eBooks overtake US paperbacks

Electronic books have become the bestselling category in the US for the first time, new data shows

Amazon has released a cheaper Kindle with adverts. Credit: Photo: AP

Ebooks have become the single bestselling format in American publishing for the first time, according to new figures released yesterday.

The Association of American Publishers revealed in their latest report, which compiled sales data from US publishing houses, that total ebook sales in February were $90.3m (£55.2m). The AAP said this report makes digital books the largest single format in the US for the first time ever, overtaking paperbacks at $81.2m. Paperbacks led up until January, with ebooks coming second.

America’s ebooks experienced a 202.3 per cent growth in sales this February compared to the same month the previous year, the book trade association revealed. In contrast, print books fared much worse, with the combined adult hardback and paperback sales falling 34.4 per cent to $156.8m in February. Children’s and young adult’s books were less hard hit, with declines of 16.1 per cent to $58.5m.

The AAP believe the growth in February ebook sales can be attributed people buying ebooks on their recently received Christmas ebbok devices, as well as a greater selection of devices and a broader range of ebooks. However, figures may have been skewed as a result of the winter weather and Borders bookshop chain going into administration over this period.

Phillip Jones, deputy editor of the Bookseller, said: “Ebooks have grown massively, but they do not yet match overall print books and nor is it predicted that they will. The most bullish predictions suggest that ebooks will account for 50 per cent of the US market by 2014 or 2015, and then will probably plateau."

In the UK, "we are one year behind now and catching up quite fast", said Jones, who believes we are set to continue on the same trajectory as the US. "The February results reflect two core facts: people love books and publishers actively serve readers wherever they are," said Tom Allen, president of the AAP. "The public is embracing the breadth and variety of reading choices available to them. They have made ebooks permanent additions to their lifestyle while maintaining interest in print format books."
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