Kindle eBooks now outselling paperbacks and hardbacks

by Steven Mostyn - May 20 2011, 08:55

Continuing the rise and rise of Kindle, online retailer Amazon has this week revealed that it is selling more electronic books (eBooks) through Kindle than through traditional print-published channels.

Since April 1 of this year, according to Amazon, it has sold 105 Kindle books for every 100 printed editions purchased by paper-loving bookworms (in both paperback and hardback).

Clearly looking to stack the deck in Kindle’s favour, the retail giant was also keen to point out that its sales comparison figures do not include eBooks offered for free, but do include printed books that don’t yet have an eBook edition.

Today’s news will come as no surprise to Kindle followers, not least because Amazon first announced that its in-store eBooks first began outselling hardback offerings back in July of last year.

With eBook sales momentum now three times greater than this time in 2010, it’s likely that Amazon’s decision to reduce hardware and content prices have boosted consumer interest for both the Kindle (now selling for just $114 USD) and its digital publications.

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