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I love polls, surveys, and reports – anything that reveals what people are thinking and doing. If the topic is any aspect of the book business, I’m doubly fascinated, so the dull-sounding 2008 U.S. Book Consumer Demographics & Buying Behaviors Annual Report from Bowker Publishing Services is my idea of a page-turner.
This isn’t a survey based on a tiny sampling. Bowker had 11,933 people send weekly reports throughout the year. Some results weren’t surprising. We already knew, didn’t we, that women buy more books than men do? Last year, according to Bowker, 65% of all trade books were purchased by women. Women, after all, are the ones who buy books as gifts for others as well as for their own reading pleasure.
Baby boomers were the biggest book buyers – 35%, compared to 30% of “matures” (Don’t you hate that expression? Are baby boomers “immatures”?). The numbers for young readers were every bit as dismal as we might expect in this internet-obsessed era: only 17% of book buyers were classified as Gen X, 10% were part of Gen Y, and a pathetic 5% were teens. We can take heart from the certainty that some of those books purchased by women were gifts for the young people in their lives. Maybe the kids even found time between Twittering and Facebooking to read them.
I’ve heard and read many times that romance outsells mystery by a wide margin, so I was pleased to see that the Bowker report puts mystery in the top spot – 16% of all sales, compared to 12% for juvenile books (Yes! Moms, aunts and grandmothers are buying books for kids) and only 11% for romance. Espionage/thriller is a separate category, and those books account for 4% of sales, so if you add them to mystery and call it all crime fiction, the percentage hits 20% of the market. Science fiction and religion make up 4% each, followed by autobiography and biography at 3%, and history, cooking, and business/economics at 2% each.
The question of why people buy the books they do brought predictable answers: 17% of all book buyers said they purchase a book because they’ll read whatever that particular author publishes, and another 17% buy because of the topic. Additional factors that influence purchases: matching gift books to the recipients’ tastes, 8%; adding to a collection, 8%; price, 7%; recommendations, 5%. When the question is narrowed to fiction only, 28% said they buy a book because of the author and only 9% mentioned the topic.
I found a couple of revelations genuinely startling.
While women buy more printed books, men are driving the e-book business, making 55% of all electronic purchases in 2008 (and in the first quarter of 2009, that figure went up to 57%). E-books went from 0.6% of book sales in 2008 to 2.4% in the first quarter of 2009, so the long-predicted boom in this market seems to be happening at last. Less surprising is the news that 52% of e-book buyers were between the ages of 18 and 34.
I was happy to learn that books aren’t by any means a luxury purchased primarily by people with a lot of disposable income. A whopping 41% of book buyers earned $35,000 or less per year. Another 36% earned between $35,000 and $75,000. The wealthy make up a tiny percentage of the country's population, and it's good to know that book sales aren't entirely dependent on that small group of readers.
Perhaps the saddest news, which isn’t really news to any of us, is that brick-and-mortar bookstores have lost so much ground that the internet now claims the largest market share for books – 23%, compared to 22% for major bookstore chains, 10% for book clubs, 7% for independent bookstores, 6% for mass merchandisers, and 4% for warehouse clubs. Supermarkets, religious bookstores, discount/closeout stores, book fairs, and drugstores hold minuscule slices of the market, and various “other outlets” lumped together account for 22%.
Where does Amazon, the elephant-in-the-room we can no longer ignore, rank in sales? It took 14% of the market last year. As devoted as both writers and readers may be to the concept of a neighborhood bookstore with a friendly atmosphere and helpful staff, busy people are finding the convenience of online ordering irresistible. Writers who shun or preach against Amazon and its internet brethren may be attacking their own best interests.
Furthermore, the Bowker survey reveals that the internet is now the most popular source of information about books. Twenty-one per cent of all book buyers reported that they learned about the books they bought through internet promotion, while 16% said they discovered books through traditional sources – print reviews and ads, etc. In fiction, the percentages were 21% online and 13% traditional sources.
