Unit sales of print books slipped 1% in week 10 of 2014, compared to the week ended March 10, 2013, at outlets that report to Nielsen BookScan. After several weeks of double-digit declines, sales via the mass merchandiser channel fell a relatively modest 6% in the week ended March 9, 2014. Better weather was likely a factor in stemming the declines. Juvenile fiction was the best-performing segment, with sales up 8% in week 10 of this year, compared to the similar week in 2013. The segment was driven by strong sales of Dr. Seuss books and the three Divergent titles. Sales of adult fiction fell 14% in the week, although a few new titles did hit the top of the list; Words of Radiance was the #1 adult fiction title in its first week, selling about 30,000 copies. Adult nonfiction sales fell less than 2% in week 10 of 2014, as The Blood Sugar Solution and Uganda Be Kidding Me sold about 23,000 and 20,000 copies, respectively.
Unit Sales of Print Books by Channel
| Mar. 10, 2013 | Mar. 9, 2014 | % Chge Week | % Chge YTD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 11,374 | 11,182 | -1% | -2% |
| Mass Merch./Other | 2,513 | 2,370 | -6 | -9 |
| Retail & Club | 8,861 | 8,712 | -1 | -2 |
Unit Sales of Print Books by Category
| Mar. 10, 2013 | Mar. 9, 2014 | % Chge Week | % Chge YTD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Nonfiction | 4,243 | 4,177 | -1.5% | -2% |
| Adult Fiction | 2,888 | 2,480 | -14 | -15 |
| Juvenile Nonfiction | 813 | 842 | 3 | 5 |
| Juvenile Fiction | 3,235 | 2,998 | 8 | 5 |
Unit Sales of Print Books by Format
| Mar. 10, 2013 | Mar. 9, 2014 | % Chge Week | % Chge YTD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardcover | 2,952 | 2,956 | 0% | -2% |
| Trade Paperback | 5,984 | 5,942 | -0.7 | -3 |
| Mass Market Paperback | 1,637 | 1,436 | -12 | -12 |
| Board Books | 525 | 559 | 6 | 2 |
| Audio | 86 | 92 | 7 | 3 |
