The ebook market has finally taken off even in Italy, as well as that of digital magazines and the more or less enhanced books, and we’re starting to accumulate some significant data for comparisons in order to pick out the trends.
In the absence of reliable aggregate data on the Italian market, I’m providing the Simplicissimus data. Actually, let’s do this: from now on I’ll update you every now and then on Simplicissimus results.
Short reckonings make long friends, but: no, I won’t give you the absolute numbers – don’t even ask – try to guess if you want, but I can’t give them to you. I will, however, give you a significant index by setting the January 2011 turnover to 100, ok?
And no, the answer is still no for the question you’re thinking right now: I won’t give you any more numbers if the current trend happens to change unexpectedly – I’m no fool! 😀
So these are the graphs provided below:
- The turnover of Ultima Books (direct ebook sales to end-users) for the first two months 2012, monthly and cumulative, in comparison with the same period 2011.
- The turnover of STEALTHBooks (ebook distribution to online bookstores on behalf of publishers), using the same logic.
- The turnover of all our other products for which it’s still difficult to make more precise comparisons (Ultima Kiosk, Narcissus, BookMaker, apps, etc.).
- The total turnover of Simplicissimus Book Farm, again for the first two months 2012 and compared to the same period last year.
Why am I doing this? Because I think it’s nice to share what’s been happening to something which was created in 2006, experienced and even survived a situation of having absolutely no market, and is now finally finding its way. And also because I like showing my wares, otherwise what kind of merchant would I be? I’m also doing this because we’ve decided to start a rather considerable Financing Round in order to recruit new investors who, at this point, will help us take our services for production, distribution and sales of digital publishing content outside Italy as well. After all, if our services are successful and convenient in Italy, as it seems, then they’ll also be so abroad. And the trends you’ll see in the graphs below can only help.
1. Ultima Books
2. STEALTHBooks
3. All the rest
4. The total turnover of Simplicissimus Book Farm
See you at the next update!
[P.S. If you’d like more information on the current fund-raising operation, you can drop us a line describing your interest to investors@simplicissimus.it. Thanks!]
