Ebooks are Positive Light for Otherwise Low April Figures

Posted on June 13, 2003

Sales of ebooks were up 268.3 percent in April, with sales of $900,000. The category is up 160.8 percent for the year, according to figures just released by the Association of American Publishers (AAP), a book industry trade association. While the nascent ebook market is growing fast, it is still a diminutive part of the industry with relatively small sales figures compared to all other book categories in the AAP domestic sales report.

Overall, book sales in April reflected current economic trends, with net sales declining in 9 of 13 book categories. Adult hardcover sales dropped 33.7 percent ($79.1 million), while paperback sales fell 7.2 percent, with sales of $66.2 million in April. Calendar year to date figures show sales of hardcover books down 28.7 percent and paperback down 9.9 percent. The adult mass market category posted a rise of 22.8 percent in April, with sales of $72.5 million. Year to date numbers show sales are down 7 percent for this category.

The children�s market did not fare much better in April. Hardcover sales were down 16.4 percent ($23.1 million) and paperback sales dropped 13.1 percent ($34.4 percent). Year-end numbers show hardcover down 23.1 percent and paperback down 4.6 percent for the year. Sales of university press hardcover books showed no gains or losses in April 2003 ($4.6 million in sales), however, paperback sales fell 14.2 percent ($2.9 million). Year to date figures for the university press category were positive, with hardcover up 20.9 percent and paperback up 11.5 percent.

The religious books category is still growing, with sales up 6.1 percent ($16.1 million) in April. The category is up 22.1 percent for the year overall. Audio books fell 22.4 percent, with sales of $8.5 million. Calendar year-end figures show this category is down 19.4 percent. Sales of professional and scholarly books dropped 19.3 percent in April, with sales of $42.2 million, however, year-end numbers show sales are up 4.6 percent for the year overall. Sales in the other books category dropped 34.7 percent ($900,000) and year to date numbers show sales are down 35.6 percent.

Traditional yearly drops were evident in the higher education category as college bookstores returned unsold books to publishers. The category was down 162.9 percent (-$24.9 million). Overall, the category is down 11.7 percent for the year. Sales of el-hi (elementary/high schools) books were strong in April, up 11.7 percent with sales of $173.8 percent. Calendar year to date figures show this category is up 12.7 percent over last year.