Friday, May 17, 2013

Print Books Capture 80% of Market


Yes, you read that correctly.  For all of the talk about e-books and digital readers, only 11% of all book sales come from glow-in-the-dark ink.  But that doesn’t mean e-books aren’t impacting the industry.

First, e-books transform the speed of publication, its cost, and its availability.  Second, e-books greatly influence industry pricing.  Third, they impact the style and definition of a book.  Fourth, e-books have altered the publishing, marketing, and promoting landscapes. 

Though e-book units account for 22% of all books sold in 2012 – up from 14% in 2011 – their low cover prices only add up to 11% of all book revenue – up from 7% in 2011.

In terms of where books are purchased, according to a newly released study by Bowker Market Research, online is the new storefront.

·         44% of book revenue comes from e-commerce sites like Amazon
·         19% from bookstore chains like Barnes & Noble
·         6% from independent bookstores
·         5% from non-traditional bookstores
·         5% from mass merchandisers like Wal-Mart

The rest of the market is so fractured and spread out that no specific area accounts for more than 4% of book revenue --(book clubs). 

Based on revenue, here’s how the market breaks down:

·         43% paperback
·         37% hard cover
·         11% e-book
·         2% audio-book
·         7% listed as “other”

Amazon, which accounts for 31% of the entire book market – up from 26% in 2011 – is the ruling king and likely will be for some time to come.



Interview With Business Author Eric Lowitt

1.      What type of books do you write? I write non-fiction books for people of all walks of life who want to change our world. Collectively we face a series of vexing challenges: climate change, financial austerity, population increases, growing resentment towards and distrust in our government, etc. These challenges can and must be overcome. In so doing, individuals will benefit financially, through creating new companies and advancing in their careers by helping their organizations participate in the great change to come.

2.      What is your newest book about? The Collaboration Economy is my latest book. The Collaboration Economy is a book for general readers who want to affect great change quickly through working with their local communities, their companies, and their government representatives. The Collaboration Economy shows why and how companies we include in our lives, like Coca-Cola and Unilever, are working with citizens and governments to ensure that we will have water, food, energy, and other vital natural resources in perpetuity…in a way that will also kick-start inclusive economic growth.

3.      What inspired you to write it? As a dad of two little kids, I believe it's my responsibility to provide my children with a world that is better than the one my parents gave me. I am not content with the flawed world we inhabit. I encourage this blog's readers to examine their surroundings, their communities, and their beliefs about the world at hand. Are you satisfied with what you see or do you want to help make this a better, healthier, more sustainable world too?

4.      What is the writing process like for you? I typically "find" my book as I write it. That is I start out with an idea for the book, dig into my research process, test my hypotheses, and let the results guide me through the writing. The ideas typically flow freely; unfortunately, the prose does not. I am grateful for my copyeditors!

5.      What did you do before you became an author? I was a management consultant to businesses for 15 years, mainly in the retail and financial services industries. I earned an MBA from The University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, and worked as a researcher for a global financial services company.

6.      How does it feel to be a published author? There are days I pinch myself - not only to confirm I am indeed an author, but also to punish myself for putting myself through the writing process! 

7.      Any advice for struggling writers? Believe in yourself, believe in your ideas, and keep pushing uphill. Writing comes naturally only to those rare immortals whose names are synonymous with literature. For the other 99.9 percent of us, writing is 99.9 percent perspiration and .1 percent inspiration. If I can do it, you can too!

8.      Where do you see book publishing heading? There will always be a market for good and great ideas. The question is the best way to share these ideas…in a way that writers can earn a livelihood. The traditional print book publishing market is certainly being challenged on every front. I see the lines between the different participants in the book publishing market blurring. Publishers have two choices: evolve or disappear.

Eric is the managing director of Nexus Global Advisors. For more information, please consult: The Collaboration Economy and The Future of Value



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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2013

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