All the crime fiction writers I know are well aware of the promotional value of an online presence. It has rapidly become conventional wisdom that a novelist must have a website, must have a blog, must contribute to listservs such as DorothyL. What about Facebook, MySpace, Twitter? Groan all you wish about these time sinks, but today’s fans expect writers to be accessible, and social networks are free paths to that connection between author and reader. (I’m not on Facebook or MySpace, and I don’t tweet, but I have a feeling at least one of these is in my future. Will you be my friend?)
Do any of the Bowker report findings surprise (or dismay) you? Do they match your book-buying habits? Let’s narrow the questions to crime fiction only and do a little poll of our own. (I won’t ask you to reveal your annual income, although one question is economics-related.)
1. In your household, is the primary book-buyer male or female?
2. Do you buy hardcover books, or do you save money by buying only paperbacks and getting hardcovers from the library?
3. Do you buy more books online or at brick-and-mortar bookstores? Do you buy books in supermarkets, drugstores, Wal-Mart, etc.? In each case, why?
4. What influences your purchase of a book? (Choose all that apply.)
(a.) Author
(b.) Topic/story summary
(c.) Recommendation from a trusted person
(d.) Print review or ad
(e.) Internet buzz
(f.) Price
(g.) Other (specify)
5. Do you purchase e-books? Do you plan to continue or begin purchasing e-books in the near future?
6. Which age category do you fit into?
“Mature”
Baby boomer
Generation X
Gen Y
Teens
None of your darned business!
32 comments:
1. Female book buyer
2. Frequently get hard-covers b/c I'm too impatient to wait for the paperbacks to come out.
3. Online for convenience, price, and pre-orders, bricks and mortar for browsing.
4.All of those things influence my decision to buy. And, in the case of series I follow, I don't need any of them--I'll loyally buy the next in a series.
5. I have a feeling I'll be switching to e-books in the next 5 years.
6. I'm Gen X.
Interesting report, Sandra!
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
My husband and I both buy a lot of books -- he reads lots of topical nonfiction and buys used hardbacks from Amazon. I buy new, mostly paperbacks, from local indies or at book events -- for gifts and for my own library. I also purchase a fair number of older used books from library book sales and a local used book store.
I buy books because a.) I've already read it and want a copy of my own, b.) it sounds intriguing c.) I've read and enjoyed others by the same author.
No e-books. I spend enough time staring at a screen when I'm writing or dong stuff like this.
Call me mature.
1. Female book buyer
2. Frequently buy hardcovers, though I have been trying to cut back on book buying for economic reasons as well as space limitations.
3. Online and brick and mortar. I hate ot say this as I count several book sellers among friends, but my money goes much farther online.
4. Some authors I always buy. Sometimes it's only a specific series by that person. Soemtimes it's an impulse buy. That happens alot when I'm in the local Barnes and Noble. The way they set up the displays leads me to pick up books I was not looking for, possibly have never heard of before or are similar to what I was looking for (and found).
5. I see no E books in my future.
6. Baby Boomer.
Caryn
1. Female -- me. I buy books for myself and for my husband. I can easily get lost in Barnes and Noble.
2. I buy too many books each month to be able to afford to buy many hardbacks -- and most of the books I buy tend to be paperback originals. With rare exceptions (non-fiction for myself, gifts for my husband, who reads fewer series than I do), I wait for the paperback to come out (over the years, I've learned patience, but it kills me when I have to wait two years between books instead of one when a series I love jumps from paperback original to hardcover). I used to use our library, but budget cuts have reduced the number of books they've been able to buy.
3. Yes to both. I prefer buying in bookstores -- I like browsing the shelves with my list of books and their release dates in hand. But if they don't have what I want, I'll order online (B&N.com first, to take advantage of my member discount/Mr.Rebates rebate, then Amazon if B&N doesn't have it).
I'll make the occasional impulse purchase in Costco or Wal-mMart if I'm there for another reason.
4. All of your choices, plus the fact that a book is the next in a series that I've been reading -- that jumps into my basket (I learned the hard way to pick up a basket at the door as soon as I walk in).
