In the first nine months of the year, total net book sales rose 4.9%, to $12.1 billion, compared to the first nine months of 2013, representing sales of 1,209 publishers and distributed clients as reported to the Association of American Publishers. Net book sales in September slipped 0.2%, to $1.4 billion. During the month, a 17.1% gain in higher ed course materials and 18.6% gain in professional books were offset by an 11.8% drop in adult books.
Among highlights for the year to date: children's/YA continued to grow, with sales up 22.4%, to $1.3 billion, and K-12 instructional materials have gained 13.2%, to $3 billion.
Total trade e-book sales have risen 5.6%, to $1.2 billion. Trade paperbacks were up 4.1%, to $1.5 billion. Trade hardcover sales slipped 0.9%, to $1.6 billion. (Note: trade excludes downloadable audio and children's board books.)
By category for January-September 2014:
|
Category |
Sales |
% Change |
|
Children's/YA e-books |
$186.3 million |
52.7% |
|
Children's board books |
$62.6 million |
33.6% |
|
Downloaded audio |
$119.3 million |
27% |
|
Children's/YA paperbacks |
$470.1 million |
20% |
|
Children's/YA hardcovers |
$542.7 million |
16.2% |
|
El-Hi |
$3 billion |
13.2% |
|
Univ. press e-books |
$9.9 million |
12.9% |
|
Higher ed |
$3.4 billion |
2.8% |
|
Religious hardcovers |
$226.3 million |
2.3% |
|
Religious paperbacks |
$67.1 million |
1.5% |
|
Religious e-books |
$48.8 million |
0.9% |
|
Professional publishing |
$524.9 million |
0.1% |
|
|
|
|
|
Adult e-books |
$959.9 million |
-0.1% |
|
Adult paperbacks |
$972.4 million |
-2% |
|
University hardcovers |
$31 million |
-2.1% |
|
University paperbacks |
$39.5 million |
-5.1% |
|
Mass market |
$259.1 million |
-6.4% |
|
Adult hardcovers |
$874 million |
-9.9% |
|
Physical audiobooks |
$46.9 million |
-13.5% |