Religious eBook Sales Rise, Says Publishers Association

By Ariel R. Rey, Christian Post Reporter Saturday, March 19, 2011

According to the January 2011 sales report by the Association of American Publishers, sales of Religious eBooks grew by 5.6%, from $49.8 million to $52.6 million, the group announced this week.

The overall figures for e-books show that e-book net sales totaled $32.4 million in January 2010 and jumped to $69.9 million in the same time period this year.

While the demand for digital books is on its highest peak, conventional hardcover and paperback books is continuing to decline.

AAP reports that hardcover sales fell from $55.4 million in January 2010 to $49.1 million this year, while paperback sales dropped from $104.2 million to $83.6 million during the same period.

Reports show that technological advances have worried the book industry as users have been steadily getting comfortable with the use of devices such as the iPad and Kindle. Companies like Novo Ink, a faith-faith digital publisher, have been taking advantage of the eBook popularity.

Last year alone, Zondervan the world's leading Bible publisher, announced that their eBibles represent more than 40 percent of the company's eBook revenue, and that it has since then outsold some traditional hardcover Bible products.