By Karim Hammam
The Booker Prize continues to be a major sales catalyst for fiction, booksellers say ahead of the winner announcement on 9 November.
Shortlist drives immediate sales surge
Despite the rise of BookTok and social media, the prize's "Booker bounce" outperforms other awards. NielsenIQ data shows last year's winner Flesh by David Szalay saw a 1,441% sales increase in the first week, while 2024 winner Orbital by Samantha Harvey rose 818%. Waterstones reported a week-on-week uplift of over 1,500% for this year's shortlist, with M John Harrison's The End of Everything up 740%. Daunt Books manager Brett Wolstencroft says the prize gives readers a curated list amid abundant new fiction.
Booksellers note varying long-term effects
Independent shop Chorlton Books finds customers favor familiar authors like Elizabeth Strout and Douglas Stuart. Staff member Andy Murray says accessibility — paperback format and shorter length — affects sales. The prize's long-term impact varies: Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children and Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day remain steady sellers, while some winners fade. Wolstencroft acknowledges social media's growing influence, especially among younger female readers.
The winner receives £50,000 and the Iris trophy, named after 1978 winner Iris Murdoch.
