In 2023, the estimated net revenue of the U.S. book publishing industry amounted to 29.9 billion U.S. dollars. This marks a small decrease from the previous year, but revenue remains stable and is an improvement on the figures recorded for previous years.
In 2022, the estimated net revenue of the U.S. book publishing industry amounted to **** billion U.S. dollars. This marks a small decrease from the previous year, but revenue remains stable and is an improvement on the figures recorded for previous years.
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The Book Publishing industry has undergone significant shifts driven by the digitization wave, changing consumer preferences and economic disruptions. As industry enterprises resumed production in 2021 following the adverse influence of the pandemic, sales have rebounded, temporarily buoying the industry. However, the industry remains pressured, with pent-up demand for books having largely been satisfied as of 2021, while continued rising prices of paper, a major input, have made production costs for books more expensive, resulting in higher prices hurting industry demand. Publishers have pivoted towards digital platforms, employing innovative strategies to monetize content, such as subscription-based models and leveraging social media for marketing. Industry revenue is expected to climb at a CAGR of 0.6% to $45.7 billion through the end of 2025, including an estimated 1.2% jump in 2025 alone, as profit shrinks to 5.6% of revenue. The industry has witnessed fluctuating fortunes. While print sales initially suffered during the pandemic, they rebounded strongly in 2021 as consumers returned to bookstores. Notably, the independent bookstore scene has thrived, driven by a renewed consumer preference for tactile book-buying experiences. The emergence of industry alternatives, such as audiobooks and self-publishing models, has driven publishers to explore direct-to-consumer sales, social media marketing opportunities and investments in online and education retail market presences. Larger publishers have resorted to strategic consolidations to maintain their market positions, yet these moves have raised alarm bells about market concentration and its impact on smaller players. Layoffs and restructurings at major companies, such as Penguin Random House and HarperCollins, underscore the broader challenges and adjustments within the industry. Moving forward, the industry is expected to show signs of stabilization despite turbulence experienced by the rise of e-books. While digital consumption continues to trend, traditional publishers must contend with the complexities of content monetization in an evolving market landscape. The resurgence of self-publishing and the blurring lines between traditional and hybrid publishing models offer authors multiple avenues but erode traditional publishing houses' control. With the price of paper, an essential input, continuing to swell, industry profitability will be pressured. Through the end of 2030, industry revenue is poised to modestly rise, exhibiting growth of 0.8% to $47.7 billion.
Data on global book publishing revealed that book sales generated 122 billion U.S. dollars in revenue in 2018, and will amount to 129 billion in 2023. The source has previously estimated that book publishing revenues would not reach 122 until after the year 2021, so the current figures look positive and are predicted to increase by 1.2 percent over the next five years.
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The E-Book Publishing industry has undergone volatile behavior throughout the past decade but has grown alongside technological advances. While e-book sales surged with the introduction of new mobile devices, industry-relevant revenue has wavered as consumer interest in e-books has diminished. There are signs that consumers may be fatigued with digital media texts and continue to consume printed material alone or in tandem with e-books and audiobooks when seeking longer-form book content. The pandemic and ensuing depletion of brick-and-mortar retail book sales enabled e-books to take advantage of opportune circumstances to grow. Major publishers have increasingly focused on digital catalogs, recognizing the advantages of lower production costs and instant availability. Industry revenue is slated to incline at an annualized rate of 0.5% to $4.3 billion through the end of 2024, including a 3.8% climb in 2024 alone. This comes as profit, measured as earnings before interest and taxes, is on track to reach 7.0% of industry revenue. Sales have shown variable growth rates, influenced by factors such as pricing models, subscription services, and the broader decline in overall book sales. Notably, digital-first publishers and self-published authors have gained traction, leveraging platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and Wattpad to reach vast audiences. Sales have been tempered partially due to price hikes enacted by major publishers. Initially, Amazon.com Inc. (Amazon) and its Kindle platform accounted for most e-book sales and the e-commerce giant retailed e-books at a loss, far below publishers' suggested retail prices. After public pricing disputes, publishers negotiated a reformulation of their distribution agreement with Amazon and e-book prices rose for consumers. This shift leveled demand, partly because readers had grown accustomed to the lower price points. In the coming years, industry revenue will resume growth. E-book publishers will contend with several challenges, including the rise of self-publishing and the growing demand for audiobooks. At the same time, e-books will be supported by steady application in higher education and among consumers. E-book publishing revenue is poised to hike at an annualized rate of 2.5% to an estimated $4.8 billion through the end of 2029. As more enterprises exit the industry, profitability will improve.
