book market research project in croatia omnibus, 3rd wave, march 2005
TRANSCRIPT
Book Market Research Project in CroatiaBook Market Research Project in Croatia
Omnibus, 3rd wave, March 2005.Omnibus, 3rd wave, March 2005.
2
Contents
page
SUMMARY 3
BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE RESEARCH 5
METHOD AND SAMPLING 7
RESULTS 9
Frequency of buying and types of books bought 9
Terms of book purchase – place, price, discounts 17
Reasons for buying or not buying books 27
QUESTIONNAIRE 33
TABLES 34
All research projects are conducted in accordance with the provisions of the ICC/ESOMAR International Code of Marketing and Social Research Practise.
(ESOMAR)
The research is supported by OSI Croatia, the Fund for Central and East European Book Project (Amsterdam), and the MATRA program of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The client (CEEBP) has the exclusive right on the results of the market research.
3
Summary of the results
Book-buying frequency and types of books bought
In the survey conducted in March 2005, 35% of the representative sample of Croatian citizens above the age of 15 said that within the last three months they had bought, for themselves or their children, or as a gift for someone else, at least one book other than a textbook. Most book buyers bought between two and five books, mostly for themselves or their children, and less frequently as a gift for someone else.Nearly half (44%) of the books bought were in the “fiction/poetry” category. Encyclopaedias/dictionaries/atlases were the second most frequently bought type of book (40%). Specialised, journalistic and children’s books were less frequently bought.
Book-buying conditions – locations, prices, discounts
In the last three months, 62% of book buyers bought at least one book together with a newspaper at the newsstand; that is also where 48% of them bought their last books. Twenty-nine percent of book buyers bought their books in a bookstore; bookstores are where 19% bought their last books. Less than 15% of book buyers bought their books somewhere else.Forty-two percent of book buyers bought only “books with newspapers” at the newsstand, but they bought more books than other book buyers. The remaining 58% of buyers bought at other places too – mostly at bookstores (50%), but equally often (45%) at newsstands, together with a newspaper.Fitting in with the dominant trend of buying books together with a newspaper, the most common prices are between 20 and 59 kunas. Half the buyers paid a price within that range for their last book, 8% paid between 60 and 99 kunas, 7% paid between 100 and 149 kunas, and 24% paid over 200 kunas for their last book. Seventy-nine percent of buyers paid the full price for their books. One in ten buyers bought a book at a 20% discount. The share of used-book buyers is negligible.
Reasons for buying books
Just over a quarter (27%) of book buyers were prompted to do so by advertisements, 22% by newspaper reviews and 17% by personal recommendations; the attention of 15% was drawn by a book on display (in a shop window, at a stall, etc.), while 13% found books on their own in bookstores. Those buyers who within the last three months only bought books together with newspapers were most often spurred on by advertisements and notices on television, while those who also bought elsewhere most often did so at the recommendation of someone they knew, or searched out the books by themselves in bookstores.Nearly 60% of respondents who did not buy a single book in the last three months say that they cannot afford to, while the same percentage say they have no interest in books.A greater number of cheap editions would be the main motivating factor to buy (more) books, both for buyers and non-buyers. Nearly half of non-buyers (45%) say that this would motivate them to buy books, while nearly two thirds of buyers (64%) would buy more books, given lower prices.
4
- summary of the results -
Changes from the previous survey period
The survey was conducted in September and December 2004 and in March 2005, with the aim of following trends on the book market.The share of book buyers was highest in the second survey period (last quarter of 2004), when it reached 43%. A significantly lower percentage of book buyers was recorded in March (35%), and the number of books bought also showed a downward trend.In the last survey period, the trend continued of a fall in purchases of fiction/poetry books and a rise in those of encyclopaedias/atlases/dictionaries. Trends in purchases of different types of books are largely dictated by newspaper publishers through their choice of books to be sold together with their newspapers.Newsstands were the principal place to buy books in all three survey periods, and no changes were registered either there, or in the frequency of book purchases in bookstores.The percentage of buyers who buy books only together with a newspaper has remained stable in the last two survey periods, after registering a significant increase between September and December last year.The average price of the books purchased rose (the main price categories are now 20 to 29 kunas and 30 to 59 kunas), which has mostly come as a consequence of the sale of more expensive books together with newspapers.
