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Jan 10 – Jan 16, 2011 Edition AAP Reports 5.1 percent Increase in November Book Sales
New York, NY, Authorlink News/January 14, 2011 Publishers book sales tracked by the Association of American Publishers (AAP) for the month of November increased by 5.1 percent on the prior year to $852 million and were up by 3.5 percent for the year to date.
In the childrens book category, Hardcover Childrens/YA sales showed a decrease of 2.7 percent over November of last year with sales of $63 million; year-to-date sales decreased by 10.4 percent. Childrens/YA Paperback sales are down by 5.5 percent in November with sales totaling $41.3 million; sales fell 6.6 percent for the year to date.
The Adult Hardcover category was up 4.3 percent in November with sales of $219.9 million, although sales for the year-to-date were down by 6.1 percent. Adult Paperback sales decreased 19.0 percent for the month ($80.8 million) revealing a decrease of 1.4 percent for the year to date. Adult Mass Market sales decreased 9.5 percent for November with sales totaling $47.7 million; sales were down by 14.0 percent year to date.
E-book sales continue to grow, with a 129.7 percent increase over November 2009 ($46.6 million); year-to-date E-book sales are up 165.6 percent. Downloaded Audio Books also saw an increase of 34.3 percent over last year, with sales of $6.1 million this November; and the category was also up 38.3 percent year-to-date. Physical Audio Book sales increased 1.3 percent in November with sales totaling $16.7 million, although sales for the year to date were down 11.7 percent.
Religious Books were up 5.4 percent for the month with sales totaling $51.1 million, with no change for the year to date.
Sales of University Press Hardcover books decreased 8.3 percent in November to $4.9 million; sales increased by 0.9 percent year-to-date. University Press Paperback sales decreased 20.0 percent for the month with sales totaling $3.2 million, with sales up 2.2 percent for the year. Sales of Professional books decreased 13.6 percent to $49.8 million and were up by 6.5 percent for the year to date.
Higher Education publishing sales increased 29.4 percent for the month ($232.8 million) and increased 11.6 percent for the year. Finally, the K-12 El-Hi (elementary/high school) category posted total net sales of $115.9 million in November, down 0.3 percent over the prior year, and year-to-date sales of $3.45 billion, a 3.5 percent increase over 2009.
About AAP
The Association of American Publishers is the national trade association of the U.S. book publishing industry. AAPs more than 300 members include most of the major commercial publishers in the United States, as well as smaller and non-profit publishers, university presses and scholarly societies. AAP members publish hardcover and paperback books in every field, educational materials for the elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and professional markets, scholarly journals, computer software, and electronic products and services. The protection of intellectual property rights in all media, the defense of the freedom to read and the freedom to publish at home and abroad, and the promotion of reading and literacy are among the Associations highest priorities.
NOTE: All sales figures cited in this release are domestic net sales