5. I'm a techie junkie, but I look at it this way -- for the price of a $300 Kindle, I can buy 40 paperbacks. 40! The decision is a no-brainer. I've loved books for over 50 years -- the feel of them in my hand, the smell of them, the anticipation of the first sentence on that first page. An electronic device, while convenient, could never replicate that.
6. Baby boomer -- I turned 54 on Sunday. My mother was a huge reader, and I can't remember not being surrounded by books (and whenever I wanted a book, all I had to do was ask -- my parents never denied me a book -- ever). I loved being home sick from school (or work, as I got older) - it meant I could read all day long.
I'd read aspects of the report, Sandra, but I didn't see the stats on what was selling. Good for crime fiction!
. Female book buyer
2. Some of each. I usually buy the hardcover if I've gone to see an author.
3. I buy more books at bricks-and-mortar - Poisoned Pen Bookstore. I work with them to bring in authors to my library. I support them, buying books at my library, and attending events at the bookstore, buying books there.
4. What influences your purchase of a book? (Choose all that apply.)
(a.) Author X
(b.) Topic/story summary X
(c.) Recommendation from a trusted person X
(d.) Print review or ad X
(e.) Internet buzz X
(f.) Price
(g.) Other (specify)
5. I don't purchase e-books, and I'm not looking forward to the day when I might be forced to do that.
6. Baby Boomer
My husband and I both buy a lot of books; I buy the fiction, he buys the nonfiction. I buy hardcovers when they're the next book of a beloved series and when the author is a friend--if I attend their launch, it's mandatory. :) I try to divide my business between indie booksellers and online. My choices mostly depend on author, series, topic and genre, recommendation, and/or Internet buzz. No e-books--I too spend my day at the computer; when I get into bed with a book, I'm off duty. And if boomers start in 1946, I guess I'm a "mature"--awful term, but better than "senior."
Female book buyer
hardcovers for fave authors, paperback or Kindle for others, library if I don't know if I'll like a book
Online, brick and mortar or library
Influenced by word of mouth and beautiful book covers
I do have a Kindle and read e-books
I'm on the far side of 65 and we ARE a wild generation. Don't mess with us.
I cannot resist a survey!
And this is a very good one!
1. Female book buyer.
2. Frequently buy hard-covers for a few favorite authors.
3. Online for convenience and because they cost less, and because I can get free shipping. AND because, frankly, I am not overly fond of the independent where I live. Not impressed with their stock (very little in the mystery field), and I find them to be condescending because I have mentioned how much I enjoy mysteries and wish they had a larger selection.
4. All these things influence my book buying to some extent. The biggest influence though, will be the author.
5. I do not purchase e-books. Right now, that isn't of interest to me in the least, but I expect that will change.
6. I'm a mature baby boomer.
1. In your household, is the primary book-buyer male or female?
FEMALE
2. Do you buy hardcover books, or do you save money by buying only paperbacks and getting hardcovers from the library?
I BUY ALL, INC. EX-LIB & USED BOOK STORES
3. Do you buy more books online or at brick-and-mortar bookstores? Do you buy books in supermarkets, drugstores, Wal-Mart, etc.? In each case, why?
MOSTLY AT USED BOOK STORES, SOME AT INDEPENDENTS, CHAINS, ONLINE (IN THAT ORDER)
4. What influences your purchase of a book? (Choose all that apply.)
X(a.) Author
X(b.) Topic/story summary
(c.) Recommendation from a trusted person
(d.) Print review or ad
(e.) Internet buzz
X(f.) Price
X(g.) Other (specify)[I LOOK FOR SUBJ MATTER THAT INTERESTS ME & FOLLOW UP ON THE BOOKS THAT FALL UNDER THE SEARCH]
5. Do you purchase e-books? Do you plan to continue or begin purchasing e-books in the near future?
NO
6. Which age category do you fit into?
“Mature”
Baby boomer
X [THAT'S WHERE 1966 PLACES ME!]
Generation X
Gen Y
Teens
None of your darned business!
Please excuse the caps above; seemed the easiest way to make the answers obvious.
1. We both buy books with passion.
2. We buy both, though mostly HB for scholarly use or long-term enjoyment and PB for novels.
3. Mostly on-line because of the hard-to-find titles we buy; we enjoy brick/mortar stores but find that their offerings are often just the popular, prosaic stuff; paperbacks sometimes at the other outlets.
