Good news from the Audio Publishers Association - audio book sales rising with highest increase in unabridged audio books

[Pauline Rowson]

News from the Audio Publishers Association in America is very welcome with the release of their annual Survey Highlights for Audio Books showing an increase in audio book sales over the last year. This is good news for me on a personal level because I have several of my DI Andy Horton crime novels published as unabridged audio books read by the highly accomplished actor and voice artist Gordon Griffin.

In addition,  many of my sales, marketing and communications books are available as audio books.

The survey reports:

• Unit sales were up nearly 10% in the past year, showing continued consumer interest in audiobooks.
• Based on the companies who reported (representing 61% of industry), total net sales (after returns) are up by 2 million units and $2 million.
• The total number of audiobooks being published doubled in the past three years, from 3,073 in 2007 to 6,200 in 2010.
• Audiobook downloads continued on a growth trend representing 36% of dollar volume (up from 29% in 2009) and 52% of unit sales (up from 48% in 2009)
• In the past 5 years, downloading has grown 300% by dollar volume (from 9% in 2005) and 150% in terms of units (from 21% in 2005).
• The CD format still represents the largest single source of dollars but showed slight declines overall in 2010 – 58% of revenue (down from 65%) and 43% of unit sales (down from 46%).
• Unabridged editions (89% of the market by dollars; 85% of the market by units) continue to lead in sales.

Four of my DI Andy Horton marine mystery police procedural crime novels are published as unabridged audio books by Isis Publishing


 

I'm hoping that more DI Horton novels will be published as audio books. For more information visit my website







My sales, marketing and communication books  are also available as audio books.crime novels, marine mystery murder