Internet Daily: Net threatens used book stores – Advertising – Airlines – Electronic commerce – Entertainment and Leisure – Internet Services – Internet Software – Media – Mobile phones – Retail – Travel – Wireless Technologies – Transportation – Internet – Wireless – General: “Online sales of used books are growing 30% a year, according to the group, while sales at secondhand book stores are flat. ‘The growth reflects how easy it has become to sell used books,’ said Jeff Abraham, executive director of BISG, whose members include publishers and libraries. He estimated the value of the used market at $600 million, or roughly 3% of total general book sales.
The Book Industry Study Group believes lower prices are the prime reason for the popularity of used product.
Online sellers including Amazon.com (AMZN:
Amazon.com, Inc.
News, chart, profile
Last: 38.95-0.11-0.28%
4:00pm 10/28/2005
Add to portfolio
Analyst
Create alert
Insider
Discuss
Financials
More AMZN
AMZN38.95, -0.11, -0.3%) and Alibris.com provided sales figures for the research, despite publishers’ criticism. Amazon irritates them by offering new and used books on the same Web page, even on the day of a title’s publication. Sources for the used copies can include prepublication author signings and even books distributed to reviewers.
‘We’re seeing a cultural shift,’ said Lisa Stevens, marketing director for used book seller Abebooks.com, in a news release some time ago ‘People don’t feel that ‘used’ is a dirty word anymore. Over 78% of buyers on Abebooks.com say they’d be thrilled to receive a used book as a gift.'”
