“What we know about e-books shouldn’t be created with hype and maintained through misunderstanding.” --Michael Norris, Senior Analyst, Simba Information

Trade E-Book Publishing 2009 analyzes the market for electronic books through the eyes of two of the most prominent vendors: Amazon and Sony.

Simba Information’s trade books group has watched the e-book segment expand in its own right. But too much of what’s known about this market has been created by hype and maintained through misunderstanding. By taking e-book questions directly to consumers in the form of an exclusive survey of 2,600 U.S. adults and combining it with additional analysis, Simba has been able to answer some important questions and bust some myths about the publishing segment everyone is talking about. Trade E-Book Publishing 2009 includes:

• Detailed analysis from an exclusive Simba Information poll of 2,600 adults

• An answer to the big question: what percentage of adults read and/or buy e-books?

• The average number of e-books read in 2008 by consumers of the format to see what extent there is demand for an "iPod of books"

• Demographic data about the buyers of e-books, including gender, age, household income and more

• Analysis on pricing trends and a discussion of the risks/reward potential of "free" e-books

• Definitive analysis of the devices on which e-books are read—including the iPhone and Kindle—and the surprise No. 1 choice for consumers

• Extensive category analysis drawn from a six-month study of Amazon and Sony bestseller lists as well as a comparison between the two e-book stores

• Assessment about the opportunities and pitfalls of this market

• And more

Additional Information

Stamford, CT—July 30, 2009—Simba Information, which recently published Trade E-Book Publishing 2009, continued the analysis in its monthly periodical, Book Publishing Report, which reveals the extent the prices of electronic books have fallen between July 2008 and June 2009 in this month’s issue. The price decrease was found in a year-long effort tracking bestselling titles from Amazon and Sony.

In July 2008, the top 25 titles on Amazon’s bestseller list for the four weeks averaged $9.25 and the top 25 in June 2009 averaged $8.04 after decreasing fairly steadily during the interim. For Sony, after starting at $10.13 in July 2008 then increasing to $11.68 in November thanks to a few well selling bundles, the average price of the top 25 fell to $9.97 in June.

“There’s a lot of pressure to sell titles at a loss, or at least better than the other guy, in order to lure new customers,” said Michael Norris, senior analyst at Simba Information. “But if the competition gets so fierce it leads to a race-to-the-bottom, no one will win, not even consumers.”

Of course lower prices aren’t the only ways to add value to the consumer experience. Sony recently added about 500,000 free public domain e-books to its library, a move that pushed the company’s selection far beyond Amazon’s. That was replicated by Barnes & Noble’s announcement earlier this month when it opened its new e-book store. These and other companies continue to experiment with their user interface, loyalty programs, and other means to get a competitive edge in this complicated marketplace.

According to Trade E-Book Publishing 2009, about 8% of the U.S. adult population purchased at least one e-book during 2008; a figure undoubtedly on the rise. The report also determined the most popular devices on which e-book users consume their books and includes demographic data of buyers.

For additional information please visit www.simbainformation.com or contact Warren Pawlowski at 203-325-8193 x114.

About Simba Information:

Simba Information is widely recognized as the leading authority for market intelligence in the media and publishing industry. Simba's extensive information network delivers top quality, independent perspective on the people, events and alliances shaping the media and information industry. Simba provides consulting and reports that provide key decision-makers at more than 15,000 client companies around the globe with timely analysis, exclusive statistics and proprietary industry forecasts. For more information, please visit www.simbainformation.com.