The following is based on 2006 sales data from Clarkesworld Books. All books and magazines were sold online or at conventions. Where possible, I have listed 2005 sales data rankings.
Percentage of Books Sold by Format
46% – Hardcover
25% – Trade Paperback
23% – Mass Market Paperback
6% – Chapbook
I can’t find the exact numbers from last year, but I know that hardcover and chapbook sales increased their percentages. The chapbook number will probably slide back down. I think this was just a blip from a few strong titles.
Bestselling Publisher (including backlist)
1 – TOR (1)
2 – Subterranean Press (5)
3 – Random House (6)
4 – Penguin (3)
5 – PS Publishing (4)
6 – HarperCollins (2)
7 – Leisure Books (7)
8 – Night Shade Books (10)
9 – Prime Books/Wildside (8)
10 – Golden Gryphon (9)
TOR maintains it’s top spot. This was pretty much the way it worked all year. The big surprise was Subterranean’s leap up and HarperCollins fall. Subterranean has had a pretty solid year. I can only think of a couple of books that didn’t sell as well as we had hoped. HarperCollins was a saved from being beaten by Leisure by the sales of just a few titles. Of course, I have to point out that Leisure is only doing this well because of the sales of Brian Keene’s books. Without him, they probably wouldn’t have made the top 15.
Next time:
Bestselling Magazines
Bestselling Author
Bestselling Books by Title
Those are some interesting facts. I myself hate hardcovers and don’t know many others that love them, but I can’t dispute those sales percentages!
Interesting.
Is there a reason that Baen doesn’t even reach the top ten? Do you not carry them for some reason, or is your clientele just uninterested?
Re: Interesting.
Baen books have never done well for us. They didn’t make the top 10 last year either.
Due to a number of issues (distributor, lower trade discount, sales numbers), we stopped stocking their books about 6 months ago and no one noticed. The distributor seems to have improved, so we’ll start listing them again, but only as preorders until things improve.
Re: Interesting.
Well, I hope they pick up.
(No, no vested interest here, why do you ask? HEY, pay no attention to that “BAEN AUTHOR” behind the curtain! I am the Great and Powerful…)
Re: Interesting.
Me too. 🙂 For what it’s worth, I do have Mountain Magic in stock.
YEAH, TOR, BAY-BEE!
[:: represent! ::]
🙂 #1 by a very big margin and your books among them.