In a just released study solicited by Ricoh Americas Corporation and conducted by IT Strategies in partnership with the University of Colorado, they discovered that readers still have a preference for print books. Their study determined that while the media is promoting the sale of eBooks, sales of print books are high. Here are a few details from the study:
• Nearly 70 percent of consumers feel it is unlikely that they will give up on printed books by 2016. Consumers have an emotional and visceral/sensory attachment to printed books, potentially elevating them to a luxury item.
• Despite their perceived popularity, 60% of eBooks downloaded are never read in the US. Since 2012, the growth of eBooks has slowed significantly as dedicated eReader sales are declining, and tablet PC devices are increasingly becoming utilized for other forms of entertainment.
• College students prefer printed textbooks to eBooks as they help students to concentrate on the subject matter at hand; electronic display devices such as tablet PCs tempt students to distraction.
• Current trends reveal that while fewer copies of books are being sold, more titles are being published.
• Digital printing of “ultra short runs” has empowered book printers to supply books more tightly tied to actual demand.
• The top three reasons consumers choose a printed book are: Lack of eye strain when reading from paper copy vs. an eBook; the look and feel of paper, and the ability to add it to a library or bookshelf.
You can read the entire study by following this link.