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Online booksellers sell books online, including e-books and audiobooks. The industry is dominated by Amazon.com Inc. (Amazon), which popularized the sale of books online and was essential to the uptake of e-books. Amazon has grown to account for more than four-fifths of all revenue from books sold online; so many industry trends directly result from Amazon. The industry has continued to grow rapidly as e-commerce has grown in popularity. Growing e-book popularity is also tied to the proliferation of e-readers such as Amazon's Kindle and tablets like Apple's iPad. Revenue for online booksellers is expected to expand at a CAGR of 4.6% to $10.0 billion through the end of 2024. The industry has likewise benefited from a strong economy. While the COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a unique disruptive force, its effect on the industry was ultimately positive. Online commerce boomed as brick-and-mortar locations were shuttered and required to operate with restrictions throughout the pandemic. Despite Amazon's dominance, new upstarts have attempted to challenge its business model given the low barriers to entry. Shortly before the pandemic, Bookshop, an online book marketplace, launched to challenge Amazon's monopoly in the market by working with local booksellers. Still, entrants endure stiff challenges as they attempt to enter an industry with several well-established sellers. Without regulatory changes, Amazon will continue to reap most benefits from expanding online book sales through the end of 2029. The industry is expected to strengthen because of rising e-commerce sales, rising e-book and audiobook consumption and a strong economy. Profit will remain limited as Amazon is known to sell products, especially books, at retail prices below retail prices to expand its control of the overall market. Revenue for online booksellers is expected to swell at a CAGR of 2.9% to $11.5 billion through the end of 2029.
The consumer expenditure on educational books in the United States amounted to 8.51 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, up from 8.33 billion a year earlier. For many years, Americans tended to spend around nine billion U.S. dollars on educational books each year, but since 2013 this has declined.
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The companies in this sector publish both printed books and books in the form of e-books and audiobooks. In the period from 2019 to 2024, industry sales fell by an average of 0.3% per year. The reason for this only slightly negative trend despite the pandemic is the growing range of e-books and audiobooks on offer from publishers, which have been increasingly in demand from consumers in recent years. At the same time, increasing digitalisation has contributed to more and more consumers using services from providers such as Netflix or Amazon, which allow them to watch series and films on demand. In the current year, turnover for book publishers is expected to fall by 0.2% to 6.3 billion euros.Increasing internet use not only means that more and more consumers are spending their free time online instead of reading books, but also opens up new sales channels for book publishers through online retail. Online retailers and the online shops of book retailers account for an ever-increasing share of book sales, which means that online retail is becoming more and more important as a customer for industry players. As digitalisation progresses, demand for e-books and audiobooks is increasing. The easiest way to buy and download these is via the internet, which is why the new book formats are also having a significant impact on the shift in book sales from bricks-and-mortar retail to online retail. In addition, declining customer footfall in city centres is leading to lower customer numbers in bookshops and further reducing the importance of the book retail market. Competition from streaming services and other entertainment media will continue in the coming years, but will grow less strongly than in the last five years. IBISWorld is therefore forecasting only a slight decline in revenue of 0.4% per year on average to EUR 6.2 billion for the period from 2024 to 2029.
