toccon-bug.gifAngela Bole, BSIG; Kelly Gallagher, Bowker

Consumer attitudes to ebook reading. Ongoing project. Very fresh data, completed survey last week and this is the first release to the public. Looked a print book readers who are moving to ebooks. Respondents had to have read an ebook. 95% confidence level, about 44K respondents.

Purchasing behavior: #1 reason to buy an ebook is affordability

34% acquired their first ebook within the last sixth months

Purchasers of ebooks are buying fewer hardbacks and paperbacks

47% read ebooks on a desktop, 32% on the Kindle, 11% on iPhone, 10% on iPod Touch, 9% on Blackberry, 9% on a netbook, 8% on the Nook, 8% on the Sony Reader, 13% on other

50% buy ebooks exclusively

When asked what would make you pay more for an ebook, 3 of the top 5 items related to social network features

When asked what the major benefits of ebooks were the top benefits were low cost, availability of free/promotional books

When asked if they would be willing to wait 3 moths for the release of an ebook after the release of the hard cover, 30% said not sure, 32% said would be willing to wait, and 25% said would buy the hardcover instead

When asked if DRM would change their purchase decision, 42% said maybe, 29% said no and 29% said yes

2 COMMENTS

  1. I’m impressed with these figures. 34% purchased firast book within 6 months? It shows how fast the industry is growing. 32% for Kindle vs 8% each for Nook and Sony, shows where the industry leader is on dedicated devices.

    As for 21% Iphone/pod, a few questions:
    1) Are they reading kindle books?
    2) Are they also reading on a Kindle/Sony/nook?
    3) Similar question with laptop readers. I’m not convinced that 47% of th ebook reading public is doing the majority of their reading on their laptops, but rather, in addition to a Kindle or iPhone. But I need some fleshing out of this.

    Certainly shows how ebooks are just exploding.

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