And on the business level, we are going to be challenged to accommodate consolidation. Individual publishers who have a larger percentage of the market challenge not only their competitors, but also the marketplace. That applies both on the reseller and publisher level. Handselling will need to grow to build this industry from the bottom up. Current trends are better quality audiobooks, better readers, quicker release dates.
Future trends are wider availability of product through more retailers and through the Internet.
The APA has made tremendous gains in creating consumer awareness of audiobooks. However, the audiobook industry publishes only a relatively small portion of the total content available in print. We must let free markets work and broaden the availability of content in as many channels as possible if we are to satisfy the demand of the consumer and make audiobooks a staple in the reading diet of Americans. Jimmy Belson, owner, Jimmy B's Audiobooks retail store and Audiobooks. If you buy a hardcover book, you never get these kind of popout flyers telling you to order directly.