Print or Digital?

Who would have thought such passionate arguments could result from the simple question, print or digital? You’d almost think people were arguing over PCs and Macs. In both cases, it’s a fun argument to have, but ultimately it’s a personal preference. (Yes, that does ignore the as-yet unquantified differences in how the brain absorbs information presented on-screen versus presented on paper.)

However, if you take a look at the facts, you may find your eyebrows raising just a bit. Digital book sales are greater than print book sales—and this is an important distinction—in some venues. In the industry as a whole, however, digital book sales are only about 25 to 30 percent of all sales. Flip that around, and 70 to 75 percent of all sales are print editions. Another fun fact is that roughly half of all book sales are hardcover editions, which, if you do the math, means digital and softcover editions are roughly equal in sales. Industry wide, remember.

Surprised? Don’t feel bad, and blame the media and online retailers (one in particular). In many ways, the state of digital books right now is a lot like the nascent days of the Dot Com explosion: new technology that is rapidly adapted by what the media makes out to be great numbers of people. Throw in print-on-demand (POD) softcover books, and it’s easy to see why a person may be surprised the traditional print editions, whether hardcover or softcover, still exist. Well, not only do they exist, they represent the bulk of most publishers’ sales.

Here are some more misconceptions about print versus digital. The segment that is the largest consumers of digital books is teens and twenty-somethings, right? Wrong. The vast majority of e-book readers are in their late thirties or older. They can take their e-book readers on the train to and from work and don’t have to haul a heavy book around in their briefcases or purses. Another misconception is that digital sales skyrocket every year. Well, while that may have been true during the advent of the technology, it’s not anymore. The past couple of years the increase in digital sales has been only 2 to 3 percent each year, while on the other hand, sales of print editions have been increasing. Even when digital sales were increasing by double-digit percentages, that wasn’t at the expense of print sales. For the most part, digital sales were expanding the total market, not cannibalizing the existing market.

Both print and digital books are here to stay. So, in the end, the answer to the question, print or digital, is a personal choice. If you prefer digital, load up your e-book reader with all of the bytes of books it can hold. If you prefer print, wander down to your favorite bookseller and prepare to line the shelves of your bookcase with good ol’ bound books.

Tin Whiskers Publisher is a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA). IBPA’s mission is “to lead and serve the independent publishing community by providing advocacy, education, and tools for success.” IBPA is a not-for-profit membership organization serving and leading the independent publishing community. Founded in 1983, it is the largest publishing trade organization in the United States. IBPA members pledge to uphold the organization’s code of ethics.