Yes, people still read: e-book sales by UK publishers grew 54 percent in 2011

All hail the e-book! Seriously, if it weren't for this marvelous literary development, try saying with a straight face that you wouldn't at least take pause before adding a new title to your collection. Numbers are in from The Publisher's Association -- a group of 120 companies across the trade in the UK -- which reveals that e-book digital sales have increased 54 percent for the year 2011, and of that statistic, 13 percent of revenues came from academic and professional titles. As a sign of changing preferences, the total sales of both e-books and their traditional counterparts fell by two percent during the year -- and let's be honest, it's not hard to see which group fell short. Also reflective of the shift is the fact that average book prices fell by 1.3 percent during the year, which compares favorably to the UK's current inflation rate of 4.47 percent. Those interested in the full story will find the PR after the break.

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Consumer ebooks sales increased by 366% in 2011

01 May 2012

The Publishers Association (The PA) has today published its Statistics Yearbook 2011 of publishers' sales, which reveals that consumer ebook sales increased by 366% in 2011.
Other highlights for 2011 from the Statistics Yearbook are:

· All digital formats encompassing ebooks, audio book downloads and online subscriptions accounted for 8% of the total invoiced value of sales of books in 2011, up from 5% in 2010.

· Consumer ebook sales are now equivalent to 6% of consumer physical book sales by value;

· 13% of academic and professional book revenues came from digital products;

· Overall digital sales grew by 54%;

· Total physical sales of school books (excluding ELT) increased by 6% to £271m.

· 41% of revenues earned through export – with East & South Asia and Central & South America, notably Brazil, showing the strongest growth performance;

· The combined sales of digital and physical books decreased by 2% to £3.2bn;

· Average book prices fell by 1.3% (compared with an annual UK inflation rate of 4.47%).

Richard Mollet, Chief Executive of The Publishers Association, said:

"Across fiction, non-fiction, children's and academic books, the story of the year is a decline in physical sales almost being compensated for by a strong performance in digital.

"For many years now publishers have invested in innovation in digital products and services and this is being reflected in the increasingly mixed economy for books in the UK.

"However, online copyright infringement is increasingly making its presence felt for authors and publishers and that is why we continue to call on government and other stakeholders in the digital economy to work with us to do more to tackle it, and to ensure that the UK's ecommerce performance is as strong as it can possibly be.

"That said, physical books remain the format of choice for the vast majority of British readers, underlining the continued importance of a strong "high street" sector.

"And again, British publishing showed its strength in the international marketplace, with academic and schools / English language teaching books leading the field in British publishers' export performance."

The PA Statistics Yearbook 2011 is available to buy in full from The Publishers Association website, www.publishers.org.uk, and for the first time The PA is pleased to offer the option of purchasing individual sections.