Publishing News reports the results of research conducted by Key Note, the market intelligence providers, that look at book buyers buying books from bookshops as against on the internet. Their research shows that only 38.8% of book buyers would be “more likely” to buy a book online that from a bookshop, up from a mere 6% in 2003. Of that sample, who “sometimes” bought books over the internet, 94.4% had bought at least one book online over the past 12 months. Convenience was cited as the reason for doing so by 62.4% and “greater choice” by 66.4%. The survey also revealed that those aged between 30 and 65 were more likely to purchase books online than those in their teens and twenties, or those over 65.
Not surprisingly, those between 35 and 44 are the most likely online books-hoppers, with most of those living in Greater London, East Anglia and the South-West. Internet buyers are evenly spread across the social spectrum.