AAP Monthly Statshot, January 2012

Print trade sales held up surprisingly well in January, according to AAP’s monthly sales report (now called Monthly StatShot), with all but the mass market paperback category reporting gains in the month from reporting companies helped by lower returns. The AAP has revised its sales report, adding significantly more publishers (a total of 1,149 in January), and more segments, including breaking e-book sales into adult, children’s/YA, and religion. Adult e-book sales rose 49.4% in January, to $99.5 million, from reporting companies, more than triple mass market paperback sales. In children’s/YA, e-book sales jumped 475%, to $22.6 million, due in part to sales of color digital reading devices over the holidays. Sales in children’s/YA hardcover and paperback segments rose 68.9% and 61.9%, respectively, while board book sales fell at reporting companies. Sales in the religion segment rose 9.9% as e-book sales jumped 150.7%, to $6.7 million, at reporting companies.