More than four in five (84.4%) of our survey respondents have read a book or journal digitally—up by 7.1% on the numbers who had done so a year ago.
Amazon is by far the most popular source of e-book purchases Two thirds (65.9%) use Amazon most regularly for their purchases. The next most popular sources, though well behind, are Apple’s iTunes, App store and iBookstore.
More people are paying for e-books . . . Nearly two thirds (62.9%) of people say they have paid for an e-book, compared to less than half (46.9%) a year ago.
. . . But piracy is a widespread problem One in seven (14.2%) has knowingly downloaded an e-book illegally. Rates of personal piracy are lower than that average in the UK and US, but much higher in Europe and Asia. More than two in five (44.1%) publishers say they know that their content has been pirated.
Digital formats will increase publishers’ sales, not cannibalise them Three in five (61.1%) publishers think the growth in digital sales will increase their overall sales over the next five years. There is slightly less confidence that it will increase profits.
E-books are publishers’ most popular digital format More than nine in ten (91.4%) digitally-enabled publishers now sell e-books. The next most common formats are apps, downloads and enhanced e-books.
E-books are bad for booksellers’ business Only one in four think the rise in e-book sales will increase their overall sales over the next five years.
Booksellers lack the infrastructure to sell e-books A quarter (28.9%) say a lack of technology is their biggest hindrance to sales, and only one in ten (10.2%) think publishers are doing enough to help. A quarter (24.7%) think Google’s eBook platform gives them an opportunity to develop an e-book business.
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