Here's some good news: Publishers Weekly (@PublishersWkly) reports "bookstore sales posted their first monthly increase since January in November, with the US Census Bureau reporting that preliminary November sales rose 5.3%, to $1.09 billion. Results include all sales reported by bookstores and November numbers could reflect the increase in digital reading devices sold by bookstores, especially at Barnes & Noble. The numbers also reinforce reports that the Thanksgiving weekend was a good one for many bookstores, including independents. For the first 11 months of 2010, bookstore sales were still down 1.9%, to $14.41 billion. For the retail segment in general, November sales were up 9.0% and year-to-date sales ahead 6.5%."
Another PW report says "ebook sales in November rose 129.7%, to $46.6 million, from the 14 publishers who report results to the Association of American Publishers’ monthly sales report. The gain was below the year-to-date average which has e-book sales ahead 165.6% through November, but was better than the 112.4% increase reported in October when ebook sales were $40.7 million. The $165.6% increase in the first 11 months of 2010 put e-book sales from the 14 companies at $391.9 million. With one month yet to report in 2010, it looks like ebooks and downloadable audio will be the only trade segments to posts gains in the year with sales down in all the print segments at the publishers that report to the AAP; the mass market segment has the largest decline at 14.0%."