E-book sales growth slowed in October, but still easily outdistanced the growth rates in any other subject category, according to AAP's monthly sales estimates. October e-book sales rose 112.4% in the month, to $40.7 million, from the 14 reporting companies. For the first 10 months of 2010, e-book sales were up 171.3%, to $345.3 million. Sales of downloadable audio rose 20.7%, while sales of physical audiobooks fell 20.5%. Still, sales of audiobook CDs from 22 companies were $14.7 million in October, higher than the $6.3 million in sales from nine publishers that reported downloadable audio sales. Sales in October were down in all the trade segments except children's hardcover, and declined for all but trade paperback (which had flat sales) in the 10-month period.

CATEGORY % CHANGE Oct % CHANGE YTD
Adult Hard (17)* -6.5% -7.7%
Adult Paper (19) -11.8 0.0
Mass Market (9) -1.1 -14.3
Children's Hard (14) 13.9 -11.1
Children's Paper (14) -3.3 -6.5
Audio (22) -20.5 -13.5
Aud. Download (9) 20.7 38.6
Electronic (14) 112.4 171.3
Religious (18) -4.1 -0.7
Higher Ed. (10) 12.0 10.6
Univ. Pr. Hard (34) -15.6 1.9
Univ. Pr. Paper (34) -13.2 4.1
Professional (8) -6.1 8.4
Elhi (9) -10.8 3.8

(Measured in $ sales against same time periods, 2009)

* Number of reporting companies