August Trade Sales Slump

With the exception of the children's hardcover segment, sales in the various trade categories fell in August, according to estimates from the AAP. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix had enough of a lingering affect to help boost children's hardcover sales 39.8% in the month. With no similar tonic, August sales fell in the adult hardcover, trade paperback, mass market paperback and children's paperback categories. Sales in all four categories were also down in the January through August period, while sales in children's hardcover jumped 53.7%. The education segments also did not fare well in August, with college sales down 3.4% and elhi sales up by less than 1%. In the elhi segment, basal sales were up 1.5% for the month, but supplemental sales fell 4.5%. The religion book category had a good month with sales up 25.7%, and the electronic and audio book segments had solid gains of 498% (to $600,000), and 15%, respectively.