Some schools are now forcing students to use e-textbooks.
E-books captured 11% of all book spending last year, up from 7% in 2011, Kulo reported, while e-books accounted for 22% of units in 2012, up from 14% the prior year. In 2010, e-books accounted for only 2% of spending. Despite the gains made by digital, paperback remained the most popular format last year, accounting for 43% of spending, down one percentage point from 2011, while hardcovers represented 37% of dollar sales, down from 39%.
The growth in the e-book format last year was one of the factors that increased e-commerce’s lead as the largest channel for book sales, Kulo noted. Online retailers, led by Amazon, accounted for 44% of sales in 2012, up from 39% in 2011. The gains made by online retailers came at the expense of bookstore chains, whose market share fell to 19%, from 26% in 2011. As consumers buy more e-books they also tend to buy more print books from the same outlet—a trend that has cemented Amazon’s position as the country’s largest booksellers, Kulo said. According to the Bowker data, Amazon captured 31% of dollars spent on all books last year, up from 26% in 2011. Despite the chains’ loss of market share, they were the only other channel besides online retailers to have a slice of the book market that was bigger than 10%. Together, chains and online retailers accounted for 63% of spending in the year, up from 56% in 2009. Independent bookstores had a 6% share of spending in the year, the same as in 2011.
Kulo also noted that the Kindle remained the most popular reading device among e-book buyers in 2012, although some members of the Kindle family gained share while others lost ground. Kindle e-ink devices fell from a 43% share in 2011 to 40% last year, but the percentage of e-book buyers who reported owning a Kindle Fire, released in fall 2011, rose to 20% in 2012, from a low base the prior year. Despite a bad holiday season, Nook was used by 15% of e-book buyers last year—the same level as in 2011. Ownership of iPads remained relatively low among e-book buyers at 19%, up from 15% in 2011. The Kindle family, by a wide margin, was also the most popular group of devices used by e-book buyers to download e-books in 2012, with 55% of the e-book buyers using either the e-ink or tablet versions. The Nook, which held second place, was used by 14%. Tablets, including iPads, came in third at 13%.
More data relating to buying trends and consumer book-buying behavior will be included in the upcoming edition of the 2013 U.S. Book Consumer Demographics and Buying Behaviors Annual Review, to be published by Bowker in June.
The publisher notified Amazon and made sure there were books in stock. All the authors involved contributed bonuses and a special offer was made for December 7th (the 13 year anniversary of the story on which the book is based). All send out email to their followers, and shared the book with social media networks like Facebook and Twitter.
“We woke up this morning to a best seller” said Warren Whitlock of BestSellerAuthors.com “Amazon had run out of stock! Fortunately, there were enough back orders for the book to be a best seller.”
By 7 AM, the reported rank of book sales was dropping while the publisher worked with Amazon to get an additional quantity of books into the system. An note of the web site was posted reading
Special Announcement:
As of 5:32 AM This morning, Amazon ran out of Love’s Fire. Thank you for making us a BEST SELLER.
GOOD NEWS: Amazon confirms more books in warehouse. While the page may say "out of stock" you can order an still get your book for the holidays.
Author Tianna Conti wrote Love Fire to share what she has learned about love and relationships after experiencing events when her husband passed right after they were married. The book launch was timed to go with a new movie Tianna’s production company is releasing and fell on the anniversary date of her late husband’s passing. Tianna was joyful when she heard the news of the book’s success:
First, thank you not only for Best Seller…it has transformed Dec. 7 one of the worst days of my life into a triumph for the message to enhance others lives and possibilities. Today, the book is coming out, tomorrow the movie and I adore you for your expertise and timing of our launch. It is a memory of a lifetime for me far beyond best seller…a new life and we did it together…..created a holiday miracle……heartfelt love and appreciation.
BestSellerAuthors.com is built around Warren Whitlock’s mission to help authors promote new books, share messages, and teach authors to promote their books using social media and online marketing.
Warren Whitlock is a speaker, author, and book marketing strategist. He is a co-author of the first book on Twitter “Twitter Revolution: How Social Media and Mobile Marketing is Changing the Way We Do Business & Market Online” and is working on a new book for 2011 called “Profitable Social Media”
Listen to the Healthy Helpful Authors Partner Training Call
We had some of our 427 partners in the promotion for 11/17 come on a training call. I reviewed how we are leveraging the positions we have to be more attractive to potential readers.
If you have a health related topic, or something that can help others who want to live a healthy happy lifestyle, this book promotion is a great way to join our network FREE.
It’s National Diabetes Awareness Month, and I’m reminded of a huge best seller success we had a few years back bringing awareness to the dangers of diabetes. During that promotion, dozens of authors built connections with readers and several started relationships that continue to this day.
It’s also Movember, an anti cancer campaign where men are growing a mustache this month. I’m personally using as an excuse not to shave. (no photos please)
How Authors Will Promote During This Healthy Time
If you have a book that promotes good health or a better life, this is a great time to be on the lookout for cross promotions and good causes.
As we say, the best way to attract new readers for your book is to get involved and network with other authors with similar great books. Remember, your best buyers will not be buying just one book and the most likely readers from your book (and leads for other business) will be those buying books on subjects like yours.
When you see a good book, do as many of these as possible.
Buy a Copy of “Cut Your Health Care Costs Now”.
You are an expert author. You should know the best books. As Mark Twain Said
“Never trust anyone that writes more than they read”
When you meet an author, they ALWAYS appreciate the compliment of “I bought your book” (try it, it really works on ANY author, no matter how famous). Let them know that you bought it through reviews, email, comments on their blogs, or some of the idea below
Tell Your Followers
There’s trick we use to get readers of newsletters, email list and blogs to buy. We make sure there are offers from many sources. Studies have shown that people tend to be turned of from a barrage of messages saying “buy my stuff” but love to hear about great products from others.
A review in your newsletter, an excerpt from book on your blog, or mentions on your radio show, speeches and teleseminars will add value and make you stand out as the expert (see Twain quote above)
Reach Out While the Author is Promoting
Most authors are as anxious as you to get more publicity for their book. Instead of begging for coverage, use the tools at your disposal to lend a hand to authors you meet. And if you don’t know them, use this as an opportunity to connect.
When an author has a new book out, they are busy… but this is exactly the time that they will want to be on your radio show, be interviewed for your blog, or talk to your audience.
The Recipe For a Best Seller Network
It’s simple:
Buy a book, promote the author as much as possible the ask them to be your guest.
I’ve done these 3 steps over and over. There are many variations, but I know try to always approach an author I want to have recommend me by ordering their book, finding their Twitter and Facebook ID and sharing it with my readers, commenting on their blog on any post that I can and only then calling them.
Rather than a cold call, I get to hear “Thanks for calling. I appreciate you” .. after that, they are in your camp, asking you how they can help you and looking for ways to cross promote, endorse and grow with you.
On July 21st, millions of readers will get an email about a book that can change their life forever.
We’ll ask them to order a copy from Amazon.com.. and maybe send another as a gift to a friend.
Ordering a book is easy, inexpensive and can bring a tremendous value on its own, but we know how busy people get.. so we want to make sure they have a reason to buy the book on this day and have assembled more life changing audio downloads, eBooks, courses and SUCCESS information we can from dozens of partners who have their own great content.
The result will be a best seller rank, allow author Barbara Hofmeister to publicize here work at a new level.. and thousands will get the opportunity to connect with new ideas from Barbara and our many partners.
Mark your calendar for July 21st. It’s MEGA SUCCESS DAY.. better yet. Go to the MegaSuccessDay Facebook Page now and click the LIKE button to see more exclusive content there.
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