The Bookseller - News - Booksellers report more customers switching to paperbacks as household budgets tighten

Nick Webb, co-owner of The Rabbit Hole in Brigg, Lincolnshire, regularly has customers who say they will wait for the paperback because many cannot justify the cost of a new hardback. He told The Bookseller: "Many people who are drawn to question whether we have a particular title in will ultimately say they will wait for the paperback, especially if it's by an untested debut author. And in the interim, they will very often pick up a copy cheaply at a charity shop or borrow a copy from a friend. All of these demonstrate lost sales to ourselves, the publisher, and ultimately the author."

He said that as an indie bookshop, the continuing preference to publish titles in hardback is an ongoing and concerning issue considering both the current economic climate and the evolving demands of customers. "While customers may be willing to outlay the price of a hardback for a favourite author or as a special gift, the current state of the economy means that price is increasingly prohibitive," he explained.