American readers buy books most frequently online and in chain stores, with considerably fewer seeking out independent stores as their first choice, according to a survey of U.S. book-buying habits released today by Zogby International.
Asked about their overall buying habits, 77 percent said they shop online, 76 percent buy at chains and 49 percent shop at independent stores.
The polling firm, best known for its surveys of presidential races, was commissioned to conduct the survey by Random House, which is publishing chief executive John Zogby’s “The Way We’ll Be.” The results polled 8,218 adults online.
In other findings, the survey found that mass acceptance of digital publishing and e-books may still be a ways off: The great majority of readers, 82 percent, said they preferred to read traditional, printed books, and only 11 percent indicated that they were comfortable reading books in other formats, such as an e-book reader on a hand-held device.
There was also generally good news for publishers and booksellers when it came to reading habits. About 46 percent said they had spent the same amount of time as usual reading in the past year, and 23 percent said they had spent more time reading; 30 percent reported that they had been reading less than usual.
On a more playful note, the survey asked what book people would recommend if the president of the United States called them at 3 a.m., complaining about an inability to sleep. Respondents offered suggestions, including the U.S. Constitution, and David McCullough’s “1776.” Others suggested classics such as “War and Peace” and “Lord of the Rings,” as well as books by politicians.