5
Basic information about survey
Type of research: Omnibus
Research agency: GfK - Centre for Market Research
Research topic: Structure of book buyers in Croatia
Method: Face-to-face in-home interviews
Sample size: 1.000 respondents, aged 15+ years
Sampling: two-stage stratification by region and size of residence; at each sampling point the addresses are drawn at random, and in each household respondents are randomly selected
Duration of fieldwork: 10. - 24. March 2005.
Output: Analysis of the results
Tables by standard statistics
Project manager: Senka BrajovicTel.: +385 (0)1 4921 222 / ext.111
GSM: +385 (0)91 4921 111Fax: +385 (0) 1 4921 223E-mail: [email protected]
GfK reserves copyright to all survey concepts, methodologies, and instruments including, but not limited to, graphic and tabular presentations. The Customer receives the survey reports for his own use exclusively. Unless agreed otherwise, their content may be published or passed on to third parties in part or in whole only upon written agreement by GfK. Nor may they be reproduced, printed or stored, processed or disseminated in information and documentation systems of any kind for this purpose.
If the Customer wishes to quote parts or all of a survey report he must make it clear that it is a quote and name the Market research institute as the author of the report. This applies but is not limited to data quoted in advertising messages, public relations releases or broadcasted appearances and other publicly available company's materials.
6
CROATIAN POPULATIONCROATIAN POPULATION - AGED 15+ YEARS - AGED 15+ YEARSBy region, size of residence, gender and ageBy region, size of residence, gender and age
Source: Census2001Total number of inhabitants of the Republic of Croatia:
4.212.215Adult inhabitants (15+) of the Republic of Croatia:
3.472.063
N %
3.472.063 100
Zagreb & surroundings 863.641 24,87
North Croatia 624.186 17,98
Slavonija 604.198 17,4
Lika, Kordun, Banovina 305.329 8,79
Istra, North Coast & Gorski Kotar 414.372 11,93
Dalmatia 660.337 19,02
Region
Total number of inhabitants N %
3.472.063 100
Up to 2.000 inhabitants 1.392.108 40,09
Over 2.000 to 10.000 529.577 15,25
Over 10.000 to 100.000 735.542 21,18
Over 100.000 814.836 23,47
Size of residence
Total number of inhabitants
N %
3.472.063 100
Male 1.636.898 47,14
Female 1.835.165 52,86
Gender
Total number of inhabitants
N %
3.472.063 100
15-24 572.045 16,48
25-34 549.456 15,83
35-44 616.939 17,77
45-54 588.955 16,96
55-64 468.671 13,5
65+ 675.997 19,47
Total number of inhabitants
Age
N %
1.441.114 100.00
Zagreb & surroundings 361.521 25,09
North Croatia 245.530 17,04
Slavonija 253.964 17,62
Lika, Kordun, Banovina 131.784 9,14
Istra, North Coast & Gorski Kotar 180.520 12,53
Dalmatia 267.795 18,58
Total number of households
Regija
N %
1.441.114 100.00
Up to 2.000 inhabitants 559.571 38,83
Over 2.000 to 10.000 215.354 14,94
Over 10.000 to 100.000 311.696 21,63
Over 100.000 354.493 24,6
Total number of households
Size of residence
This page contains data on Croatian population, by region, size of residence, gender, age and level of education.
Source of the data is Census 2001. Data include all Croatian residents aged 15+ years.
7
Method: Face-to-face in-home interviews
Sampling method: stratified sample with random choice of addresses and respondents in households
strata: 1) counties
(classified in 6 regions)
2) size of settlement
Up to 2000 inhabitants
2000 - 10 000
10 000 - 100 000over 100 000
Sample size: 1000 respondents
Respondents: random choice of households and respondents, in the defined sample point
Control of interviewers: interviews were carried out by instructed interviewers, permanent subcontractors of the GFK. There is a regular control of interviewers; 100% reasoning control; and 30% random telephone control of work of each interviewer.
Results reliability frame: real measuring results are within the range from +/- 1.1% to +/-3.2% of the research results on 1,000 respondents (with 95% certainty)
1. 2. 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 .