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The declining demand for print in major European markets like the UK, Germany and France means newspaper publishers face shrinking revenue from both sales and printed advertisements. Publishers are adjusting by developing their digital presence, introducing subscription paywalls, subscriber-only newsletters, digital advertising initiatives and strategic media partnerships to support revenue as traditional print readership continues to slump. In the five years through 2025, Book, Newspaper & Magazine Publishing revenue is projected to drop at a compound annual rate of 4.6%, to reach €102.5 billion, including an estimated drop of 3.9% in 2025 when the average industry profit margin is expected to reach 9%. Despite difficult conditions, the book publishing segment has had a strong growth in revenue since 2020, fuelled by consumers picking up more books during lockdown periods. However, the cost of print publishing has risen significantly in recent years, driven higher by global inflation with the overall producer price index for paper and paper products in the Euro area climbed 1.1% since January 2025. Publishers also face higher transport and wage costs, which are squeezing profit and limiting revenue growth. In 2024, Western European transport expenses rose by approximately 3%, according to the European Commission. Rising fuel prices and persistent driver shortages continue to push logistics costs up across the publishing sector. Looking to the future, publishers must adapt to the new digital world. The gradual slump in print media means publishers must develop their digital presence to supplement their print publications. Still, publishing companies face growing pressure as more people turn to self-publishing platforms and social-focused news channels, bypassing traditional publishers. This will prompt companies to expand into multimedia like podcasts, video journalism, and interactive graphics to diversify content formats and reach younger demographics. These trends increasingly erode established income sources like print sales and conventional advertising. As a result, the industry will likely see revenue remain strained for several years ahead. Industry revenue is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of 0.1% over the five years through 2030, reaching €103 billion.
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The declining demand for print in major European markets like the UK, Germany and France means newspaper publishers face shrinking revenue from both sales and printed advertisements. Publishers are adjusting by developing their digital presence, introducing subscription paywalls, subscriber-only newsletters, digital advertising initiatives and strategic media partnerships to support revenue as traditional print readership continues to slump. In the five years through 2025, Book, Newspaper & Magazine Publishing revenue is projected to drop at a compound annual rate of 4.6%, to reach €102.5 billion, including an estimated drop of 3.9% in 2025 when the average industry profit margin is expected to reach 9%. Despite difficult conditions, the book publishing segment has had a strong growth in revenue since 2020, fuelled by consumers picking up more books during lockdown periods. However, the cost of print publishing has risen significantly in recent years, driven higher by global inflation with the overall producer price index for paper and paper products in the Euro area climbed 1.1% since January 2025. Publishers also face higher transport and wage costs, which are squeezing profit and limiting revenue growth. In 2024, Western European transport expenses rose by approximately 3%, according to the European Commission. Rising fuel prices and persistent driver shortages continue to push logistics costs up across the publishing sector. Looking to the future, publishers must adapt to the new digital world. The gradual slump in print media means publishers must develop their digital presence to supplement their print publications. Still, publishing companies face growing pressure as more people turn to self-publishing platforms and social-focused news channels, bypassing traditional publishers. This will prompt companies to expand into multimedia like podcasts, video journalism, and interactive graphics to diversify content formats and reach younger demographics. These trends increasingly erode established income sources like print sales and conventional advertising. As a result, the industry will likely see revenue remain strained for several years ahead. Industry revenue is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of 0.1% over the five years through 2030, reaching €103 billion.
In 2022, the book industry generated in total *** million euros revenue in Finland. The revenue generated by the publishing sector was roughly *** million euros, while the book retail sales reached a revenue of *** million euros. Retail sale of books, music, and video recordings via mail order houses and net commerce generated around ** million euros. By comparison, revenue figures of book binding and second-hand shops stayed below *** million euros in 2022.
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The Book Publishing industry has recorded strong growth over the past five years. Industry revenue is expected to increase at an annualized 5.0% over the five years through 2024, to $19.8 billion. This includes anticipated growth of 4.5% in 2024. Industry profit is high at 15.2% of revenue in the current year, and has remained steady over the past five years. The industry's strong growth can primarily be attributed to the increasing popularity of ebooks, and despite rising book piracy. Few new firms have entered the industry over the past five years, as government restrictions on foreign capital investment have limited growth. To increase competitiveness, many publishers have merged into regional groups that publish books across different fields. Due to increased industry concentration, barriers to entry in regional markets are high. Textbooks account for the largest share of industry revenue. More children in China are receiving higher education, which has boosted demand for this segment over the past five years. On the other hand, the share of industry revenue generated from maps, pictures and other printed articles is relatively small. The Book Publishing industry is forecast to grow steadily over the next five years, with revenue projected to grow at an annualized 3.9% over the five years through 2029, to $24.0 billion. Industry operators are anticipated to publish a greater number of new books over the next five years, with bestsellers anticipated to rise significantly as a share of total sales. In addition, new regulations on copyright protection are forecast to contribute to a more standardized market environment over the period.
