MAIN NEWS HEADLINES
Sept 20 – Sept 26, 2010 Edition AAP Reports Publisher Book Sales for July
New York, NY, September 22, 2010 Publishers book sales tracked by the Association of American Publishers (AAP) for the month of July decreased by 1.3 percent on the prior year to $1.5 billion and were up by 8.1 percent for the year to date.
The childrens book category showed decreases over July of last year, with Hardcover Childrens/YA sales down 19.1 percent for the month with sales of $45.1 million in July, and year-to-date sales are down by 16.0 percent. Childrens/YA Paperback sales decreased 1.7 percent in July with sales totaling $50.0 million; sales fell 5.9 percent for the year to date.
The Adult Hardcover category was down 15.2 percent in July with sales of $74.1 million, although sales for the year-to-date are up by 10.2 percent. Adult Paperback sales decreased 10.1 percent for the month ($111.1 million) but increased by 8.6 percent for the year. Adult Mass Market sales decreased 11.0 percent for July with sales totaling $60.6 million; sales were down by 13.1 percent year to date.
E-book sales continue to grow, with a 150.2 percent increase over July 2009 ($40.8 million); year-to-date E-book sales are up 191.0 percent. Downloaded Audio Books also saw an increase of 38.4 percent over last year, with sales of $6.6 million this July; and the category was also up 35.3 percent year-to-date. Physical Audio Book sales decreased 35.6 percent in July with sales totaling $8.7 million; sales for the year to date are down 0.6 percent.
Religious Books were down 11.9 percent for the month with sales totaling $37.4 million, and sales were down by 0.4 percent for the year to date.
Sales of University Press Hardcover books increased 20.9 percent in July to $6.0 million; sales increased by 4.6 percent year-to-date. University Press Paperback posted a loss of 2.0 percent for the month with sales totaling $7.8 million, but sales were up 1.5 percent for the year. Sales of Professional books rose 5.0 percent to $123.8 million and were up by 9.9 percent for the year to date.
Higher Education publishing sales increased 0.2 percent for the month ($926.4 million) and increased 13.5 percent for the year. Finally, the K-12 elementary/high school category posted total net sales of $729.9 million, up 4.2 percent over the prior year, and year-to-date sales of $2.2 billion, a 13.5 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