Zagreb i okolicaSjeverna H rvatskaSlavonijaL ika, Banovina Kordun, Istra, P rim orje, G orski Kotar Dalm acija
Method and sampling
8
Structure of the total sampleStructure of the total sample is the following:
Region
Total number of respondents
N %
1.000 100,0
Zagreb & surroundings 249 24,9
North Croatia 180 18,0
Slavonia 174 17,4
Lika, Kordun, Banovina 88 8,8
Istria, North Coast & Gorski Kotar
119 11,9
Dalmatia 190 19,0
Size of residence
Total number of respondents
N %
1.000 100,0
Up to 2.000 inhabitants
401 40,1
Over 2.000 to 10.000 153 15,3
Over 10.000 to 100.000
212 21,2
Over 100.000 235 23,5
Age
Total number of respondents
N %
1.000 100
15-24 165 16,5
25-34 158 15,8
35-44 178 17,8
45-54 170 17,0
55-64 135 13,5
65+ 195 19,5
Gender
Total number of respondents
N %
1.000 100,0
Male 472 47,1
Female 528 52,9
Omnibus sampleOmnibus sample
9
Results of the survey
BOOK-BUYING FREQUENCY AND TYPES OF BOOKS BOOK-BUYING FREQUENCY AND TYPES OF BOOKS BOUGHTBOUGHT
10
How many books have you personally bought for yourself or for the others in the last three months? (When we talk about books we think of all books in Croatian and in foreign languages, including children and academic books, except for primary and secondary compulsory schoolbooks.)
6
84
677
1520
16
988
63
5765
11 and morebooks
6 to 10
2 to 5
1 book
Did not buy abook
Number of books bought in the last three months (n=1000):
March 2005Dec. 2004Sept. 2004
During the last three months, about one third of citizens (35%) bought books. Compared with the previous, second survey period in December 2004, a statistically significant drop was registered in the number of book buyers (from 45% to 35%), which is now very close to the share of buyers in the first survey period in September 2004 (37%).
Share of book buyers within the population
% of buyers
Not only did the share of people buying books fall, the number of books bought also shows a downward trend. The categories “2 to 5 books” and “11 books or more” now occupy a smaller share than in the previous survey period. The average values (C*) indicate that book buyers bought an average of four books in the second survey period and three in the third period.
* Central value or median
Share of book buyers in the last three months (n=1000):
65 % ...did not buy a
book
35% ...bought a
book
11
The demographic characteristics of book buyers registered in the third survey period are consistent with those from the first two.
The inhabitants of Zagreb, like in the previous two survey periods, buy books more often (44%) than the inhabitants of other regions. As in the previous survey period, Zagreb and its environs are followed in share of book-buyers by Dalmatia (41%). Istria and the Littoral had stable shares of book buyers in all three survey periods (37% to 39%). The lowest shares were registered in the regions of Lika, Kordun, Banovina (29%), Slavonia (29%) and northern Croatia (26%). In these regions, the share of book buyers is significantly lower than in the previous survey period, when it was around 40%. A slight drop was also registered in the regions of Zagreb (51% - 44%) and Dalmatia (46% - 41%).
The inhabitants of larger towns (over 100,000 people – 46%) buy books more often than do those living in smaller ones (under 10,000 people – 29%). This finding is consistent with the results from the previous two survey periods. Compared to the previous survey period, the biggest drop in the share of buyers was registered in places below 10,000 inhabitants.
Women (38%) are still somewhat more likely to buy a book than men (32%).
Respondents in the “younger mature” category are the most likely to buy a book (25-34 – 46%, 35-44 – 50%). People over 65 buy books the least – only 13%. In comparison with the previous period, the biggest drop in the share of buyers was registered among people aged 45 to 64 (16% to 20%).
Better educated respondents buy books more often than those with less education. Book purchases show a statistically significant increase as the level of education rises (no schooling – 15%, elementary/vocational school – 32%, grammar school – 42%, university – 59%). The share of book buyers among grammar-school graduates is steadily falling (first period – 62%, second period – 51%, third period – 42%), while among university-educated persons it oscillates (first period – 45%, second period – 67%, third period – 59%).
Respondents who have jobs buy books more often than the unemployed; nearly half of those employed have bought a book within the last three months, compared to just a quarter of those with no jobs.
Respondents with higher personal incomes and higher monthly household incomes buy books more often. In other words, book purchases increase significantly with personal and household income (personal income: up to 1,200 kunas – 22% of book buyers; 1,201-2,000 kunas – 28%; 2,001-4,000 kunas – 39%; 4,001-6,000 kunas – 54%). It should be pointed out that only about 14% of the respondents reported monthly personal incomes above 4,000 kunas.
Respondents with children under the age of 15 are more frequent book buyers (nearly half) than those without children (just under a third).
