Press Release
New Research Reveals Unexpected Positive Outlook
for the Printed Book, due to Love of the Medium
The Future of the Books Industry Depends Heavily on Print;
Three out of Five eBooks Downloaded are Never Read
MALVERN, PA, Dec. 9, 2013 – Ricoh Americas Corporation (Ricoh) today announced the
findings of its commissioned IT Strategies books study, performed in conjunction with the
University of Colorado. Among the key findings of the study: that eBooks’ mindshare is
overshadowed by popular press headlines rather than factual data, and that most
consumers do not see themselves giving up printed books, due to the benefits the physical
form offers.
The most surprising results of the study entitled “The Evolution of the Book Industry:
Implications for U.S. Book Manufacturers and Printers” include:
Nearly 70 percent of consumers feel it is unlikely that they will give up on
printed books by 2016. Consumers have an emotional and visceral/sensory
attachment to printed books, potentially elevating them to a luxury item.
Despite their perceived popularity, 60% of eBooks downloaded are never read
in the US. Since 2012, the growth of eBooks has slowed significantly as
dedicated eReader sales are declining, and tablet PC devices are increasingly
becoming utilized for other forms of entertainment.
College students prefer printed textbooks to eBooks as they help students to
concentrate on the subject matter at hand; electronic display devices such as
tablet PCs tempt students to distraction.
Current trends reveal that while fewer copies of books are being sold, more titles
are being published.
Digital printing of “ultra short runs” has empowered book printers to supply
books more tightly tied to actual demand.
The top three reasons consumers choose a printed book are: Lack of eye
strain when reading from paper copy vs. an eBook; the look and feel of paper,
and the ability to add it to a library or bookshelf.
“More than 500 years after the invention of the printing press, book manufacturers and
publishers are playing a pivotal role in the next renaissance in books that is happening
now,” said George Promis, vice president of continuous forms production solutions &
technology alliances, Ricoh. “To borrow a phrase from Mark Twain, reports of the printed
book’s death are greatly exaggerated. Print is alive, well and sought after in today’s book
market. At Ricoh, we’re focused on ensuring this stays true for years to come.”
Other findings from the study specifically relevant to publishers and book manufacturers
include:
Publishers are using digital printing in two ways:
o
As a test with 1 to 2 books placed per retailer, circumventing
cumbersome distributor guidelines and storage fees before ordering
larger offset or digitally printed quantities
o
For predicted strong titles, digitally printed books are used for reorders
as needed to supplement first-run offset printed books
Digital production inkjet printers have opened the door to a business model shift.
Combined, the study estimates that just 50 production inkjet systems
owned by 25 book manufacturers produced more than ten percent of all
printed book pages in the U.S. in 2012.
Offering titles electronically does not correspond to revenue generation or cost
savings—even the largest publishers derive revenues of no more than 2030 percent from eBook sales
The study surveyed more than 800 respondents, with the following demographic profile:
•
Gender: 55% female, 45% male
•
Average age: 39 years old
•
Education
–
0.2% have not completed high school (1 respondent)
–
36% have a high school degree
–
49% have an undergraduate degree
–
15% have a graduate or higher degree
“Despite the perceived growth of eBooks, our research shows that there is a silver lining
for the printed books and the digital production print industries,” said Marco Boer,
Consulting Partner, IT Strategies. “As book orders become smaller in quantity and more
frequent, and as an unprecedented number of titles are introduced each year, digital print
is helping book manufacturers tackle potential challenges head on through automation and
more intelligent printing.”
To download the IT Strategies white paper, “The Evolution of the Book Industry:
Implications for U.S. Book Manufacturers and Printers”, and obtain more information on
Ricoh’s solutions for publishing, visit this link:
http://www.infoprint.com/internet/ipww.nsf/vwWebPublished/solos_commercial-printpublishing_en.
| About Ricoh|
Ricoh is a global technology company specializing in office imaging equipment, production print solutions,
document management systems and IT services. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in
about 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ending March 2013, Ricoh Group had worldwide
sales of 1,924 billion yen (approx. 20 billion USD).
The majority of the company's revenue comes from products, solutions and services that improve the
interaction between people and information. Ricoh also produces award-winning digital cameras and
specialized industrial products. It is known for the quality of its technology, the exceptional standard of its
customer service and sustainability initiatives.
Under its corporate tagline, imagine. change. Ricoh helps companies transform the way they work and
harness the collective imagination of their employees.
For further information, please visit www.ricoh.com/about/
###
© 2013 Ricoh Americas Corporation. All rights reserved. All referenced product names are the
trademarks of their respective companies.
Contact:
Tracey Sheehy
Breakaway Communications
(212) 616-6003
[email protected]