B N C R E S E A RC H
The Canadian Book Consumer 2013: In-Depth Reader Profiles January – December, 2013
05.2014 PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF
In-Depth Reader Profiles
January – December, 2013
Table of Contents 4 Methodology 6 Introduction 7
Who Is Buying Books?
8
What Books Are People Buying?
14 Economic Impact 16
Price Tolerance
18
Reader Profiles by Genre
64 Conclusion 65 Appendix A – Annual Market Snapshot 67 Appendix B – Genre Broken Out by Format 69 Appendix C – Average Price Paid by Format 71 Appendix D – Where Books Are Purchased by Genre 73 Appendix E – Awareness Factors 75 Appendix F – Demographics 78 Acknowledgements
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3
In-Depth Reader Profiles
January – December, 2013
Who Is Buying Books? Over the course of the year, a total of 12,463 English-speaking Canadians were approached, representing all regions of Canada, to create a pool of 4,033 book buyers to complete the survey.
38% of book buyers are “power buyers”— those that purchase 3 or more books per month
The survey asked consumers to report on the number of books they had purchased in the previous month. Of the consumers surveyed that reported buying books, averaged out over the course of the year, our results show that 36% of consumers purchased one book per month, 26% purchased two books per month, and 13% purchased three. The total number of books purchased by participants in this study was 11,982, for an average of 3 monthly book purchases per person— up slightly from 2.8 purchases in 2012. Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Total 12,463
Panel Size
3,197
3,417
2,982
2,867
Respondents
1,005
1,018
1,005
1,005
4,033
Books Purchased
2,937
3,041
3,034
2,970
11,982
Through demographic data provided by our respondents, we were able to build a profile of an average Canadian book buyer. This profile has been consistent throughout the two years that we have been running surveys (2012 and 2013): • • • • • •
Female 30 to 44 years of age Resides in a city or urban area Holds a college diploma or university degree Married Employed as a professional (doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc.), with an annual income between $50,000 and $74,999 • Born in Canada Power buyers, defined as consumers who purchased three or more books in a month, account for 38% of the participants in the survey—down very slightly from 40% in 2012. Generally, power buyers fit the profile of the average book buyer, deviating only in that they are even more likely to be younger: 31% of power buyers are 18 to 29 years of age, as compared to the overall average, in which 29% of respondents are of that age bracket.
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In-Depth Reader Profiles
January – December, 2013
What Books Are People Buying? Paperback books (including mass market) comprised 54% of all purchases in 2013, with a steady decline from Q1 to Q4, while hardcover sales represented 25% and had an inverse relationship, steadily increasing in market share over the course of the year. Ebooks averaged 17% of all sales, which was an increase from 15% in 2012, and remained relatively steady throughout the year. The findings in the same period by BookNet Canada’s national print book sales tracking service, BNC SalesData, show that paperbacks represented an average of 62% of print sales, down by almost 6% from 2012. Hardcovers made up 27% of print sales, an increase of 5%. Format Distribution over Time Paperback
Hardcover Ebook Boxed set Audio/Sound Q1
Book app
Q2
Q3
Q4
Children's
Interactive book 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Question: Please indicate the format of this book. Please select one. (Q1 N=1,005, Q2 N=1,018, Q3 N=1,005, Q4 N=1,005)
Book buyers who read both print and ebooks are on the rise, up to
Consistent with our findings in the report released in 2012, there is little crossover between formats—most people read either print books or ebooks, not both. However, we do see that the number of crossover readers has been increasing throughout the year, from 6.8% in Q1 up to 9.5% in Q4. The table below presents the breakdown of readership by format.