Structure of book buyers within the population- differences by socio-demographic characteristics
12
Two segments of the book-buying population will be compared here:
1. Those who only bought books together with a newspaper / at a newsstand;
2. Those who also bought at other points of sale (i.e., who did buy books with newspapers, but also bought at other salespoints, or who only bought at other places).
As in the previous two survey periods, people who bought books only together with a newspaper or at newsstands bought more books than people who also bought at other points of sale.
The group of people who also buy at other places has a larger share of those who bought only a single book during the last three months, while the segment of those who bought books only at newsstands during the last three months has a higher share of those who bought 11 or more books.
In both segments of the book-buying population, the third survey period has seen a decrease in the frequency of purchases in the category of 11 or more books.
Share of book buyers within the population- differences by points of sale
Number of books bought
bought books only at newssstands
also bought at other places -
not only at newsstands
bought books only at
newssstands
also bought at other places -
not only at newsstands
bought books only at
newssstands
also bought at other places -
not only at newsstands
one 17% 30% 16% 22% 18% 26%2-5 39% 42% 41% 49% 46% 45%
6-10 21% 14% 18% 14% 20% 19%11 or more 23% 15% 25% 15% 16% 9%
Buyers in total 32% 68% 41% 59% 42% 58%
Wave I, September 2004. Wave II, December 2004 Wave III, March 2005
13
Among the books bought during the last three months, the most frequent purchases are still in the “fiction/poetry” category. However, the trend of decreasing domination by these titles continues (first period – 61%, second period – 53%, third period – 44%; the differences are statistically significant).
At the same time, the share of purchases of “encyclopaedia/dictionary/atlas” titles continues to grow (first period – 22%, second period – 34%, third period – 40%; the differences are statistically significant). This is probably due to sales with newspapers of books belonging to this category (the encyclopaedic dictionary, foreign-language dictionaries, etc.).
A significant increase in the share of specialised books was also recorded (from 22% during the second period to 30% during the third period), and in the third period it was very close to their share in the first period.
Compared to the previous period, a slow (statistically significant) fall in the frequency of purchases of children’s books was also registered.
Journalistic books had the same share in all three periods (26%).
Type of books bought
Please see the list and tell us what type of books have you been buying in the past three months?
014
16
2927
21
262626
3322
30
2234
40
6153
44
0 20 40 60
How to' books (cook books, self help booksetc.)
Children's books
Journalistic (biographies, history books,literary essays)
Academic / science books
Encyclopaedia / dictionary / atlas
Fiction / poetry
March 2005 (n=353)
Dec. 2004 (n=433)
Sept. 2004 (n=370)
14
Books with newspapers:
A significantly higher share of those who within the last three months bought books only together with newspapers (52%) bought fiction/poetry titles compared to those who bought at various places (38%). Specialised books were bought more often by the segment of buyers who bought at various places (41%) compared to those from the other segment. Other categories of books were bought equally by both segments. These results coincide with those from the previous survey periods.
Regions:
Fiction/poetry is most often bought in Zagreb and its environs (57%), in Dalmatia (49%) and Istria and the Littoral (45%). In all regions except for Zagreb and its environs, a significant fall in purchases of fiction/poetry books was registered compared to the previous survey period. The biggest drop was seen in northern Croatia, Slavonia and Lika, Kordun and Banovina. In these regions, books from the “encyclopaedias/dictionaries/atlases” category take first place.
In all regions, and particularly in Zagreb and its environs, an increase has been seen in purchases of specialised books (Zagreb and environs, second period: 18%, third period: 36%).
Population size:
The share of fiction/poetry books purchased grows with population size – from 41% in places with fewer than 2,000 inhabitants, to 50% in those with over 100,000 inhabitants. There are no regular trends for other book categories.
Level of education:
For the “fiction/poetry”, “encyclopaedias/dictionaries” and “specialised books” categories, a regular rising trend follows higher education levels.
Income:
People with higher incomes continue to buy not only more books, but also more different kinds of books.
People with children up to 15 years of age buy children’s books significantly more often than buyers without children; purchases also increase with the number of children.
- type of books bought -
15
Books in the foreign languages
Only 9% of buyers purchased books in a foreign language. There is no change in the frequency of purchases of foreign books.
As in the previous survey periods, English books dominate among the foreign books purchased.
