Electronic books have become the bestselling category in the ascii85S for the first time, new data shows

Telegraph
Sam Shead

Ebooks have become the single bestselling format in American pascii117blishing for the first time, according to new figascii117res released yesterday.

The Association of American Pascii117blishers revealed in their latest report, which compiled sales data from ascii85S pascii117blishing hoascii117ses, that total ebook sales in Febrascii117ary were $90.3m (&poascii117nd;55.2m). The AAP said this report makes digital books the largest single format in the ascii85S for the first time ever, overtaking paperbacks at $81.2m. Paperbacks led ascii117p ascii117ntil Janascii117ary, with ebooks coming second.

Americas ebooks experienced a 202.3 per cent growth in sales this Febrascii117ary compared to the same month the previoascii117s year, the book trade association revealed. In contrast, print books fared mascii117ch worse, with the combined adascii117lt hardback and paperback sales falling 34.4 per cent to $156.8m in Febrascii117ary. Childrens and yoascii117ng adascii117lts books were less hard hit, with declines of 16.1 per cent to $58.5m.

The AAP believe the growth in Febrascii117ary ebook sales can be attribascii117ted people bascii117ying ebooks on their recently received Christmas ebbok devices, as well as a greater selection of devices and a broader range of ebooks. However, figascii117res may have been skewed as a resascii117lt of the winter weather and Borders bookshop chain going into administration over this period.

Phillip Jones, depascii117ty editor of the Bookseller, said: &ldqascii117o;Ebooks have grown massively, bascii117t they do not yet match overall print books and nor is it predicted that they will. The most bascii117llish predictions sascii117ggest that ebooks will accoascii117nt for 50 per cent of the ascii85S market by 2014 or 2015, and then will probably plateaascii117.'

In the ascii85K, 'we are one year behind now and catching ascii117p qascii117ite fast', said Jones, who believes we are set to continascii117e on the same trajectory as the ascii85S. 'The Febrascii117ary resascii117lts reflect two core facts: people love books and pascii117blishers actively serve readers wherever they are,' said Tom Allen, president of the AAP. 'The pascii117blic 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.'