4. All of these. We buy prodigiously across various categories, each publicized in different ways.
5. No, and no plans to start. Dedicated codex fanatics.
6. We are: boomer and mature.
Great post. I would just add that we shouldn't despair of younger readers. College students, at least, are busy reading assigned texts (and probably spend more on textbooks than any other demographic spends on books). They do read when they can, but they tend to get books form friends and family members rather than buy them because they spend so much on textbooks. We found in a survey of over 700 of our students that virtually all of them like to read - only around 7% said they don't enjoy reading; the chief barrier is time spent on assigned reading. Which ain't all bad.
1. In your household, is the primary book-buyer male or female? It's about equally split.
2. Do you buy hardcover books, or do you save money by buying only paperbacks and getting hardcovers from the library? Most of my reading comes from review copies and libraries; when I buy, I buy whatever format the book is in, but avoid mass market if there's a choice - too awkward to read. I'll buy them if there is no hard or trade paper version.
3. Do you buy more books online or at brick-and-mortar bookstores? Do you buy books in supermarkets, drugstores, Wal-Mart, etc.? In each case, why? Only at independent booksellers. I would buy them online from indies, but I tend to blow my budget face-to-face.
4. What influences your purchase of a book? (Choose all that apply.)
(a.) Author X
(c.) Recommendation from a trusted person X
(g.) Other (specify)recommendation from a bookseller; all of my discretionary book buying supports indie specialists.
5. Do you purchase e-books? Do you plan to continue or begin purchasing e-books in the near future? I have only bought one (my own to see what it looked like); I doubt I'll buy more.
6. Which age category do you fit into?
Baby boomer
Barbara, it's great to hear that so many of your students enjoy reading. As I said, I think many of the books women buy may be bought as gifts for children and other young people who aren't walking into bookstores or going online and buying books for themselves.
1. Female buyer
2. If I buy, it's used paperbacks or books from small press authors. The rest I request from the library.
3. I buy online. The closest bookstore is 40 miles away.
4. I buy by author and topic.
5. I don't do electronic books
6. I'm a boomer
1. Female (me first, my daughter a close second)
2. I buy paperbacks primarily, hardcovers only when it's something really special or timely.
3. Mainly independent bookstores (could that have something to do with the fact that my daugher works in one?; Amazon if it's something out of print
4. What influences your purchase of a book? (Choose all that apply.)
(a.) Author
(c.) Recommendation from a trusted person
(d.) Print review or ad
(e.) Internet buzz
(g.) Other (specify) A writer friend I want to support
5. Do you purchase e-books? I haven't yet. I've seen exactly one.
6. Which age category do you fit into? Wait--I thought mature and baby boomer overlapped? I'm a baby boomer.
1. In your household, is the primary book-buyer male or female?
FEMALE
2. Do you buy hardcover books, or do you save money by buying only paperbacks and getting hardcovers from the library?
I BOUGHT HARDCOVERS BEFORE THE KINDLE, NOW I BUY FOR THE KINDLE
3. Do you buy more books online or at brick-and-mortar bookstores? Do you buy books in supermarkets, drugstores, Wal-Mart, etc.? In each case, why? I BUY BOOKS ONLINE AT AMAZON ON THE KINDLE OR HARDCOVERS IF NOT ON KINDLE
4. What influences your purchase of a book? (Choose all that apply.)
(a.) Author
(b.) Topic/story summary
(c.) Recommendation from a trusted person
(d.) Print review or ad
(e.) Internet buzz
(f.) Price
(g.) Other (specify)
MOSTLY BY AUTHOR, I HAVE A LIST OF FAVORITES, BUT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM DOROTHY L ALSO INFLUENCE ME
5. Do you purchase e-books? Do you plan to continue or begin purchasing e-books in the near future?
I ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY BY E-BOOKS FOR MY KINDLE NOW, I HAVE ONLY BOUGHT 3 HARDCOVERS AND NO PAPERBACKS IN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF SINCE GETTING THE KINDLE
6. Which age category do you fit into?
“Mature”
Baby boomer
Generation X
Gen Y
Teens
None of your darned business!