The share of buyers of foreign-language books is highest in Zagreb and its environs (15%) and among the university-educated (13%).
5
87
1
3
1
2
3
92
5
91
1
3
2
3
1
1
3
How to' books (cook books, selfhelp books etc.)
Children's books
Fiction / poetry
Journalistic (biographies,history books, literary essays)
Encyclopaedia / dictionary /atlas
Academic / science books
None
March 2005 (n=353)Dec. 2004 (n=433)Sept. 2004 (n=370)
N= 32
Of the books you said you bought personally in the last three months, which were in foreign languages?
In which languages were the foreign books you have bought in the last three months?
78
23
16
15
14German
Other
French
Italian
English
Book is writen in:
91% Croatian language
9 % Foreign
language
16
The share of books bought as presents for other people was stable in all the survey periods (no statistically significant differences were registered).
As in the previous survey period, buying books as a gift was more frequent in towns (21% of buyers bought books (also) as a gift).
Furthermore, books are bought as gifts somewhat more often by people over 65 and by the youngest category of buyers (15-24).
During this survey period, books bought along with newspapers were somewhat less often purchased (also) as gifts than books bought at other places.
In the segment of buyers who only purchased books with newspapers, 11% of them bought books (also) as gifts, while 22% of those who buy books at various places did so. During the previous survey period, books bought with newspapers were given as gifts as often as books bought elsewhere.
Books bought as presents
Have you, in the past three months, bought a book for yourself or your children or as a present for the others – friends, family members etc.?
77 17 6
79 16 4
83 14 3
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Sept. 2004(n=370)
Dec. 2004(n=433)
March 2005(n=353)
Only for myself / my childrenBoth for myself and as a giftOnly as a gift
17
TERMS OF BOOK PURCHASE – PLACE, PRICE, DISCOUNTS
18
Points of sale
Compared to the previous survey period, the share of buyers who purchase books with newspapers is stable. There has been no change in the frequency of book purchases at bookstores, either.
In general, it could be said that the share of various points of sale has not changed significantly, with the exception of purchases from publishers, which are markedly lower in this period than in the previous one. During the previous survey period, books were bought from publishers more often, probably due to the Interliber international book fair which took place in November last year.
What places from this list have you been buying books from in the past three months?
Points of sale:
4
6
9
15
12
40
63
2
2
4
3
5
13
10
12
13
30
63
3
7
8
10
15
29
62
6
6
5
4
1
1
3
3
3
2
1
0 20 40 60 80 100
Internet bookstore
Other
Megastore
Antiquaries
Hypermarket
Street stand
Directly from the publisher (includes fairs etc.)
Traveling salesman
At the tobacco shop, but not with a newspapers
Book club
Bookstore
Book with a newspaper
March 2005 (n=353)Dec. 2004 (n=433)Sept. 2004 (n=370)
19
Buyers who during the last three months bought books only together with newspapers make up 42% of all book buyers.
It could be said that the share of buyers who purchase books only with newspapers has remained stable in the last two survey periods, after a significant increase between September and December last year.
Other points of sale besides newsstands were also used by 58% of book buyers.
50% of these buyers purchased books at bookstores (first period 60%, second period 51%)
45% bought books together with newspapers and/or at newsstands (first period 48%, second period 43%)
12% purchased from publishers (direct order, fair…) (first period 7%, second period 22%)
26% bought from book clubs (first period 18%, second period 21%)
13% bought from travelling salesmen 3% to 5% bought at street stalls, at second-hand
bookshops, hypermarkets or megastores 2% bought over the Internet
We can conclude that the share of those buying at bookstores during the last two periods is stable. Direct purchases from publishers are down compared to the previous period, while buying from book clubs is showing an upwards trend.
- Points of sale -
68
32
59
41
58
42
Bought onlybooks withnewspapers
Bought books
March 2005 (n=353)Dec. 2004 (n=433)Sept. 2004 (n=370)
20
Regardless of their type, the dominant point of purchase for last books was the newsstand, that is, these books were put out by newspaper publishers.
In the second survey period, specialised books and textbooks were still being bought more at bookstores than at newsstands, but in the third period the newsstand has become the principal place to buy such books, too.
Both in the third and the second survey periods, 66% of buyers bought their last fiction/poetry books at newsstands. However, in this period such books are more frequently bought at bookstores (20% of buyers) than during the previous one (9%).
Compared to the previous survey period, a small increase was registered in purchases of all types of books from book clubs. The only exception is fiction.