9.5% in Q4
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In-Depth Reader Profiles
January – December, 2013
Book Purchases by Format 2012
2013
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
85.8%
86.8%
86.2%
88.0%
86.8%
85.7%
87.2%
86.6%
Ebook
20.5%
18.1%
18.6%
15.3%
18.6%
21.1%
19.7%
20.9%
7.7%
6.1%
6.3%
5.3%
6.8%
9.0%
8.6%
9.5%
Both Print and Ebook
Question: Please indicate the format of this book. (2012 Q1 N=1,050, Q2 N=1,095, Q3 N=1,005, Q4 N=1,005; 2013 Q1 N=1,005, Q2 N=1,018, Q3 N=1,005, Q4 N=1,005)
In regards to readers transitioning from print books to digital formats, fiction titles saw the highest percentage of ebook usage. Appendix B outlines in detail the format breakdown of sales by subject. The following table outlines a breakdown of format sales for each of the categories examined within this report. We see that subjects such as Mystery/Detective, Fantasy, and Romance have a much greater adoption of the ebook format. FORMAT PURCHASES BY GENRE Print
Ebook
25%
Espionage/Thriller Fantasy
20%
Mystery/Detective Romance Biography & Autobiography
15%
Business & Economics Cooking Health & Fitness
10%
History Religion
Self-Help 0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
5%
10%
12%
Question: Into which of the following categories does this book fall? Crosstab question: Please indicate the format of this book. (N=9,940)
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B N C R E S E A RC H
The Canadian Book Consumer 2013: Book Purchases by Channel January – December, 2013
06.2014 PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF
Book Purchases by Channel
January – December, 2013
Table of Contents 4 Methodology 6 Introduction 7
Purchases by Channel
10 Awareness 16
Impulse vs. Planned Purchases
23
Price Paid
27 Conclusion 28 Appendix A – Annual Market Snapshot 30 Appendix B – Where Books Are Purchased by Genre 32 Appendix C – Awareness Factors 34 Appendix D – Average Price Paid by Format 36 Appendix E – Demographics 39 Acknowledgements
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3
Book Purchases by Channel
January – December, 2013
Purchases by Channel Online sales claimed
25% of the market share in 2013
Online sales continued to be strong in the market in 2013, similar to 2012. Online sales, including online purchases of print books and ebook or audio downloads, claimed 25% of the market share. Sales at chain bookstores dropped slightly in 2013, to approximately 24% of the market share. This is different from what we saw in 2012, when chain bookstores and non-book retailers were neck and neck for the top spot. Book Purchases by Channel (All Formats) Chain bookstores
Online (print)
Non-book retailers*
Bookstores
Online (ebook/audio download)
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0% Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
January - March
April - June
July - September
October - December
*Represents stores that sell books in addition to other items but are not primarily booksellers.
Question: Where did you purchase this book? If you don’t see the exact match on this list, please select “Other” at the end of the list. (Q1 N=1,005, Q2 N=1,018, Q3 N=1,005, Q4 N=1,005)
As in 2012, titles downloaded from ebook or audio sites are nearly three times more likely to be fiction than non-fiction, while titles obtained using a mobile app are slightly more likely to be non-fiction (note that this sector represents significantly fewer unit sales).
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Book Purchases by Channel
January – December, 2013
Book Purchases by Genre (All Formats) Fiction
Non-Fiction
Bookstores Chain bookstores Grocery stores Non-book retailers*
Online Ebook/audio download Book club Mobile app 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
*Represents stores that sell books in addition to other items but are not primarily booksellers.
Question: Where did you purchase this book? If you don’t see the exact match on this list, please select “Other” at the end of the list. Crosstab question: Adult book category: Into which of the following categories does this book fall? (N=8,313)
Generally, non-fiction sales grew in some channels, such as bookstores and mobile apps. And with some big holiday titles such as Bobby Orr’s Orr: My Story and Chris Hadfield’s An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, the non-fiction category was strong as a whole for 2013. Participants were given the opportunity to explain their preferences for different types of retailers, and regardless of whether they purchased online or in-person, convenience was the most prevalent reason for selecting a particular store. A convenient location ranked high across all types of bricks-and-mortar retailers. Convenience was also the most significant reason for making book purchases online or downloading ebooks or audiobooks. Pricing and special offers also played an important role. When we look at the number of books from each genre that were purchased in a bookstore, Mystery/Detective titles come out on top, making up 9% of the total sales according to consumers. Online sales are similar, with the top category also being Mystery/Detective (12%), followed by General Fiction (8%). Respondents report purchasing Religion titles the most in chain bookstores (7%) and Fantasy titles in grocery stores (10%).
