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E-book adoption by women increased dramatically around the time of the publication of E L James’ erotic Fifty Shades trilogy, according to new e-book data released by Nielsen BookScan. The statistics, based on a Kantar Worldpanel of more than 15,000 consumers, show that more women than men began reading digitally in 2012, with adoption rates particularly high in the period immediately after Christmas, and then again in early summer.
In its latest monthly report, “Understanding the E-book Consumer”, Nielsen said that it expected that the number of digital readers could now “crash through the 7 million barrier in early 2013”, with the number of print-only buyers set to fall to around 33 million. The view was based on its analysis of the rates of e-book adoption seen in the first 11 months of 2012, a period when on average the number of e-book readers grew by 360,000 each month. The data showed that Christmas and the summer were the key drivers of sales: in the period ending 22nd January 2012 the adoption rate leapt to 17.9% (equating to 537,000 new e-book buyers); it grew a further 10.9% in February; and in the period to 8th July 2012 the figure increased by 8.4% month on month.
The data also revealed that e-book penetration was highest among those aged 35–44, with adoption growing fastest among 25 to 34-year-olds. But e-book penetration was lowest among under-20s—specifically those aged 13–20. By the end of 2011, just 2% of 13 to 20-year-olds had bought an e-book, increasing to 8% by the end of November 2012. The panel also showed that 300,000 more women than men had bought an e-book by the end of November last year, with e-book market penetration among women totalling 14.4% by the end of the month, compared to the total for men of 13.7%. The survey noted that e-book adoption among women increased dramatically in the period ending 8th July (up 10.5% on the previous four-week period), a sign of James’ influence (the male comparison was 6.5%).
Nielsen stated that as of November 2012, about 6.85 million people aged 13–79 in the UK had bought at least one e-book. This was an increase of 3.8 million, or 128%, since the beginning of the year. Over 2012, the penetration of e-books within the 13–79 population group increased by an average of 0.7%, or 360,000 people, every month—from 6.2% in the period ending 25th December 2011 to 14.1% in the four-week period ending 25th November 2012.
The data also highlighted adoption rates in different parts of the country, with Wales, west England and Scotland top in terms of e-book use. E-books have reached 17% of the population of Scotland, and 16.7% in Wales and west England. By contrast, e-book adoption occurred latest in the south-west region, with the Midlands the lowest ranking region.
The growth of e-books continues to put a squeeze on price. The average selling price of an e-book in the UK was £3.21—almost half that of a printed book (£6.31). These figures, however, are at odds with publishers’ own numbers, which showed an a.s.p. of an e-book at closer to £3.65. The discrepancy could be caused by the fact that a number of e-booksellers are undercutting publisher e-book prices, and growth in cheaper self-published titles. The data does confirm the general trends of lower e-book prices and slightly higher physical prices: prices of e-books have fallen 11%, or 42p, in comparison to 2011, while prices of printed books have increased slightly by 2%, or 10p.