Okaaaaaaaaaay, since this controversy is raging again.
A short thread about 'readers', and why we should be careful about applying a zero-sum logic to book-buying.
A short thread about 'readers', and why we should be careful about applying a zero-sum logic to book-buying.
There are 20.1 million people in the UK who self-identify as 'readers'.
Just over half of them bought a book in the last month.
Just over half of them bought a book in the last month.
18.5% of readers bought an ebook in the last month.
(Even at a national level, monthly ebook purchases outstrip music streaming subscriptions - at least in volume sales).
(Even at a national level, monthly ebook purchases outstrip music streaming subscriptions - at least in volume sales).
The average consumer spends just over £50* a year on books
They buy 4.6 books a year.
So the average consumer pays £11 per book.
*Source: Kantar
They buy 4.6 books a year.
So the average consumer pays £11 per book.
*Source: Kantar
Meanwhile 65+ consumers...
💸Spend £59.23 per year
📚Buy an average of 6 books
So they pay £9.80 a book.
💸Spend £59.23 per year
📚Buy an average of 6 books
So they pay £9.80 a book.
Frequent book buyers consume more books, but pay less per title.
So these are people who pay full cover price sometimes, but look out for online deals, buy from The Works, borrow books from libraries...
They have omnivorous consumption habits.
So these are people who pay full cover price sometimes, but look out for online deals, buy from The Works, borrow books from libraries...
They have omnivorous consumption habits.
Infrequent book buyers consume fewer books but pay more per title.
So these are consumers who will usually pay full cover price for specific titles through a smaller number of channels e.g. Amazon & Waterstones.
So these are consumers who will usually pay full cover price for specific titles through a smaller number of channels e.g. Amazon & Waterstones.
BOTH of these audience segments maintain the *balance* of the book industry
INFREQUENT book buyers deliver the big profits (you see this when a hit title like The Hunger Games lifts the whole sector).
FREQUENT book buyers keep the industry ticking over.
INFREQUENT book buyers deliver the big profits (you see this when a hit title like The Hunger Games lifts the whole sector).
FREQUENT book buyers keep the industry ticking over.
The trouble with blanket arguments like
"DON'T BUY BOOKS FROM THE WORKS!"
Is that outlets like The Works play an important role in the wider book ecosystem that publishers find hard to explain to authors.
"DON'T BUY BOOKS FROM THE WORKS!"
Is that outlets like The Works play an important role in the wider book ecosystem that publishers find hard to explain to authors.
And while *some* book sales (e.g. secondhand) don't return as much (or any) income to authors as others.
On aggregate these sales do seem to be driven by frequent bookbuyers.
On aggregate these sales do seem to be driven by frequent bookbuyers.
I thought these numbers from an (old) YouGov survey of UK readers was revealing.
Bookbuying is an aggregate habit.
Consumers acquire books from multiple sources.
The variety of sources seems to increase with the rate of your consumption.
Bookbuying is an aggregate habit.
Consumers acquire books from multiple sources.
The variety of sources seems to increase with the rate of your consumption.
I am painfully aware that writing books is a financially precarious activity for authors.
But I think they key to this argument is better, clearer explanation from agents & publishers as to why they use certain sales channels and a bit less finger-pointing.
Thank you.
But I think they key to this argument is better, clearer explanation from agents & publishers as to why they use certain sales channels and a bit less finger-pointing.
Thank you.