Where did you buy the last book?
- points of sale –the type of the last book bought by points of sale
type of last book bought (% by rows)
book with newpaper
bookstore book clubtraveling salesman
publisherat
newsstand
othermegastor
ehypermar
ketstreet stand
Internet bookstor
e
Antiquaries
number of
respondents
% of responde
nts
ukupno 48 19 12 6 5 4 2 2 1 1 0 0 353 100fiction / poetry 66 20 4 0 2 3 1 1 1 1 0 0 90 25
journalistic books 60 13 9 9 3 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 48 14encyclopaedia/dictionary/atlas 49 13 18 6 7 3 0 0 2 1 0 0 89 25how to books' (cookbooks..) 33 19 24 11 6 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 33 9
children books 30 30 12 0 2 16 0 4 6 0 0 0 33 9academic / science books 28 24 11 10 6 4 7 6 0 0 2 1 60 17
21
During the first survey period, bookstore purchases had a slight edge in large towns (over 100,000 inhabitants), but in the last two periods purchases of books together with newspapers dominate in all regions and regardless of population size.
While in other regions they have increased, in northern Croatia book purchases at newsstands have fallen and those from book clubs have grown. As these results were obtained from a relatively small sample, they should be treated with caution. A rising trend in purchases from book clubs can be seen in the regions Istria, Primorje, Gorski Kotar and Lika.
-points of sale –the type of the last book bought by region and size of settlement
Where did you buy the last book? - the type of the last book bought by region and size of settlement
type of last book bought (% by rows)
book with newpaper
bookstore book clubtraveling salesman
publisherat
newsstand
othermegastor
ehypermar
ketstreet stand
Internet bookstor
e
Antiquaries
number of
respondents
% of responde
ntsukupno 48 19 12 6 5 4 2 2 1 1 0 0 353 100
RegionZagreb and surroundings 52 22 5 0 4 5 2 6 2 2 0 1 108 31North Croatia 40 17 27 9 5 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 46 13Slavonija 37 22 10 22 6 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 51 14Lika, Kordun, Banovina 24 16 25 7 14 8 3 0 0 3 0 0 26 7Istria, Primorje, Gorski Kotar 51 18 13 2 5 4 5 0 0 0 2 0 44 13Dalmatia 61 15 9 2 1 6 1 0 3 0 0 0 78 22Size of settlementup to 2.000 inhabitants 52 14 17 7 5 2 2 0 1 1 0 0 117 33from 2.000 to 10.000 47 23 7 7 12 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 44 13from 10.000 to 100.000 41 24 11 11 3 7 1 0 2 0 0 0 86 24over 100.000 inhabitants 50 19 9 0 3 4 3 6 2 2 1 1 107 30
22
6
5
7
10
26
37
0
1
2
2
2
3
5
11
31
41
0
2
2
2
2
1
Internet bookstore
Hypermarket
Antiquaries
Megastore
Street stand
Directly from the publisher (includes fairsetc.)
At the tobacco shop, but not with anewspapers
Traveling salesman
Book club
Book with a newspaper
Book store
March 2005 (n=353)
Dec. 2004 (n=433)
Favourite place to buy books
Bookstores are still the favourite place to buy books – 41% of buyers prefer them, even though only 29% have actually bought a book there in the last three months.
Bookstores are the preferred place to buy especially for specialised books (they are chosen by 57% of buyers, compared to 15% who prefer to buy specialised books together with a newspaper or at a newsstand).
The third survey period has also confirmed that buying books with newspapers, or at newsstands, took place significantly more often than at preferred points of sale. During the last three months, 65% of buyers bought books together with newspapers or at a newsstand, but only slightly more than half say that they prefer to do so. It can therefore be assumed that at least half of those buying books with newspapers or at newsstands do so primarily because of price, title selection or availability of sales outlets.
Men are significantly more likely than women to choose newsstands as their favourite place to buy books, either together with newspapers or on their own (40% of men vs. 28% of women).
University-educated buyers are less likely than those with a lower level of education to cite newsstands as their favourite place to buy books, either together with newspapers or on their own (22% of the university-educated vs. 31-38% of those with less education).
What is your favourite place for buying books?
