The AAP released their StatShot Annual Report for 2021 on Friday, for the second year in a row providing a substantial collection of actual, directly-reported data, received from a modestly expanded pool of reporting publishers. Trade sales (starting with their default measure, which includes religious presses alongside trade) increased more than 13 percent to $10.14 billion — gaining almost $1.2 billion — with 1.412 billion trade units sold in 2021, up 11.1 percent from 1.271 billion in 2020. In keeping with our longstanding practice, we will report on the actual reported data only; not the magically-modeled estimates that nearly double […]
Industry Statistics
Understanding the Contours of Growing Backlist Sales
Some interesting data has surfaced recently providing more nuance about the true scope of backlist sales — from both the antitrust trial and NPD Bookscan — that’s worthy of gathering in one place. During the pandemic, Bookscan data showed a marked acceleration of backlist sales, from roughly 62 or 63 percent of print units in 2019 up to 70 percent of print units so far this year, with a trendline that looks like it never changes direction. That has been attributed to a number of pandemic-driven effects: A shift to more online sales; a reduction in new releases (particularly early […]
Trade Sales Stable in First Half of Year
The AAP released StatShot data for June, and for the first half of the year. In June, trade sales were mostly flat at $605.4 million, compared to $601.9 million last year. Adult sales for the month were $427.9 million, up from $417.3 million. (For comparison, June 2020 showed $454 million in adult sales, and June 2019 delivered $379 million.) Hardcover sales were down (9) percent to $104.5 million, while paperbacks rose 11 percent to $154.8 million. Mass markets were up 17 percent to $21.3 million. Children’s and YA books sold $177.5 million in June, down (4) percent overall. Hardcovers dropped […]
Adult Hardcovers Fell 19% in May
The Association of American Publishers released StatShot data for May from their participating publishers. Trade sales were $610.6 million, down 4 percent from $639.3 million last year. For comparison, total sales according to the last pre-pandemic report in 2019 were $633 million. Adult book sales were $406.7 million, a (7.7) percent decline compared to $440.5 million in May 2021. Hardcover sales were $121.8 million [down (19) percent], paperbacks were $140.2 million [up 3 percent], and mass markets were $10.2 million [down (47) percent]. Children’s sales were $203.9 million, a 3 percent increase from $198.8 million last year. Hardcovers sold $68.4 […]
Most of Those Meetings Really Could Be Emails
In May, the Wall Street Journal reported that “the overall number of meetings remains up nearly 70% versus February 2020.” People are spending 7.3 more hours per week in meetings than they did before the pandemic—an increase from 14 to 21.5 hours. That means that more than half of the work week is being spent in meetings, and workers have lost 17.5 percent of their time for other work. In a webinar hosted by the Book Industry Study Group, A Pandemic of Meetings: Reduce Reconsider and Refine Your Meetings, industry veteran Linda Secondari discussed how to focus meetings for success, […]
April Trade Sales Down 8.5 Percent
The Association of American Publishers announced StatShot data from participating publishers. After particularly robust results last year, trade sales were $637 million in April 2022, down 8.5 percent from $696 million in April 2021. Adult books were down (10.9) percent to $443 million. Hardcovers declined (21.6) percent to $141 million, paperbacks declined (3.9) percent to $151 million, and mass market sales were down (22.4) percent to $14 million. Overall children’s sales were $194 million, down (2.6) percent from 2021. Hardcover sales were $66 million, down (5) percent, and paperbacks stayed flat at $94 million. Ebook sales were $79 million, down […]