LEXINGTON, KY -- WhatTheyThink, the leading news and information site for the graphic communications industry, announces the immediate availability of E-Books: From Cellar to Bestseller: A WhatTheyThink Overview of Electronic Publishing, Its Impact on Traditional Publishing, and the Opportunities It Offers to Graphic Communications Professionals. This 89-page report provides an easy-to-read overview of the current state of e-book hardware readers such as the Amazon Kindle, the Sony Reader, and the Barnes & Noble Nook; the many software-based e-book readers and formats available including e-book apps for the iPhone and other portable devices; a discussion of “e-zines” and digital periodicals; the Apple iPad why it is a universe-changing device; and where the market for e-books and other types of e-content stands today, as well as where it is likely to go in the near future. 

This primer report sorts out the major players and technologies, and provides an extensive discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of print vs. electronic content—taking the form of a lively “debate.”

The report also quantifies—to the extent possible—the current market for e-books. For example:

• According to the Association of American Publishers, in June 2010, E-book sales had increased by 119% over June 2009—and in May 2010, e-book sales had increased by about 163% over the previous May.
• In 2008, e-books accounted for 0.5% of all book sales; in 2009, e-books accounted for 1.3% of all book sales.
• 2010 has seen the first million-selling e-book author(s): Steig Larsson, author of  the “Millennium” trilogy of The Girl Who... novels, has become the first author to sell one million Kindle e-books; James Patterson has become the first author to sell one million e-books in any format.
• An August survey conducted of UK iPad owners found that 31% prefer the iPad for the delivery of newspaper and magazine content—compared to 24% who prefer print.

The report also provides our outlook of the future market for e-books and e-zines, as well as general advice, cautions, and caveats for companies and individuals looking to get involved in e-books and other types of e-publishing either as a user or as a producer.

An extensive Appendix documents the author’s attempt to convert two print book titles to Amazon Kindle and iPad-compatible e-books, detailing the software settings, design and layout considerations, formatting problems, the publishing and distribution process, and debugging and repairing e-book files.

E-Books: From Cellar to Bestseller is available for online purchase at the WhatTheyThink Store in PDF format.

Researcher's Comments

“A decade ago, the first commercially available—and even perhaps viable—e-books began to appear, and the public was just not ready for them. And vice versa. But since 2006, the market has steadily grown; take a look at how many Kindles, and Sony Readers, and Nooks you now see on planes and trains. And then there’s the iPad. Is that a Kindle killer? Doubtful, but it isn’t something that should be ignored by anyone in graphic communications today.”

Editor’s Note

Additional information pertaining to each report is available for editorial purposes. Please make inquiries directly to Cary Sherburne at 603-430-5463 or [email protected],  or visit www.whattheythink.com).

About WhatTheyThink

WhatTheyThink comprises the largest graphic arts community in the print industry. Started in March 2000, WhatTheyThink.com provides daily news, interviews, research, and many more resources to our members. Our goal is to provide unbiased, real-time market intelligence to print and publishing executives.

The name WhatTheyThink (provided by an industry consultant) reflects our goal of developing a community built on what industry professionals had to say. We wanted unbiased takes from print buyers, designers, printers, and suppliers. Not just the big printers or the suppliers who were “buying advertising,” but ideas and knowledge from every corner of the industry.