BABY BOOMER BORN IN 1947
1. Female book buyer. My husband almost never buys books. Even on those rare occasions when he wants a book, he asks me to buy it for him.
2. I buy hardcover books when I go to author signings, when I know or am fond of a particular author, or for books that I want to hang on to for posterity.
I buy paperbacks (or borrow from the library) to try out a new author or for series books because I can't afford 26 Grafton books, for example. I will also buy paperbacks to mark up and study the author's writing style and craft, these are sometimes even the same books (or different books by the same author) as ones I've bought in hardback.
3. I buy more online to save money and to be sure the book will be in stock. But I almost always buy something when I do go to a bookstore. I tend to impulse-buy in Walmart, etc, and these books are almost always paperbacks.
4. Influences book purchases?
(a.) Author YES! Especially one I've heard and liked at a reading or conference.
(b.) Topic/story summary YES!
(c.) Recommendation from a trusted person YES!
(d.) Print review or ad--Sometimes.
(e.) Internet buzz--Sometimes.
(f.) Price--not usually a consideration, though I often try to wait for the paperback to come out.
(g.) Other (specify)Sometimes covers, more often intriguing first pages, and even more often book seller recommendations. I've bought many books based on authors I've "met" on listservs and other online communities.
5. Do you purchase e-books? I'd love to have a Kindle, and would purchase ebooks then. Otherwise I don't, especially for fiction. I don't like to be glued to my computer to read a novel. I have purchased a couple of writing craft ebooks.
6. I'm in the gap between Baby boomer and Generation X 8^)
1. female book buyer
2. I save money by buying only paperbacks and get hardcovers from the library. Hardcovers also take up more room and I am maxed out with 5 bookshelves.
3. 50% online buying and 50% brick-and-mortar bookstores.
I typically buy from either my favorite Indy store (which is about 1 1/2 hours away) or at Barnes and Noble in town.
4. What influences your purchase of a book? (Choose all that apply.)
(a.) Author
(b.) Topic/story summary
(g.) Other (specify) - I use Amazon's feature where they have related books by topic or genre. I use that a lot to find similar books to the ones I like then I read the customer reviews. That helps me determine if it is something I will enjoy.
5. I haven't purchased e-books yet. But I am looking into an eBook reader because I do business travel a lot and that would be easier than packing a month's worth of heavy books.
6. Which age category do you fit into? I am the last birth year to be considered a Boomer.
Do any of the Bowker report findings surprise (or dismay) you?
I am very saddened by the lack of reading among our youth. I had hoped that Harry Potter had changed the tide in that demographic.
1. In your household, is the primary book-buyer male or female?
*OH, female..me
2. Do you buy hardcover books, or do you save money by buying only paperbacks and getting hardcovers from the library?
**All of them--as an author, I figure it's my responsibility to buy books.
3. Do you buy more books online or at brick-and-mortar bookstores? Do you buy books in supermarkets, drugstores, Wal-Mart, etc.? In each case, why?
**Hmmm...mostly at brick and mortar. On line for gifts that need to be shipped. (And I'm a big impulse buyer..no matter where.)
4. What influences your purchase of a book?
Author
Topic/story summary
Recommendation from a trusted person
Print review or ad
Internet buzz
5. Do you purchase e-books? Do you plan to continue or begin purchasing e-books in the near future?
***Nope..I'm considering, though. Trying to figure out if it's..disloyal.
6. Which age category do you fit into?
***Baby boomer
Graet story, Sandy. Want me to tweet it for you?
Please excuse the caps above; seemed the easiest way to make the answers obvious.
Tweet the link, Hank -- thanks!
I echo everything Liz said, except that my husband and I both fall in the boomer category. Interesting how many of us say we read more fiction while our husbands read more, or mostly, nonfiction. And in our household, he buys a lot of out-of-print and even antique medical books, which means on-line purchases.
I also echo Barbara's comments not to despair of the younger generations. That's always a group that has less time and money for pleasure reading and book buying.
