Sales Figures
I like seeing data on digital downloads, but that stuff can be hard to find. The DMsGuild doesn’t prohibit creators from sharing so I thought I’d throw in my 2c.
I’ve published two modules: the Sunken Ruins of Ishau and Heist on Cassalanter Villa. They are both:
- DM facing (as opposed to player supplements)
- Locked into specific D&D modules (Tomb of Annihilation and Waterdeep: Dragon Heist)
- Not advertised at all
- Lacking a splashy front cover
- By an unknown author
All of these reduce your target audience, though hell if I know which ones are the most significant. If I had to guess it would be in the order I’ve listed them in. The “author” thing is a wildcard – I mean check out that Baldur’s Gate book!
The Sunken Ruins of Ishau is selling for $4 and Heist on Cassalanter Villa is $2 – I feel those are fair representations of the effort I’ve put into each of them.
Edit (September 2019): I’ve now added The Heart of Goodhollow to the mix which is doing terribly! I did launch it right next to a big WotC release where my other modules also did quite poorly, but man… One single sale? Ouch.
Here are the numbers:
Sales:
| Sunken Ruins of Ishau | Heist on Cassalanter Villa | Heart of Goodhollow |
|---|---|---|---|
24 – 30 March | 5 | – | – |
31 – 6 April | 3 | – | – |
7 – 13 April | 1 | – | – |
14 – 20 April | 0 | – | – |
21 – 27 April | 2 | – | – |
28 – 4 May | 1 | – | – |
5 – 11 May | 1 | – | – |
12 – 18 May | 4 | – | – |
19 – 25 May | 2 | 8 | – |
26 – 1 June | 2 | 8 | – |
2 – 8 June | 0 | 3 | – |
9 – 15 June | 1 | 3 | – |
16 – 22 June | 1 | 2 | – |
23 – 29 June | 3 | 3 | – |
30 – 6 July | 0 | 3 | – |
7 – 13 July | 1 | 4 | – |
14 – 20 July | 4 | 4 | – |
21 – 27 July | 1 | 3 | – |
28 – 3 August | 1 | 3 | – |
4 – 10 August | 0 | 2 | – |
11 – 17 August | 0 | 2 | – |
18 – 24 August | 2 | 1 | – |
25 – 31 August | 3 | 4 | – |
1 – 7 September | 0 | 9 | – |
8 – 14 September | 2 (+ 685 charity bundle) | 8 | – |
15 – 21 September | 1 (+ 286 charity bundle) | 1 | – |
22 – 28 September | 2 | 2 | 1 |
29 – 5 October | 3 | 2 | 0 |
6 – 12 October | 2 | 6 | 0 |
13 – 19 October | 0 | 6 | 0 |
20 – 26 October | Views: 252 Sales: 1 (0.8%) | Views: 351 Sales: 5 (1.4%) | Views: 24 Sales: 0 |
27 – 2 November | Views: 254 Sales: 3 (1.2%) | Views: 316 Sales: 3 (0.9%) | Views: 6 Sales: 0 |
3 – 9 November | Views: 228 Sales: 2 (0.9%) | Views: 350 Sales: 4 (1.1%) | Views: 10 Sales: 1 |
10 – 16 November | Views: 294 Sales: 2 (0.7%) | Views: 386 Sales: 3 (0.8%) | Views: 8 Sales: 0 |
17 – 23 November | Views: 195 Sales: 2 | Views: 317 Sales: 2 | Views: 2 Sales : 0 |
24 – 30 November | Views: 304 Sales: 2 | Vies: 498 Sales: 6 | Views: 14 Sales: 1 |
1 – 7 December | Views: 218 Sales: 2 | Views: 333 Sales: 2 | Views: 14 Sales: 1 |
8 – 14 December | Views: 179 Sales: 0 | Views: 261 Sales: 6 | Views: 6 Sales: 0 |
15 – 21 December | Views: 191 Sales: 3 | Views: 408 Sales: 3 | Views: 28 Sales: 6 ($0.50**) |
