Faith-based publishers reported a 70.6% year-over-year jump in hardcover sales for December, though paperback sales saw a slight dip, according to the Association of American Publishers (AAP).
Net hardcover sales from religious presses skyrocketed to $25.4 million in December 2013, a significant leap over the $14.9 million sold the same month in 2012. This helped push hardcover sales growth for the year well into the black, with 2013 hardcover sales up 3.4% from the previous year—$307.4 million, versus $297.4 million in 2012.
Meanwhile, religious presses’ e-book sales also saw significant growth—$4.2 million in December 2013 versus $3.2 million in December 2012, a 29.1% increase, helping to boost e-book sales for 2013 to $63.6 million, a 9.7% increase over the $57.9 million sold in 2012.
Net paperback sales from religious presses fell from $6.3 million in December 2012 to $6 million the same month a year later, a drop of 3.5%. Total net paperback sales for 2013 declined 5.1% compared to 2012—$119 million and $125.3 million, respectively.
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SOURCE: Christian Retailing
Jeremy Burns