In terms of books I wonder if the average shopper on amazon is really thinking about books enough (compared to all the other products) for buzz to be generated.

In terms of books I wonder if the average shopper on amazon is really thinking about books enough (compared to all the other products) for buzz to be generated. On my front page I have chilli sauce, bike spares, bluetooth headsets and automtive tools. I have found lots of books on Audible based entirely on popularity, and I am sure Kindle is the same. IMHO subscription services have far more power to push a particular title than a normal shop as you are a captive audience. You are much more likely to go for the serendipity of a popular title that may not appeal to you normally as you are not spending a cash amount. And with Audible there is no risk as you can return titles you don't like.