Book Buying Patterns: 2007

Looking At Who Buys What Where: Examining book consumers with Bowker's PubTrack

Publishers Weekly: Dec 1, 2008 by Jim Milliot

Teenagers largely bought their books at the national bookstore chains in 2007, while their grandparents shopped for books from a variety of outlets. That was one of the findings drawn from PubTrack Consumer, the R.R. Bowker service that uses a national online survey to track various aspects of consumer book-buying behavior and patterns.

Readers between 18 and 28 (Generation Y) showed the most different characteristics among the five groups measured. Generation Y was the only group where the Internet was the top source of book purchases, and they were the most comfortable buying nonprint products—digital downloads of audiobooks, e-books and other nonprint items accounted for 4% of purchases.

For the most part, consumers purchase a book because it falls into an area they're interested in. The leading reason cited for buying a book is the catch-all area of “adding to a collection.” Other reasons are closely related, such as buying a book because of the author, topic or main character. Price was a factor primarily for seniors and Gen Y groups. Such factors as cover art, author readings, and book reviews were well down the list.

Less than 1% of book buyers said they toss a book after they're done reading it. While most readers said they keep their books, the older readers are, the more likely they are to give away a book. The Gen Y age group is the most aggressive in selling their books. Graph for Gen Y @

Total number, book buyers, books purchases and dollars spent by age groups:
Teens: 13-17; Generation Y: 18-28; Generation X: 29-40; Boomers: 41-59; Matures: 60+

Figures for:
~ Favorite Categories
~ Formats
~ Top Reasons to Purchase
~ Where Book was Acquired
~ Disposition after Reading