eBook revenues were down 3.2% in November 2023

In one month, we will understand precisely how digital audiobooks and ebooks performed in the United States in 2023. Digital book revenues were down 3.2%, generating $81.8 million in sales. The Digital Audio format remained 15.3% for November, generating $81.1 million in revenue. Physical Audio was down 23.8%, coming in at $1.3 million. Year-to-date eBook revenues were down 0.8% compared to the first eleven months of 2022 for $917.5 million. The Digital Audio format was up 14.0%, reaching $782.0 million in revenue. Physical Audio was down 16.9%, coming in at $11.8 million.

In terms of physical paper format revenues during November, in the Trade (Consumer Books) category, Hardback revenues were up 2.0%, coming in at $368.8 million; Paperbacks were down 1.9%, with $262.5 million in revenue; Mass Market was down 53.4% to $9.1 million; and Special Bindings were up 13.8%, with $22.7 million in revenue.

Year-to-date Trade revenues were down 0.2%, at $8.2 billion for the year’s first eleven months. Hardback revenues were up 1.2%, coming in at $3.0 billion; Paperbacks were down 1.6%, with $2.9 billion in revenue; Mass Market was down 24.6% to $129.0 million; and Special Bindings were up 4.0%, with $191.9 million in revenue.

Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.