Update on Book Sales in September 2020: Top-Selling Genres and Other Insights
Hey there! Let's dive into the exciting world of digital books, especially in self-publishing. You're at the right place if you're already self-publishing or wanting to break into the scene.
During these trying times, digital books are on the upswing, and traditional publishing houses are finding transformation to digital formats more straightforward than ever before.
As we've been observing since March 2020, sales have grown in self-publishing markets across various genres. To give you an idea: our indie authors selling digital books via our platform saw sales growth of at least 20% since the same period in 2019. That's not all! By September 2020, it had shot up to a whopping 69% increase in just a year, with 70% of those sales coming from international markets.
In September 2020 alone, compared to August, there was a 4.5% increase in sales. For those eager for insights, our detailed report of international digital book sales, popular book genres, and more is available every 20th of the month. Tune in to learn more and make well-informed publishing decisions!
Want even more helpful publishing advice? Check out our recent webinar on boosting book sales with our platform. Here's a quick recap.
We also recommend signing up for a free 14-day trial with us to easily distribute across global markets and stores. You'll find it's the only self-publishing platform you need.
Strategic Price Promotions Drive Sales
We examined 800 book promotions on online retail stores in September and found that the most successful results came from discounted books originally priced around $9.99. These effective pricing strategies ran for an average of 1.5 weeks and generated impressive 10x more growth. Some campaigns are still running into October. Our platform's price promo tool allows publishing authors to set them up wherever their titles are being sold. Later this year, we formed exclusive partnerships like with Written Word Media which grant our indie authors the chance to run various price promos to outside networks with hundred-thousands of readers.
Digital Book Boom in 2020
With the ongoing pandemic, people are seeking more at-home entertainment which includes digital means to get them. Movie-streaming services, video games, and of course, books are experiencing significant booms. Our digital book sales have been climbing since March 2020, growing by 23% in April. Though rates flattened slightly in the summer months, September showed another 4.5% increase compared to the previous month.
The royalties earned from these book sales are all 100% the authors', as we don't take any commission. This means all this growth is entirely theirs!
Popular Genres and Growing Markets
In September, both fiction and nonfiction books performed well. Bestselling fiction genres included Action & Adventure, Crime, Fantasy, Historical, Literary, Mystery & Detective, Romance, Science Fiction, and Thriller. Impressive growth rates were seen in subcategories, such as Anthologies under Sci Fi and Historical subcategories under the Romance genres. English-speaking countries like the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and South-East Asian countries like the Philippines and Indonesia played key roles in these sales. European countries such as Germany, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Romania, and Switzerland also had strong showings.
Global Market Shifts: Stores, Subscription Services, and More
The US market accounted for around 23% of our platform's overall sales, while international markets captured 77%, continuing to rise since March 2020 (especially compared to 2019). In the third quarter of 2020, the US and the UK remained top-performing countries based on sales value, followed by English-speaking countries such as Canada and Australia. In South-East Asia, the Philippines and Indonesia stood out, while Latin America saw strong performances from Chile and Mexico. Germany had a mind-blowing 4x growth in sales!
With the shift in reader experience, particularly this year, more people are using online modes such as subscription services and digital libraries. Our platform generates sales from more store types, including major retail outlets, subscription services, digital library providers, and regional stores. The growth of libraries and regional stores exceeds 100%, and subscription models have increased by 92%. Countries like Singapore, Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico experienced significant growth in subscription services.
Here's a sneak peek at the top-performing stores:
Self-Publishing: The Gold Rush for Digital
Amid the ongoing pandemic, this is a golden time for digital publishing and various types of books. If you're not leveraging the digital world, we encourage you to start. Keep an eye on our blog for monthly updates on what's happening in the book market and join us today for a free 14-day trial to super-easily publish and promote books globally!
So, how's the book market doing? Very well, specifically in the digital realm. Stay informed and seize the opportunities!
- By taking advantage of strategic price promotions, authors can drive significant sales, particularly for books initially priced around $9.99.
- With the growing demand for at-home entertainment, digital books, along with movie-streaming services and video games, are experiencing a boom in sales, with our digital book sales increasing by 23% since March 2020.
- Self-publishing digital books is proving to be a profitable venture, with sales growing across various genres, and international markets accounting for 77% of our platform's overall sales, a figure that has risen since March 2020. Education-and-self-development, lifestyle, technology, and entertainment books could potentially find a lucrative audience in this digital market.
