US Digital Sales Up 147% in May, Print Plops

In Global Trade Talk by Guest Contributor

By Brittany Hazelwood

Digital sales are booming in the USA, up 146.9% in May and producing $73.4 million in revenue, according to the Association of American Publishers. However, the industry seeing overall decline in print, with segments including hardcover paperback and mass market showing significant declines.

Adult hardcover and adult mass market books were hit the hardest, with a drop of 30% in sales. Adult paperbacks fell more than 14%. E-Books, in contrast, have experienced a whopping 160.1% increase over the calendar year taking in $389.7 million in sales.

YA and university press paperbacks along with religion books are a source of hope for print publishing, and saw an increase between 4 and 21%.

Source: AAP and Publishers Weekly

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Guest contributors to Publishing Perspectives have diverse backgrounds in publishing, media and technology. They live across the globe and bring unique, first-hand experience to their writing.