There’s something special about flipping through the pages of a print book. It is certainly a personal experience that cannot be replaced by the electronic e-book version. This seems to be a sentiment that many of today’s readers share.
A few factors contribute to this recent decline in e-book sales. One major factor being that some genres are better suited to print format, such as children’s books and recipe books. Can you imagine growing up reading your favorite childhood stories on a kindle? Or recreating recipes without all of the mouth-watering visuals in print? Print is a popular medium for children’s books and many prefer to peruse recipes in hardback format. Realizing this, publishers are using these genres to drive the sales of print books.
Limiting screen time has also impacted e-book usage. Surrounded by electronic devices at home and work, more and more people are taking a “digital detox” to decrease the use of smartphones, tablets and other devices. Research shows that one third of adults tried taking a digital detox in 2016.
Of course, e-books have their benefits. One of which is their convenience while traveling. Instead of weighing your bags down with books, e-readers allow readers to bring an entire digital library with them.
When e-books first hit the scene, the print industry was concerned. Many thought e-books would eventually replace print books, but this hasn’t been the case.
What do you think? Will the print industry continue to hold its own? Do you have a strong preference for one format over the other?
Read more about the decline of e-book sales in CNN’s original article.