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The book and periodical publishing industry is undergoing a period of change. The declining print demand in major European markets like the UK, Germany and France means newspaper publishers face shrinking revenue from both sales and printed advertisements. For example, Axel Springer's print circulation dropped 12.7% and French publisher Le Monde saw its weekday runs down by 7.1%, reflecting how quickly readers are shifting online. Publishers are adjusting by increasing their digital presence, introducing subscription paywalls, subscriber-only newsletters, digital advertising initiatives and strategic media partnerships to support revenue as traditional print readership continues to fall away. In the five years through 2025, publishing revenue is projected to drop at a compound annual rate of 4.6%, to reach €97.7 billion. Despite difficult conditions, the book publishing segment has had a strong growth in revenue since 2020, fuelled by consumers turning to books during the lockdowns. According to data from the Federation of European Publishers (FEP), book publishing revenue across Europe has significantly grown since the pandemic. In 2023, total annual sales reached €24.4 billion, increasing by 9.9% compared to figures from 2020. However, publishing costs have been surging in the last few years. The cost of print publishing has risen significantly in recent years, driven higher by global inflation. According to Trading Economics, the producer price index for paper and paper products in the Euro area reached 117.2 in April 2025 - a 1.1% increase since January. Similar trends are happening across major European markets, including Germany, Italy and Spain, making it tougher for publishers to maintain profitability. Cost pressures on households is expected to cause a 4.3% drop in revenue in 2025. Looking to the future, publishers must adapt to the new digital world. The gradual decline in print media means publishers must develop their digital presence to supplement their print publications. Still, publishing companies face growing pressure as more people turn to self-publishing platforms and social-focused news channels, bypassing traditional publishers. These trends increasingly erode established income sources such as print sales and conventional advertising. As a result, the industry will likely see revenues remain strained for several years ahead. Industry revenue is forecast to dip at a compound annual rate of 0.7% over the five years through 2030, reaching €94.5 billion.
In 2023, the German book market generated a revenue of almost *** billion euros from print book sales and around *** million euros from e-books. Revenue for both segments has remained stable during the period of consideration, with e-book revenue even rising in recent years. The German book market lives on. Book retail Despite repeated dire warnings about reading dying out and bookshops suffering as a result, Germans have not stopped reading or buying books, whether physically or online. Of course, the traditional book trade does face challenges, especially with the rise of e-books. Revenue development in the German book trade has fluctuated during the last two years, which was undoubtedly still influenced by the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, when physical book retail locations were closed for months on end and book sales through those channels took a big hit. Brick and mortar shops stocking books were still the leading source of revenue among book buying locations, followed by mail order (whether from a shop or buying online in general). Curled up with a book German readers reach for a variety of genres when making their book choices. Preferences and trends, or, more specifically, sales figures, change periodically. Most recently, leading subjects included fiction, children's and young adult's books. **** million Germans read for leisure several times a week.
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Market Size statistics on the Global Book Publishing industry in Global
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Graph and download economic data for Breakdown of Revenue by Media Type: Books - Print Books for Book Publishers, All Establishments, Employer Firms (RPCMPBEF51113ALLEST) from 2013 to 2022 about book, printing, employer firms, accounting, revenue, establishments, services, and USA.
The annual revenue of China's book publishing industry surpassed *** billion yuan in 2021, indicating **** percent year-on-year growth. There were ******* new types of books published in the country that year.
