Back to the old fashioned way: Sales of physical books rise, E-book revenue falls

Harlequin books are pictured at a store in Ottawa May 2, 2014. Reuters/Chris Wattie

Latest data indicates that the reading public is returning to the old fashioned way. According to Nielsen BookScan, sales of physical book in Australia rose by $41 million last year.

The United States follow the same trend, where paperback sales rose by 7.5 percent and hardback sales up by 4.1 percent over the first nine months of 2016. E-book sales, on the other hand, dropped 18.7 percent over the same period, the Association of American Publishers said.

In the United Kingdom, e-book sales dropped 17 percent last year while sales of printed books and journals soared by seven percent and children's books rose by 16 percent over the same period. The Bookseller magazine reported that five of the largest trade publishers in the UK saw a decline in sales in 2015. These are Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette and Pan Macmillan.

Phil Stokes, head of PwC's entertainment and media division in the UK, said the print format is appealing to many, with colouring books as one of the biggest trends over the past few years. He also mentioned that giving a book as a gift is less impressive if it’s a digital version.

Another reason why sales of physical books are rising, according to experts, is because people are limiting their screen time. Ofcom, a UK regulator, found that a third of adults tried "digital detox" in 2016. Digital detox is a term used for limiting the use of smartphones, tablets and other devices.

Stephen Lotinga, chief executive of the Publishers Association, said the drop in e-book sales may be an indication that the reading public is now experiencing screen tiredness. “I wouldn’t say that the e-Book dream is over but people are clearly making decisions on when they want to spend time with their screens,” The Guardian has quoted him saying, adding that there are specific kinds of consumer books people prefer to read in paper format.

Codex Group founder Peter Hildick-Smith said the younger generation of readers were the major force behind e-book sales drop. He explained that many are experiencing “digital fatigue,” causing them to try to spend time away from their digital devices. News.com.au notes that nearly 20 percent of readers aged 18 to 24, the same age group whose share of physical book purchases are the highest, are buying fewer e-books. Readers aged 55 to 64 are buying the least physical books.