US publishing sales up 3.2% in first quarter

In the US, total publishing industry sales rose 3.2% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year, reports Publishers Weekly.

According to the AAP’s StatShot program—which is based on results from 1240 companies—the strong start to the year was boosted by a 6.6% growth in sales in March alone. For the quarter, sales of adult books rose 3.5%, led by growth in the digital audio and ebook categories, up 13.4% and 15.4% respectively. Trade paperback titles were up 4.8%, while hardcover sales were down 0.5%.

Children’s and YA sales were down 4.6% for the quarter, primarily due to a 7.6% drop in hardcover sales. Sales of university press titles were down 3.6% for the quarter, and sales of professional books fell 2.3%.

Category: International news