“Spare” being pushed on Amazon?

[Inamuddle36]

Something odd just happened and I wonder if Amazon has some sort of deal to “push” Spare in order to inflate sales:
I set up an Audible account to buy/listen to Bono’s book (which is very interesting and the music is great!). I set up the account on May 11 when I was away from home on a business trip — and did not mention the purchase (or the Audible account) to anyone. Today I noticed that Spare had been added to my Audible account, with the normal price of £7.99 reduced to 0.00 due to a “promotion”.
I phoned Amazon and, after making my way through customer service labyrinth, finally reached a human who told me “it must have been an accidental purchase”. As I did not search for the book, so never had it on my screen, it was not purchased by me (nor by anyone in my family).
My guess is that Amazon is incentivised somehow to “push” the book in order to keep it as a “best seller”. Has anyone with an Audible account noticed the book (or any other book) mysteriously appearing?

Maybe a glitch (intentional or otherwise) with Amazon as Michelle Obama’s book was on my Audible Wish List without being added.

Finding freedom was free a while back but not automatically added. This was on kindle

I got a recorded copy of spare the first day it wet on sale that was doing the rounds via email and what’s app. The publisher wasn’t making much out of that recording so it definitely wasn’t a publisher issue. I think there has been much foul play going on around this book so I wouldn’t be surprised if what you are saying is true that there is still some shenanigans going on. The criticism of the media in it was bound to ruffle a few feathers on one side and the money the publisher spent on it needs to be recouped on the other.

Not too sure what's going on at Amazon.

I suddenly had an item brought that I never ordered, but they charged me. They delivered, though I had called them about it. In the end, just received a refund and message.

So not sure they are promoting spare because it's still in top 40 in UK and top 30 for US and 5 in NYTimes list. Don't see why they would need to push it.

Spare is free on Audible trial. So when you set up your account, the first month is a trial and you can cancel at anytime. To tempt people to join, they offer free books. Spare is one of them.

Is Spare in the room with you right now, OP?

Interesting TheSnowyOwl mentions M Obama’s book appearing unsolicited in her account. Must be some mechanism between publisher and Amazon to promote books and inflate “sales” figures.

Notanotheroneagain: my point is that the “ranking” of books (top 40 or top 30 or whatever) are not true indications of reader/listener interest if the products are “pushed”.

PollyPeptide: the book isn’t “free”. It used up a credit which I could have used for something I did want to hear. (Amazon has refunded the credit).

Jings: I have sent Spare back to the ether

Well, as you say, you got your credit refunded meaning that particular book was taken off the list of sales. So doesn't count as sale.