"A Mixed Blessing in Slowing E-book Sales"

[crich70]

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

My own personal ebook buying habits have changed, perhaps others have changed as well. When I first got my Kindle, I went on some buying binges. I now have a backlog of a couple hundred ebooks. I'm buying very few lately, only when they drop to a really low price, like under $3. And I check to see if they are available from the library before hitting the buy button.

I'd be curious to see how ebook lending at the library is coming along in terms of numbers. I'd bet I'm not the only one who is getting a majority of their new ebook titles from the library.

I think part of the drop is also the wearing off of the novelty for some people. I mean when something new comes out everyone rushes to buy it. Then when it's no longer new some buyers drop away and the true market (those who will stick with the new thing) becomes clear. I mean some things are world changing (i.e. automobies, cell phones, things like that) but the majority are niche products. Not everyone will take to the new e-reader devices as their standard way of doing things. A lot of people will, but some won't and it's their share of the sales (or lack of them) that makes it look like sales are slowing.

[emonti8384]

Lol, I think everyone went on a buying binge when they got their readers; I bought 6 books just because I could! I don't understand why there has to be a war between eink, paper, or lcd. Ebook sales are down compared to when they first started because yes, library-lending capabilities and options have grown quite a bit even in the last 2 years. Idk, to me tablets really aren't all that great for reading (and if people that own them are still buying paperbacks they don't think so either, lol) but everyone has what they like and "rapidly declining" ebook sales aren't indicative to people not reading them.

[shanghaichica]

I suppose that my ebook buying habits have changed. I bought more books on impulse when I first got a reader, however I still buy a lot of ebooks now, a lot more than I did before I got a reader. The fact that they don't take up any physical space is still a big incentive for me. Before I got a reader it was the lack of space for books in my apartment that held me back, although they were piled up on the floor after the book shelves were at breaking point!

In general, maybe the number of people buying new devices is reaching a plateau. I also think that ebooks are still quite a novelty to the general public as a whole. Most people are still content with reading physical books. I also think that people are reading less in general which is sad.

[speakingtohe]

According to the article ebook sales are still increasing. Up 5% from last year. They are just not increasing as much percentage wise.

This is normal IMO in most markets. After all the second ebook sale way back when increased sales percentage by 100%. A 5% increase on 20+ million ebooks sold is 1 million more ebooks sold.

Helen

[Tarana]

For the past two years, the BIG gift was ereaders for older folks, tablets for younger folks. I couldn't even read my kindle or nook at medical appointments and such because I would be always interrupted by folks asking me how I liked my reader. This year, yes, some will get as gifts, but for the most part, people are buying their OWN readers this year. Rather than a trail blazer, these are the later adopters. So, yeah, I think the numbers after Christmas are going to show the trend more than the before Christmas ones.