‘Spanish Markets Digital Evolution Report’ 2018: Up to 52% growth in turnover on the Spanish-language eBook market

Frankfurt, 09. April 2018 – the eBook market in Spanish-speaking regions recorded exceptionally high growth in the past financial year 2017, with the ‘4^thSpanish Markets Digital Evolution Report’ by Bookwire Spain, in cooperation with Dosdoce.com, documenting a up to 52 percent growth in turnover.

This year is the fourth year Bookwire Spain and Dosdoce.com have published the industry report, which is presented to the international audience of professionals at London Book Fair. All of the findings from the analysis of the 2017 annual sales of around 400 Spanish and Latin American publishers, for whom Bookwire Spain takes care of international distribution and sometimes also marketing, are available to download for free (see link to English version below).

Digital markets in Latin America and Spain record impressive growth

The 2016 trend towards exponential growth in turnover figures continued in 2017, with sales once again growing more than average – by up to 52% in comparison to 2016. According to expert assessment, sales on the Spanish-language digital market (Latin America, USA, Spain) now account for 12% of the total turnover of the book market (taking into consideration sales of fiction, self-publishing and academic specialist literature).

The report’s publishers, Bookwire Spain and Dosdoce.com, mainly attribute the positive trend to the target-group and country specific compilation of the catalogue, and increasing simultaneous digitisation of new publications, as well as the increasing significance of price promotions that generate new eBook readers.

Growing export of digital content

47% of Spanish publishers’ sales in the past year, 2017, were recorded outside of Spain. As in 2015 and 2016, Mexico was again the largest export market for publishers from Spain (15%). The rest of the sales are spread across a wide range of Spanish-speaking countries (Argentina, Chile, Columbia, etc.). (see illustration 1 below)

Self-publishing continues to grow

The ever-increasing international demand for titles by self-publishers is also reflected in the ‘Spanish Markets Digital Evolution Report’ 2018. The analysis revealed turnover of up to 10 million Euro in 2017, up to 20% of which was from digital sales of eBooks and audiobooks.

Important online shops deliver the lion’s share of turnover – but subscriptions are growing

91% of sales on Spanish-language digital markets are transacted through the major online shops such as Amazon, Kobo or Apple, as well as popular regional shops – these are therefore still the most important sources of revenue for publishers. However, subscription platforms are also becoming more relevant and generated 6% of turnover in 2017 (2016: 5%). 

Last year growth of 1% in comparison with the previous year was achieved in library licences. All in all, these sales amounted to 3% of the total value. (see illustration 2 below).

Regional differences in price trends

In 2017, the average sale price in Spain of an eBook from the catalogue of a Spanish publisher was 7.72 Euro (including taxes) – an increase of 15 cents in comparison with the previous year. In Latin America, on the other hand, the industry report shows the reverse trend. The average price here fell clearly to 6.92 Euro incl. taxes (2016: 8.96 Euro). Strongest growth was recorded in sales of titles in the 4.99 – 9.99 Euro price category. 

The ‘Spanish Markets Digital Evolution Report’ 2018 by Bookwire Spain and Dosdoce.com is available to download at: http://bit.ly/Bookwire_DigitalEvolutionSpanishMarkets