NPD Books Reports, “With More Bookstores Open, Soaring E-books Sales Fall Back to Earth”

From NPD:

Last year in 2020 marked the first time since 2013 that annual e-book unit sales from leading U.S. publishers grew, increasing by 22%, year over year, according to The NPD Group. With many brick-and-mortar bookstores closed, due to pandemic restrictions last year, sales in the e-book format benefited. However, so far in 2021 e-book growth has slowed and monthly levels were more consistent with 2019 pre-pandemic sales. For the year-to-date through June 2021, unit sales declined by 8%, versus last year, but sales were still 8% higher than they were in 2019 before the pandemic.

“With brick-and-mortar stores closed last year, e-books were simply easier to buy than print books,” said Kristen McLean, books industry analyst for NPD. “The digital format allowed for frictionless, virus-free purchasing. Now that bookstores are open again, we expect full-year 2021 e-book volume to fall below 2020 levels, with the caveat that supply-chain disruption could cause another lift, if key books are unavailable during the holidays. Regardless, the e-book format will definitely remain a vital ongoing part of the U.S. book market — and a key format for certain categories.”

E-books made up more than one out of every six books sold

When combining print and e-book sales across all categories, e-books account for 18% of sales, or more than one in six books sold. In the 12 months ending June 2021, e-books lost one share point, compared to the previous year. Absolute print book sales gains were eight times more than e-book gains.

Adult fiction posted the largest e-book share, accounting for 41% of combined sales, but it also lost the most format share points compared to prior year, down 3 points. “January 2021 sales got a bump from Julia Quinn’s ‘Bridgerton’ book series,” McLean said. “Sales fell back to normal levels the following month and have performed more in line with 2019 volume since then.”