The Association of American Publishers has released some startling statistics, showing the hockey stick growth of e-book sales. E-book sales for the period of January through August 2010 totaled $263 million, compared with $89.8 million for the same period last year. That’s an increase of 193%. By comparison, total book sales (presumably print and electronic) tracked by the AAP were up 3.4 percent from the prior year. E-books now comprise 9.03% of total book sales, compared with 3.31% last year.
It’s pretty easy to speculate as to two of the reasons for this dramatic growth of electronic book sales: the success of the iPad, and the maturation and low price of the Kindle. It isn’t too difficult to imagine a world in which e-books eventually eclipse their dead tree brethren.
Many people still prefer holding a physical book in their hands, however, and some people like to collect books. Could you see yourself making the switch to e-books? Or are you already there?
AAP Reports Publisher Book Sales for August [via ReadWroteWeb]
Photo by John Blyberg