Total net book sales in April in the U.S. fell 12.6%, to $788.3 million, compared to April 2021, representing sales of 1,367 publishers and distributed clients as reported to the Association of American Publishers. (Figures do not include pre-K-12, because of delays in data collection.) For the first third of the year, total net book sales were down 2.3%, to $3.78 billion.
Total trade book sales fell 12.6%, to $788.3 million. Trade hardcover sales fell 16.8%, to $232.4 million, paperbacks slipped 2.8%, to $251.9 million, mass market dropped 22%, to $14.1 million. Total e-book sales dropped 8.3%, to $84.3 million. Printed books accounted for 74.7% of all trade sales.
Only three categories had sales gains in the month, including downloadable audio, which usually has strong sales gains; religious mass market, whose sales were only $200,000; and children's special bindings, mainly board books.
Sales by category in April 2022 compared to April 2021:
