Does the banner on a new book, "New York Times Best Seller" mean anything at all any more?

I quickly snagged a book at Walmart before we went camping, because I forgot to bring one from home. It said it was a “New York Times Best Seller.” I thought that meant it would be very good. That’s what it used to mean anyway.
The description looked a bit interesting, something about a dog as one of the main characters. I thought it might be like “Marley and Me,” which was a delightful book.
Well, it was nothing but a soft, rather mindless chick romance story. I kept waiting for something to happen, but all it was was an anorexic High School lesbian-crushing on the main character, whose husband had died,and the main character crushing on some guy with predictably broad shoulders, flat stomach, the super sexy, strong, sensitive type,while she was so pretty and helpless and weak since her husband died.
I finally realized it wasn’t going to get any better and didn’t read the last chapter, which I’m sure was just really great sex.
Those kinds of romance stories are a dime a dozen. I was disappointed.