23
6
6
10
12
37
3
3
3
8
7
6
11
15
43
8
8
11
26
28
10
5
4
2
6
0
0
2
3
5
7
up to 20 HRK
DK / NA
150 to 199 HRK
250 to 299 HRK
100 to 149 HRK
200 to 249 HRK
60 to 99 HRK
300 HRK andmore
30 to 59 HRK
20 to 29 HRK
March 2005 (n=353)Dec. 2004 (n=433)Sept. 2004 (n=370)
Approximate price of the last book bought
Most buyers (54%) paid between 20 and 59 kunas for their last book. Compared to the previous survey period, the share of buyers paying between 20 and 29 kunas for their books has gone down significantly, while the number of those paying between 30 and 59 kunas has increased. There were no significant changes in other price categories.
During the last three months, too, somewhat more expensive books (above 30 kunas) have been on sale with newspapers, which has led to an increase in the share of more expensive books during this survey period.
The average price (central value) of books bought during the first period was 29 kunas, during the second period – 30 kunas and during the third period, 40 kunas.
What was the approximate price of the last book you have bought?
24
Books in the 20-29 kunas price range, as well as those between 30 and 59 kunas, are most often bought at newsstands or together with newspapers. As a rule, more than 60 kunas was paid for books bought in bookstores, with prices most often (41%) being between 60 and 150 kunas.
Relatively few respondents chose other points of sale, so the numbers obtained should be interpreted with caution.
Most books bought from book clubs or directly from publishers cost over 200 kunas. Three hundred kunas or more was paid for over half the books purchased from travelling salesmen.
As for book prices by type, in most categories (fiction, encyclopaedias/dictionaries/atlases, journalistic books) the dominant price range is between 20 and 59 kunas.
The lowest prices were paid for fiction (71% of these books were bought for under 60 kunas) and children’s books (54% bought for under 60 kunas).
In the case of journalistic books and encyclopaedias/dictionaries/atlases, prices varied widely.
Specialised books were the most expensive, with 23% of them costing over 300 kunas.
- approximate price of the last book bought -
Table shows percentagesup to 20
kuna20 to 29
kuna30 to 59
kuna60 to 99
kuna100 to
149 kuna
150 to 199
kuna
200 to 249
kuna
250 to 299 kuna
300 and more
don't know
N %
Total 0 28 26 8 7 3 8 5 11 2 353 100
Type of book
fiction / poetry 1 47 24 7 6 2 7 5 1 0 90 25encyclopaedia / dictionary / atlas0 13 37 6 6 0 16 8 13 2 89 25academic / science books 0 12 21 5 17 8 5 9 23 0 60 17journalistic (biographies, history books, literary essays) 0 40 26 6 4 4 4 2 12 2 48 14children's books 3 36 18 26 8 2 3 0 0 6 33 9how to' books (cook books, self help books etc.)0 21 15 12 3 7 9 4 26 3 33 9
book with newpapers 0 50 42 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 170 48bookstore 1 4 8 22 19 8 9 12 15 3 67 19book club 0 0 0 9 14 4 33 15 22 2 43 12traveling salesman 0 0 4 0 9 5 14 9 58 0 20 6publisher 0 8 0 11 12 7 18 12 32 0 16 5newsstands 0 47 39 7 0 0 0 0 0 7 16 4megastore 0 22 18 0 33 0 14 0 14 0 6 2hypermarket 0 17 37 33 0 0 13 0 0 0 5 1street stand 0 0 36 0 0 36 0 0 28 0 3 1Internet bookstore 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 1 0Antiquaries 0 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Point of sale
25
The majority of books were bought at their cover prices (79%), a finding very similar to that from the previous survey period. Ten percent of buyers say they bought books at discounts of up to 20%, while none reported discounts of 70% or more.
Textbooks were sold at a discount more often than other types of books (32%).
As for points of sale, books were purchased at a discount most often from travelling salesmen (54% of books bought at a discount), from book clubs (50%) and from publishers (43%).
The number of buyers purchasing at discounted prices through these outlets being small, the extent of these discounts cannot be established with certainty. However, as during the previous survey period, it would seem that the highest discounts are offered at street stalls and by publishers.
Did you pay full price or was there some discount for the last book you bought?
Full price or discount
11
5
8
7764
9
5
2
21
0
79
10
3
0
7was a discount but can'tremember how much
71% and more
21 to 70%
up to 20%
full price
March 2005 (n=353)Dec. 2004 (n=433)Sept. 2004 (n=370)
Discounts
26
The share of buyers purchasing second-hand books is practically negligible (0.5%, n=2). In this survey period, too, used books were bought by the youngest buyers (aged 15 to 24).
