "Payback Time: Making Big Money Is the Best Revenge!". The Wayback Machine. ResultSource. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  17. Scott Martineau, Clate Mask. "Conquer The Chaos: How to Grow a Successful Small Business Without Going Crazy". The Wayback Machine. ResultSource. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  18. Cardone, Grant. "f You're Not First You're Last: Sales Strategies to Dominate Your Market and Beat Your Competition". The Wayback Machine. ResultSource. Retrieved 16 November 2014.