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Book Purchases by Channel
January – December, 2013
Factors in Consumer Preference – Physical Retailer Outlets Bookstores
Chain bookstores
Grocery stores
Non-book retailers*
2012
2013
2012
2013
2012
2013
2012
2013
Out of habit
10%
7%
12%
11%
9%
10%
6%
8%
It is conveniently located
18%
14%
27%
25%
23%
24%
17%
17%
Saw the book in an upfront display
9%
7%
9%
8%
13%
14%
11%
11%
Knowledgeable staff
9%
8%
10%
9%
5%
4%
3%
5%
15%
15%
18%
19%
13%
18%
20%
17%
5%
4%
12%
16%
4%
4%
4%
3%
12%
10%
27%
26%
11%
18%
18%
16%
6%
6%
10%
8%
13%
10%
10%
10%
Price/special offer
10%
11%
17%
14%
25%
21%
31%
25%
I was shopping here for other items anyway
12%
12%
15%
13%
43%
47%
37%
34%
Service
8%
5%
8%
7%
1%
3%
3%
5%
Other
9%
11%
11%
8%
6%
4%
11%
9%
Ease of purchase I am a member of their frequent shopper/loyalty program I like the selection of books they offer They had a sale going on
*Represents stores that sell books in addition to other items but are not primarily booksellers. Question: What are the reasons why you purchased this book at this store? Select all that apply. (2012 N=5,437, 2013 N=6,152)
Factors in Consumer Preference – Online Retailers Online
Ebook/audio download
2012
2013
2012
2013
I trust this site
41%
44%
20%
35%
Site makes it easy to find what I need
29%
23%
20%
25%
Site makes it easy to order and purchase
36%
31%
30%
27%
Site has good delivery terms
29%
23%
4%
8%
Site runs good specials/offers
17%
14%
6%
10%
Provides good information about the books/genres
17%
12%
8%
17%
I like the selection of books they offer
33%
27%
23%
31%
They had a sale going on
13%
13%
10%
18%
They had free shipping
38%
31%
1%
6%
I had a gift card/gift certificate
21%
24%
15%
11%
I was shopping here for other items anyway
20%
15%
8%
13%
Service
16%
13%
5%
7%
8%
5%
16%
9%
Other Question: What are the reasons why you purchased this book at this store? Select all that apply. (2012 N=2,527, 2013 N=2,459)
Appendix B contains a detailed breakout of where purchases occurred by genre. PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF © BOOKNET CANADA 2014
9
BBNNCCRREESSEEAARRC C HH
The Canadian Book Consumer 2013: Digital Sales and Trends January – December, 2013
06.2014 PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF
Digital Sales and Trends
January – December, 2013
Table of Contents 4 Methodology 6 Introduction 7 Ebook Sales 10 Acquiring Ebooks 11 Ebook Pricing 14 E-reading Devices 20
Mobile Usage
22 Conclusion 23 Appendix A – Annual Market Snapshot 25 Appendix B – Average Price Paid by Format 27 Appendix C – Demographics 30 Acknowledgements
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3
Digital Sales and Trends
January – December, 2013
Ebook Sales Ebook sales remained steady through 2013
In 2012, over the course of the year we saw a steady decline in the number of ebooks purchased. This pattern did not hold throughout the four quarters of 2013. The table below shows respondents who purchased an ebook, a print book, or both. (Note: this is not a review of the total number of books sold, but rather the percentage of book buyers who purchased in each format during each quarter.) While the rate of ebook purchases was on a small but steady decline in 2012, it seemed to pick up and then remain fairly stable through the course of 2013. A possible explanation for this could be that the economy was stronger in 2013 and therefore consumers felt more comfortable purchasing luxuries like ebooks and e-reading devices. In 2012, 18% of respondents said they were cutting down on book buying due to the state of the economy, but that number dropped to 16% in 2013. It may also be that consumers are willing to pay for hot frontlist titles, now that many publishers are publishing titles in both print and ebook format at the same time. Format Purchased by Quarter Print
