E-Book sales reported another huge leap in the latest stats released by the American Association of American Publishers and International Digital Publishing Forum. Trade eBook sales were $5,100,000 for September 2008, a 77.8% increase over the same month last year. And calendar year to date is up over 55% over 2007. “Q3 of 2008 is the first quarter to top $12,000,000 and final number was in fact $13,900,000,” IDPF’s bulletin reports.

The numbers may actually be higher, as the above figures are culled from only 13 participating trade publishers. Also, Michael Smith, IDPF’s Executive Director reminds us,

* This data represents United States revenues only
* This data represents only trade eBook sales via wholesale channels. Retail numbers may be as much as double the above figures due to industry wholesale discounts.
* This data does not include library, educational or professional electronic sales
* The numbers reflect the wholesale revenues of publishers
* The definition used for reporting electronic book sales is “All books delivered electronically over the Internet OR to hand-held reading devices”
* The IDPF and AAP began collecting data together starting in Q1 2006

RC