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In 2024, the German book market generated a revenue of almost *** billion euros from print book sales and around *** million euros from e-books. Revenue for both segments has remained stable during the period of consideration, with e-book revenue even rising in recent years. The German book market lives on. 

Book retail

Despite repeated dire warnings about reading dying out and bookshops suffering as a result, Germans have not stopped reading or buying books, whether physically or online. Of course, the traditional book trade does face challenges, especially with the rise of e-books. Revenue development in the German book trade has fluctuated during the last two years, which was undoubtedly still influenced by the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, when physical book retail locations were closed for months on end and book sales through those channels took a big hit. Brick and mortar shops stocking books were still the leading source of revenue among book buying locations, followed by mail order (whether from a shop or buying online in general).

Curled up with a book

German readers reach for a variety of genres when making their book choices. Preferences and trends, or, more specifically, sales figures, change periodically. Most recently, leading subjects included non-fiction, fiction and advice/self-help.