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The Online Book Sales industry has faced mixed operating conditions. While an appreciating Australian dollar has made international book sites more price competitive, an overarching shift towards online shopping has driven local demand. Enhanced website design, improved navigation, and better online security and payment options have collectively boosted consumer confidence in online purchases. Industry revenue is expected to expand at an annualised 4.0% to $593.4 million over the five years through 2024-25. This trend includes a hike of 5.2% in the current year, as rising internet subscriber numbers, an upswing in consumer sentiment and an income hike encourage continued online spending. The Online Book Sales industry has experienced notable expansion, driven by the increased convenience and cost savings of online shopping. Books, being low-value and cost-efficient for delivery, have thrived in this environment. The surge in demand during the pandemic exemplified this trend, with lockdowns pushing consumers towards online purchases for entertainment. However, industry competition intensified as more entrants sought to capture market share. Traditional bookstores have also pivoted to online platforms, crowding the digital space. Legislative changes like Australia's GST adjustments since July 2018 have given local online stores a competitive edge. Yet, international giants continue to pose a challenge because of their extensive reach, economies of scale and an appreciating Australian dollar. Going forwards, revenue across the Online Book Sales industry is set to expand by an annualised 4.2% through the end of 2029-30 to $727.7 million. Rising internet subscriber numbers, stronger income growth, improved consumer sentiment, and enhanced online security and payment systems will provide opportunities for revenue to expand. Yet, greater competition from new entrants and established sites like Amazon and Booktopia will hamper profit growth. Digital formats, especially ebooks, will remain crucial, driven by ease of access and lower costs. Technological advancements will continue to enhance the quality and functionality of ebooks and ereaders, causing this segment to strengthen, notably within educational publishing, as schools and students seek more affordable and portable options.
In 2024, the leading distribution channel in Sweden’s book market remained online bookstores, generating approximately **** billion Swedish kronor in revenue. Digital subscription services followed closely, reaching **** billion SEK, continuing their steady growth from *** million SEK just four years prior. While online bookstore revenue saw a slight decline compared to the previous year, physical bookstores and subscription services both experienced modest increases, narrowing the gap. Despite this shift, online bookstores continued to hold a strong lead in the Swedish book market.
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The comic book publishing industry consists of companies engaged in the publication of comic books, graphic novels and other related materials. The industry is primarily dominated by DC Comics and Marvel Entertainment LLC (Marvel), by far the most well-known brands in comics currently. The industry experienced revenue growth in line with rising consumer spending, along with increased interest in the source material for high-profile comic book adaptations, most prominently the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. While the core fanbase of collectors and superhero fans remains strong, publishers have capitalized on new sales channels and digital platforms to reach broader audiences. A boom in graphic novels and manga has played a pivotal role in propelling the industry to new heights. Overall, industry revenue has increased at a CAGR of 6.9% to reach $1.9 billion in 2025. This comes in spite of a drop of 2.1% in 2025 alone. Also, profit is slated to contract during the same period as the shift in the industry toward increased online sales, which typically command lower prices, is poised to hurt profit for the industry. Digital comics and e-commerce have fundamentally reshaped how readers discover and consume content. Digital storefronts like ComiXology and Webtoon have expanded access, especially among younger and tech-savvy readers, while publishers have embraced automation and genre diversity to cut costs and attract varied demographics. Manga has quickly surged to the forefront of graphic novel sales, driven by anime tie-ins and mainstream retailer support, even as traditional comic shops face mounting challenges from online competition and rising costs. Crowdfunding and hybrid publishing models have enabled independent creators to thrive and data-driven editorial decisions are now the norm, syncing comic launches with media adaptations for maximum impact. The industry is expected to wane through the end of 2030 as it balances out from the 2021 spike. Online-only comic book publishers are expected to continue challenging the industry, contributing to pressured industry revenue growth. In addition, print advertising expenditure, which had already been declining before 2021, is not expected to fully recover even after the coronavirus pandemic subsides, further dampening revenue growth for this industry. Overall, industry revenue is expected to shrink at a CAGR of 2.3% to $1.7 billion through the end of 2030. Profit will also dwindle, pressured by a forecast climb in the price of paper and industry wages.
In 2023, the estimated net revenue of the U.S. book publishing industry amounted to 29.9 billion U.S. dollars. This marks a small decrease from the previous year, but revenue remains stable and is an improvement on the figures recorded for previous years.