AAP Releases August Sales Figures

Book sales tracked by the Association of American Publishers (AAP) for the month of August increased 0.6 percent to $1.5 billion, compared to August 2007. Calendar year-to-date sales were down 1.4 percent.

Categories posting an increase in August included:

•E-books sales jumped up by 82.9 percent for the month ($4.3 million), and the category also posted a 52-percent increase for the year.

•The children’s/young-adult paperback category increased 18.4 percent in August with sales totaling $69.4 million, reflecting an increase of 14.1 percent for the year.

•The adult-hardcover category increased 9.2 percent in August with sales of $100.9 million; year-to-date sales decreased 3.6 percent.

•Sales in the professional and scholarly category increased three percent in August ($99.8 million), but decreased one percent for the year.

•Adult-paperback sales increased 1.8 percent for the month ($147.4 million) and increased by 9.5 percent for the year.

•Higher-education publishing sales increased by 0.6 percent for the month ($826.0 million) and increased 3.2 percent for the year.

Categories posting a decrease in August included:

•Sales of university-press hardcover books dropped 17.8 percent in August with sales of $6.4 million; sales decreased by 6.4 percent for the year.

•The net elementary/high school basal and supplemental K-12 category posted a decrease of 16.6 percent in August with sales of $741.5 million; the category decreased 1.7 percent for the year.

•University-press paperback sales also posted a decrease of 13.9 percent for the month, with sales totaling $9.8 million; sales were down 7.6 percent for the year.

•Religious books decreased 10.8 percent for the month with sales totaling $61.1 million; sales were down by 7.7 percent for the year.

•The children’s/young-adult hardcover category decreased 9.3 percent for the month with sales of $96.4 million; sales for year-to-date dropped 35.5 percent.

•Audiobook sales posted a 6.9-percent decrease in August, with sales totaling $11.9 million; sales for the year decreased 26.8 percent.

•The adult mass-market category decreased 4.5 percent for August with sales totaling $70.1 million; sales increased 2.1 percent year-to-date.