E-Book Sales On The Rise

The Bookseller reports that e-book sales increased 176.6% in 2009 in the US, while sales of trade paperbacks, mass market paperbacks and children's hardcover books were down.

Sales of adult hardcover titles also rose.

Meanwhile, there are indications that Apple may have made allowances to discount e-books of best-selling titles, which means consumers may not see a universal increase in e-book prices, as previously believed.

It isn't surprising that e-book sales figures are increasing, as the growth of the e-book market is tied to the development of readers that make this format appealing to consumers and feasible, but it will be interesting to see how the numbers look a year from now, once Apple is selling e-books for iPad.