Used-Book Market Shows Huge Growth

http://bookstoretourism.blogspot.com/2006/03/1st-comprehensive-study-of-used-book.html

1st Comprehensive Study of Used-Book Market Shows Huge Growth
Used-book sales make up close to 10 percent of total consumer spending on books and are continuing to grow, according to a just-released report by the Book Industry Study Group.The first in-depth study of the entire used-book market showed that sales of used books in the U.S. topped $2.2 billion in 2004, a jump of 33 percent from 2003 with more than 111 million copies sold. According to BISG, the study includes data provided by all of the major online used-book retailers, with data from more than 500 other booksellers and more than 2000 book buyers.Not surprisingly, a principal analyst for the study concluded that "Used books are now a factor in the business equation for publishers and booksellers," and that the Internet has played a key role in this development.Two thirds of booksellers who participated in the study said that used-book sales do not affect sales of new copies.BISG is the industry's leading trade association for policy, standards and research.