Quite right. However, being at the top of a category does grant the “Best Seller” tag for that category which means a few things that really help the author. First is that Amazon will essentially promote for you when anyone searches that (or related) categories. Second is that it gives a perceived value when the potential buyer sees this tag. It’s a form of social validation that goes hand-in-hand with great reviews.

We must realize that no single book isn’t going to be “quit your day job” money (unless you get incredibly lucky of course). Instead, the writer’s plan should be to build the portfolio, adding one passive income source (book or article) after another until the portfolio itself eventually becomes a complete income replacement. That is what we should really be aiming for — but at the same time, some people want nothing more than getting their book in front of some readers. In many ways, that is success enough, especially when it leads to bigger, better things!