22 – 28 December | Views: 144 Sales: 2 | Views: 422 Sales: 6 | Views: 13 Sales: 4 ($0.00**) |
29 – 4 January | Views: 180 Sales: 2 | Views: 422 Sales: 3 | Views: 23 Sales: 6 ($0.50**) |
5 – 11 January**** | Views: 163 Sales: 0 | Views: 349 Sales: 2 + 2**** | Views: 92 Sales: 46*** |
12 – 18 January | Views: 196 Sales: 1 | Views: 119 Sales: 1 | Views: 100 Sales: 23*** |
19 – 25 January | Views: 171 Sales: 2 | Views: 43 Sales: 5 | Views: 75 Sales: 35*** |
26 – 01 February | Views: 152 Sales: 1 | Views: 44 Sales: 2 | Views: 81 Sales: 42*** |
02 – 08 February | Views: 183 Sales: 2 | Views: 48 Sales: 0 | Views: 116 Sales: 44*** |
09 – 15 February | Views: 190 Sales: 1 | Views: 75 Sales: 1 | Views: 88 Sales: 37*** |
16 – 22 February | Views: 177 Sales: 0 | Views: 61 Sales: 2 | Views: 75 Sales: 30*** |
23 – 29 February | Views: 144 Sales: 1 | Views: 46 Sales: 2 | Views: 65 Sales: 27*** |
1 – 7 March | Views: 184 Sales: 4 | Views: 58 Sales: 2 | Views: 69 Sales: 32*** |
8 – 14 March | Views: 170 Sales: 3 | Views: 48 Sales: 2 | Views: 66 Sales: 19*** |
15 – 21 March | Views: 264 Sales: 0 + 11C | Views: 75 Sales: 2 + 3C | Views: 109 Sales: 40*** |
22 – 28 March (Advert-spam on Reddit) | Views: 719 Sales: 8 ($16.51) + 200C | Views: 681 Sales: 5 ($3.25) + 192C | Views: 160 Sales: 70*** |
29 – 4 April | Views: 329 Sales: 5 ($7.75) + 66C | Views: 207 Sales: 5 ($3.39) + 70C | Views: 115 Sales: 65*** |
5 – 11 April | Views: 301 Sales: 5 ($7.01) + 131C | Views: 160 Sales: 0 + 55C | Views: 150 Sales: 120*** |
12 – 18 April | Views: 358 Sales: 3 ($8.48) + 135C | Views: 198 Sales: 3 ($2.73) + 57C | Views: 182 Sales: 190*** |
19 – 25 April | Views: 279 Sales: 3 ($3.00) + 54C | Views: 168 Sales: 2 ($1.50) + 38C | Views: 119 Sales: 79*** |
26 – 2 May | Views: 302 Sales: 4 ($7.00) + 54C | Views: 182 Sales: 4 ($7.50) + 42C | Views: 139 Sales: 86*** |
3 – 9 May (100% royalty sale) | Views: 280 Sales: 1 ($2.00) + 50C | Views: 119 Sales: 0 + 29C | Views: 125 Sales: 60*** |
10 – 16 May (100% royalty sale) | Views: 247 Sales: 1 ($1.00) + 30C | Views: 126 Sales: 5 ($7.66) + 29C | Views: 83 Sales: 59*** |
17 – 23 May | Views: 247 Sales: 3 ($9.50) + 24C | Views: 126 Sales: 1 ($1.00) + 22C | Views: 82 Sales: 43*** |
Total | 119 ($250) Views*: 7495 | 176 ($191) Views*: 6996 | 6 ($4.28) Views*: 2242 |
* Since 20 October
** PWYW total earnings
*** Free
**** Doubled price!
C PWYW for Corona
I spent $150 on custom art for Ishau, $50 for the portraits in Heist, and $30 for the stock-art used in Heart, plus random costs like a pdf converter, map-making software, and exhibition catalog.
What’s interesting is that there’s definitely a “long tail” effect – after the initial spike, sales are very stable indeed. In fact, both make about the same amount of money each week ($3). That means that when I retire at 67, I’ll have made a sweet $9,000! 😉