For years I've heard that fiction was about 20% of the market and nonfiction 80%. From your stats, Sandy, sounds closer to 50-50 (not knowing how the juvenile sales break down). Does the report give a fiction-nf breakdown?
Thanks for the post.
Leslie
www.LawandFiction.com
1. Both my husband and I buy books, with him buying the most nonfiction and science fiction and me buying the most crime fiction and gift books.
2. We buy a variety of hardcover, trade, and paperback books. If the book is a gift or a "keeper" (signed by an author friend, for example), it's more likely to be in an expensive format.
3. My husband usually buys online, and I do most of my buying at bookstores and conferences. We don't buy at supermarkets, etc. because our tastes don't tend toward the bestsellers.
4.We buy because of:
(a.) Author
(b.) Topic/story summary
(c.) Recommendation from a trusted person
5. We don't buy e-books.
6. We are baby boomers.
Both male and female buy books. I am the more frequent book buyer but almost always buy OOP books for research.
Usually get hardcovers at the library. If I like them, then I'll buy them.
Me: online (ABEbooks) and bricks-and-mortar. Husband: B&M more than online.
Topic and author, or recommendation from a friend.
I want eBook hardware to be better before I switch. I will never entirely switch, but I do read eBooks now on my computer and iPod Touch. (I hate the Kindle; bad user interface.)
Boomer.
1. Female book buyer.
2. I buy mostly paperbacks, but sometimes buy hardcovers by my most favorite authors. Sometimes I read the hardcover from the library, then buy the paperback when it comes out.
3. I buy most of my books online, for price, convenience and free shipping. I also enjoy browsing in bookstores, and I almost always wind up buying at least one book, usually more. In my area, we're fortunate to have B&N, also Book'em Mysteries and Vroman's Bookstore (both independents). When I go to Target, I always check the YA section, as it has an excellent selection.
4. I'm influenced mainly by author, also by topic/story summary, recommendation by a trusted person, and Internet and print reviews.
5. I have no plans to start buying e-books.
6. "Mature," I guess. Though considering all the juvenile and YA books I read, I'm not sure that's an accurate description!
1. In your household, is the primary book-buyer male or female?
FEMALE
2. Do you buy hardcover books, or do you save money by buying only paperbacks and getting hardcovers from the library?
SOME OF EACH, MOSTLY BUY PAPERBACKS, SOME SPECIAL AUTHORS ONLY IN HARDCOVER AND NEW TO ME AUTHORS FROM THE LIBRARY, WHICH IF I LIKE I'LL GO BACK PICK UP IN EITHER HARDCOVER OR PAPERBACK.
3. Do you buy more books online or at brick-and-mortar bookstores? Do you buy books in supermarkets, drugstores, Wal-Mart, etc.? In each case, why?
USED TO BE ONLY IN A BOOKSTORE/PHYSICAL STORE, NOW ABOUT 70% ONLINE (WE HAVE LOUSY STORES FOR MYSTERIES HERE!) I GOT IN THE HABIT OF ONLINE WHEN I COULDN'T WALK WELL (HAD TWO HIPS REPLACED LAST YEAR), HAVEN'T GOTTEN BACK INTO GOING TO STORES MUCH SINCE. ONLY DO WALMART, ETC. IF I SEE SOMETHING I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR AND HAVEN'T BEEN TO A REGULAR BOOKSTORE LATELY.
4. What influences your purchase of a book? (Choose all that apply.)
(a.) Author X
(b.) Topic/story summary X
(c.) Recommendation from a trusted person X
(d.) Print review or ad
(e.) Internet buzz X
(f.) Price
(g.) Other (specify)
5. Do you purchase e-books? Do you plan to continue or begin purchasing e-books in the near future?
NO, NOT REALLY, I THINK I HAVE A COUPLE (ON BLACKBERRY). WOULD LIKE A KINDLE. I DO MUCH MORE AUDIO BOOKS (IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD JIM DALE DO HARRY POTTER OR GEORGE GUIDALL DO ANYTHING YOU ARE MISSING OUT)
6. Which age category do you fit into?
“Mature”
Baby boomer XXX
Generation X
Gen Y
Teens
None of your darned business!
