Book industry worries about sales decline

Reader book.Photo: Frank May / NTB scanpix

The book industry is concerned about a significant decline in the sale of paper back books. In the first half of the year, total book sales fell by 8%.

 

According to figures from the Publishers’ Association,sales of fiction decreased by 13% in the first half of the year compared to last year. Total book sales fell 8%.

“It is not the worst summer, but after several years of upturn we have now had several years of decline.This is the worst half year since 2012,’’ said CEO, Trine Stensen of the Bokhandlerforeningen to VG newspaper.

She believes there is cause for concern and showed that only 50% of the book sales were caught by e-commerce when the American bookstore chain, ‘Borders’ went bankrupt.

Norli Libris are among those who have been affected by the decline,and have dropped some smaller stores this year.

‘’There are not many, but some. This is something we’re considering more now as contracts expire. Marginal stores are exposed. We will probably have fewer but bigger stores in the future,’’ said boss, John Thomasgaard, to the newspaper.

Gyldendal swam against the stream, saying that so far this year they have grown both at the publishing house, and in ‘ARK’.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today