Unit sales of print books slipped by 0.5% in the week ended Dec. 4, 2016, compared to the similar week in 2015 at outlets that report to Nielsen BookScan. The juvenile nonfiction segment had the worst performance in the week with units down 10% compared to the week ended Dec. 6, 2015. Unit sales of the top-100 category bestsellers fell 9% compared to the similar week in 2015. A year ago, Elf on the Shelf was a huge hit with two editions selling a combined 145,000 copies; in the comparable week in 2016 the two editions sold a combined 53,000 copies. The segment is also suffering from the inclusion of Johanna Basford’s two adult coloring books in last year’s numbers. In the week ended Dec. 6, 2015, her two books sold a combined 87,000 copies. The adult nonfiction category had the best week, with units up 3% over 2015. Killing the Rising Sun by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard returned to the top spot on the adult nonfiction bestsellers list, selling more than 65,000 copies. Talking As Fast As I Can by Gilmore Girls star Lauren Graham hit the bestsellers list at #3, selling more than 39,000 copies in its first week on sale. Unit sales rose 2% in the juvenile fiction segment in the week. Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Double Down and J.K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them remained in first and second place on the category bestsellers list, selling about 108,000 copies and 98,000 copies, respectively. Units dropped 3% in the adult fiction category compared to 2015. John Grisham’s The Whistler was #1 on the category bestsellers list, taking over the top spot from Cross the Line by James Patterson, which slid to #2. Whistler sold about 55,000 copies in the week, and Cross the Line sold 43,000 copies.
Unit Sales of Print Books by Channel
| Dec. 6, 2015 | Dec. 4, 2016* | Chge Week | Chge YTD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 20,379 | 20,278 | -0.5% | 3% |
| Mass Merch./Other | 3,105 | 2,647 | -15% | -5% |
| Retail & Club | 17,274 | 17,631 | 2% | 5% |
Unit Sales of Print Books by Category
| Dec. 6, 2015 | Dec. 4, 2016* | Chge Week | Chge YTD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Nonfiction | 7,263 | 7,458 | 3% | 7% |
| Adult Fiction | 3,337 | 3,246 | -3% | -1% |
| Juvenile Nonfiction | 2,271 | 2,050 | -10% | 3% |
| Juvenile Fiction | 6,269 | 6,411 | 2% | 3% |
Unit Sales of Print Books by Format
| Dec. 6, 2015 | Dec. 4, 2016* | Chge Week | Chge YTD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardcover | 6,810 | 6,932 | 2% | 5% |
| Trade Paperback | 9,782 | 9,711 | -0.7% | 4% |
| Mass Market Paperback | 1,392 | 1,248 | -10% | -8% |
| Board Books | 1,235 | 1,265 | 2% | 7% |
| Audio | 123 | 97 | -21% | -14% |
*Totals for 2016 include units sold through Family Christian Stores. No sales through Family Christian are included in 2015.