1. Female
2. Buy hard cover from Mystery Guild if it's an auto-buy author. Otherwise, library until they come out in PB or e-book.
3. Depends. E-books on line. Mystery Guild books, on line. Others from Costco, supermarket, bookstore--wherever. Price matters.
4. A, F, G (series I follow)
5. Love both print AND e-books. Love the CHOICE.
6. Baby boomer / Mature
Sandra, I'll be your Friend!
1. Both m and f
2. Both hc and pb
3. Less online, more independent bookstores these days, especially Portland's Murder by the Book and Broadway Books
4. Bookstore staff recommendations, topic, author I've read before or author I've met.
5. Not yet, but someday
6. Boomer and proud of it!
1. In your household, is the primary book-buyer male or female?
Female
2. Do you buy hardcover books, or do you save money by buying only paperbacks and getting hardcovers from the library?
Buy hardcovers and use library both
3. Do you buy more books online or at brick-and-mortar bookstores? Do you buy books in supermarkets, drugstores, Wal-Mart, etc.? In each case, why?
Most online - Very often can't find what I want to buy in local bookstores.
Very rarely is there a best seller I want - then I may pick it up at Target or Costco -- in that case, purely price is the reason.
4. What influences your purchase of a book? (Choose all that apply.)
(a.) Author xxxx
(b.) Topic/story summary xxx
(c.) Recommendation from a trusted person
(d.) Print review or ad
(e.) Internet buzz
(f.) Price
(g.) Other (specify)
5. Do you purchase e-books? Do you plan to continue or begin purchasing e-books in the near future? no and probably not
6. Which age category do you fit into?
“Mature”
Baby boomer xxxxxxxx
Generation X
Gen Y
Teens
None of your darned business!
1. Female
2. I buy series and other titles for myself and occasionally books for gifts.
3. Bookstores and online. It depends if I'm home or near the bookstore.
4. All of those things influence me, but mostly I like to know the author's work.
5. Who knows? I love holding the book, maybe I will kindle later on, but not right now.
6. Baby boomer
.1 Female buyer
2.Only buy hardcovers if collecting. Rarely these days. Trade and mass market mostly. NO library.
3. I buy mostly on line, however I do have a favorite independent that I buy from quite frequently too. Never supermarkets or drugstore, never Wal-Mart or Costco. Reason: Selections are geered to their managements idea of what the masses want. That will never be me.
4. What influences your purchase of a book? (Choose all that apply.)
(a.) Author/ 2
(b.) Topic/story summary 1 primary
(c.) Recommendation from a trusted person/ rarely, my friends are always pushing literary.
(d.) Print review or ad/never
(e.) Internet buzz/never
(f.) Price/rarely
5. No e-books? Do you plan to continue or begin purchasing e-books in the near future? Nope
6. Which age category do you fit into?
“Mature”
The edge between 'the beat' generation and boomers. In other words, born During the War.
1. Female book buyer
2. Mostly paperbacks
3. Online, bookstores, book festivals
4. Recommended authors, series books
5. I don't at this time, but will in the future.
6. Proud Baby Boomer!
Mary
http://www.marycunninghambooks.com
http://www.woofersclub.blogspot.com
Survey's are fun!
1. Me, female
2. paperback only - fits more books on my shelf
3. events like Write! Canada conference
4. a, b, c, f - but mostly by recommendation
5. not yet, but plan to once I get a Kindle or Sony Reader
6. Gen X
Kimberley
www.kimberleypayne.com
Technology really has become one with our daily lives, and I think it is safe to say that we have passed the point of no return in our relationship with technology.
I don't mean this in a bad way, of course! Societal concerns aside... I just hope that as the price of memory decreases, the possibility of transferring our brains onto a digital medium becomes a true reality. It's a fantasy that I daydream about almost every day.
(Posted on Nintendo DS running [url=http://knol.google.com/k/anonymous/-/9v7ff0hnkzef/1]R4i SDHC[/url]NDSBro)
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