Religious book sales drop in January—except e-books Print
Written by Jeremy Burns   
Friday, 02 May 2014 06:20 PM America/New_York

AAPButtonLogo-webFaith-based publishers reported a 7.4% year-over-year drop in total sales for January, though e-book sales grew significantly for the period, according to the Association of American Publishers (AAP).

Net hardcover sales from religious presses fell 12% to 24 million in January, versus $27.3 million sold during the same month in 2013.

Religious presses’ paperback sales also dropped, from $8.5 million in January 2013 to $7.7 million the same month a year later—a decline of 9%.

However, e-books from religious presses fared much better, seeing significant growth—$5 million this January versus $4.1 million in January 2013, a 22.5% increase.

Religious presses’ net sales of all titles declined from $47.2 million in January 2013 to $43.7 million in January 2014, a 7.4% decline.

With more than 1,200 publishers reporting, AAP's Monthly StatShot report includes data from Concordia Publishing House, Crossway, eChristian, Harvest House Publishers, Kregel Publications, David C Cook, InterVarsity Press and Tyndale House Publishers, among others represented by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.