Fifty Shades
Rakuten’s Play.com reveals that erotic fiction currently receives 4,000% more searches than Man Booker Prize shortlist
Since Fifty Shades of Grey launched in July, it is safe to say there has been a worldwide boom in the popularity of erotic novels. This shows no signs of slowing down with Sylvia Day’s Reflected in You selling 100,000 copies in its first week. Further to this, data from Rakuten’s Play.com shows that the UK public is currently overlooking award-winning literature, such as the Man Booker Prize shortlist, and choosing erotica.
Although the quality of the writing in erotic novels has often been questioned, Rakuten’s Play.com has revealed that erotic fiction accounts for 14% of all books sold on the site, whereas the books shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize account for only 0.4% of all books sold*. Since October, the erotic fiction category has received 4,000% more searches than Man Booker Prize shortlist.
Recent news revealed that Sylvia Day’s Reflected in You is outselling the Fifty Shades trilogy by E.L. James. On Rakuten’s Play.com, sales echo this trend - Sylvia Day’s trilogy currently accounts for 36% of all erotic book sales. However, Fifty Shades of Grey ‘fever’ has not waned as the first book still receives over 100,000 searches per week on the site.
Adam Stewart, Marketing Director at Rakuten’s Play.com, said: “Although we weren’t surprised to see an increase in sales of erotic fiction on the site, we were shocked at how much they are outselling award-winning novels such as Hilary Mantel’s Bring up the Bodies. It shows that the 50 Shades phenomenon is well and truly alive, and customer engagement with the genre looks set to remain.”
Top Erotic Novels for Christmas from Rakuten’s Play.com:
1. Reflected in You – Sylvia Day
2. Fifty Shades Freed – E.L. James
3. Fifty Shades Trilogy Boxed Set – E.L. James
4. Fifty Shades Darker – E.L. James
5. Bared to You – Sylvia Day
6. Entwined with You – Sylvia Day
7. Destined to Play – Indigo Bloome
8. Eighty Days Yellow – Vina Jackson
9. Haven of Obedience – Marina Anderson
10. Forbidden Desires – Marina Anderson
*since the Man Booker Prize shortlist was announced on 16th October
Tagged in Fifty Shades Of Grey