Ebook
Both Print and Ebook
100% Print 90%
Ebook
Both Print and Ebook
100% 90%
80%
80%
70%
70% 60%
60%
50%
50%
40% 30%
40%
20%
30%
10%
0%
20%
Q1
Q2
10%
Q3
Q4
Q1
2012
Q2
Q3
Q4
2013
0% Q1
Q2
Q3
2012
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
2013
Question: Please indicate the format of this book. Please select one. (2012 Q1 N=1,050, Q2 N=1,095, Q3 N=1,005, Q4 N=1,005; 2013 Q1 N=1,050, Q2 N=1,018, Q3 N=1,005, Q4 N=1,005)
The market share of hardcover trade books remained steady throughout the year, hovering at 24–27% with the usual increase in Q4 during the holiday season. The market share of both paperback and ebook sales also remained fairly flat.
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Digital Sales and Trends
January – December, 2013
Market Share by Format Q2 Q1
Q1
Q2
Paperback 0%
10%
20%
30%
Hardcover 40% Ebook
Q3
Q4
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Question: Please indicate the format of this book. Please select one. (Q1 N=2,938, Q2 N=3,041, Q3 N=3,034, Q4 N=2,970)
In looking at buying preferences, we find that 37% of respondents who had purchased an ebook exclusively purchased ebooks, which is down from the 44% that we saw in 2012. 59% purchased both ebooks and print books in 2013, which is an 8% increase over the 2012 figure. The remaining 4% had purchased an ebook but did not plan to do so in the future, which is down slightly from 5.5% in 2012. Book Purchasing Patterns Q4 2012
Q4 2013
I exclusively or mostly purchase ebooks
43.6%
36.5%
I purchase ebooks interchangeably, or I prefer some genres in ebook form and others in print
50.9%
59.4%
5.5%
4.1%
I no longer buy ebooks, only print books
Question: Since you first began acquiring ebooks, which of the following is most true about your book purchasing patterns for personal use? Please select one. (2012 N=163, 2013 N=197)
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8
Digital Sales and Trends
January – December, 2013
In the graph below, we examine print and ebook buyers by age. This doesn’t indicate the actual number of books purchased, but rather how many survey respondents purchased print books, ebooks, or both—what format people are buying. While most respondents are predominantly buying print books, we see that respondents between the ages of 18 and 44 are purchasing the largest percentage of both print and ebooks. We found that in 2013, the purchasing by format done by the respondents between the ages of 18 to 29 was much closer to that of the 30–44-year-old respondents than it was in 2012. After the 30–44-year-old age bracket, the percentage of digital purchases decline by age. Format of Purchases by Age
30-44 Yrs
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
45-54 Yrs
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
55-64 Yrs
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
65+ Yrs
18-29 Yrs
Ebook
Print and Ebook
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Question: Please indicate the format of this book. Please select one. Crosstab question: Please indicate your age. (Q1 N=1,127, Q2 N=1,179, Q3 N=1,160, Q4 N=1,175)
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Meet BNC RESEAR CH
the
Canadian Book Buyer B NC R ESEAR CH
BBNC NCRRESEAR ESEARCH CH
The Canadian Book Consumer 2013:
The Canadian Book Consumer 2013:
The Canadian Book Consumer 2013:
In-Depth Reader Profiles
Book Purchases by Channel
Digital Sales and Trends
January – December, 2013
January – December, 2013
January – December, 2013
05.2014
06.2014
06.2014
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PREPARED BY BOOKNET CANADA STAFF
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