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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/44873
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/44873
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Yes and no.

I don't think many people purchase a book because of the cover. The cover will not give you direct sales (maybe a couple...).

But imagine that you are looking for a book. Either knowing you want to buy something now or just browsing and seeing if something catches your eye. You're wandering through a bookstore where there are a couple thousand books to choose from. You might narrow it down by choosing fiction vs nonfiction or by picking a genre. Or not.

Depending on how much time you have, you'll pick up maybe 30-50 different books to give them a closer look (reading the title and author and looking carefully at the cover).

For a few of those, you'll read the blurbs on the back cover and inside jacket sides. You might even page through the book a bit. That is when you'll decide yes, no, maybe.

Then you'll buy one (or two or zero) from the ones you picked up. Books you pick up only have a few percent chance that you'll buy them. But books you don't pick up have a zero percent chance.

What gets you to pick up a book? Two things:

1. The spine (if the book is shelved)
2. The cover (if the book is displayed)

What gets you to evaluate a book (read blurbs, etc)? Probably the cover and the title are the biggest things (unless your name is familiar).

If you're looking at books online, then the title and cover are right up front. Both of those things are going to be what gets you to look further at the blurbs, author name, and reviews (or at least the number of stars). Here the cover is also vital for getting you to "pick the book up."

**Once a reader has your book in her/his hands (or open on her/his screen), you have a chance at a sale. And that's what the cover will do.**

Original score: 4