New and second-hand books
Was the last book you bought new or second-hand?
1,6
99,5
0,5
98,4
99,6
0,5
0 20 40 60 80 100
Second-hand
New
March 2005 (n=353)Dec. 2004 (n=433)Sept. 2004 (n=370)
27
REASONS FOR BUYING OR NOT BUYING BOOKS
28
The last book bought: Reasons for buying- spontaneous answers
Reasons for buying are practically equal to those found in the previous two survey periods – advertisements (27%) and notices in the print media (22%) dominate.
Like in the previous survey periods, buyers who purchased books only with newspapers /at newsstands cite advertisements (42%) and notices on television (34%) as prompters for buying with a significantly higher frequency. On the other hand, buyers who do not buy (only) with newspapers / at newsstands most often cite recommendations from people they know (22%) or say that they found the books themselves at the bookstore (18%). Recommendations from booksellers come third (14%).
Advertisements and notices in newspapers or magazines were the biggest prompter for the majority of the last books bought – journalistic books, fiction/poetry, children’s books and encyclopaedias/dictionaries/atlases. Specialised books are the exception to this, as buyers most often found them at bookstores by themselves.
Analysing the reasons behind the purchase of last books relative to type of salespoints, we can see that buyers who purchased books at bookstores very rarely mention advertisements and notices as reasons for buying (only 8%). These buyers most often say that they found the book on their own (36%) or at the recommendation of people they knew (25%), while only 13% mention recommendations from booksellers.
Buyers from book clubs cite equally often advertisements (25%) and independent choice (24%) of books displayed in a shop window, at a fair, at a stall…
Reasons for the last book purchase
2
2
5
6
7
9
13
15
17
22
27
3
1
1
1
2
Other
Likes books / to read
Review on the radio
Because of the price
Prize games
For my education / study / work
School reading / for a child
Because of the contents/ author / Ineeded it/ it interested me
There was a discount
Review on the TV
Recommendation by person in thebookstore
Found it myself in a bookstore
Saw it displayed
Recommendation of acquaintances
Review or text in the newspaper /magazine
Commercial / advertisement
March 2005 (n=353)
29
In this survey period, too, the reasons for not buying books are nearly the same as in the previous periods: 59% of non-buyers say that they cannot afford books, and this is the principal reason cited by a third of non-buyers. Still, a large percentage of non-buyers say they have no interest in books, while nearly half (45%) give this as the main reason why they did not buy any books.
• cannot afford (59%) and/or wanted to buy, but it was too expensive (22%)
• The reason given more often then elsewhere by non-buyers in Dalmatia, women and people with grammar school or university education
• no need for books (57%)
• Non-buyers in Slavonia give this as the most common reason, and it is more frequent there than in other regions. This reason is more frequently cited in small towns and by men, and falls off at higher levels of education. Non-buyers with monthly personal incomes over 6,000 kunas use it less often than those with lower incomes.
• borrowing books from a library (17%) – the same as in the previous two survey periods
• Particularly present in Istria, the Littoral and Zagreb, and least often heard in northern Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia.
• Residents of towns of over 10,000 people borrow from libraries more often; books are most frequently borrowed by the youngest respondents (age 15-24) and those with grammar school or university educations, as well as respondents with personal incomes over 6,000 kunas.
Reasons for NOT buying books - spontaneous answers
What are the reasons for not buying books in the past three months?
7
7
17
22
57
59
1
1
2
4
5
Other
Not used to buy / buys only asa gift
Gets them as a gift (fromfamily / friends)
No time to read
Has enough books
Wanted to buy but did not findit
No bookshop in the place ofliving / working
Borrowing from library
Wanted to buy but it was tooexpensive
No need for books
Can not afford
March 2005 (n=647)
30
What could make you buy a book / books more often?
Both buyers and non-buyers of books were asked what would make them buy books more frequently or at all. The results obtained in the third survey period were very similar to those from the first two periods.
A full 44% of current non-buyers say that nothing could make them buy a book. On the other hand, 90% of buyers can see themselves buying more books. The conclusion that market expansion among existing book buyers is more likely was therefore confirmed.
As in the previous survey periods, lower book prices are most frequently given as a motive for buying (more) books (this would motivate 64% of current buyers and 45% of current non-buyers). It is followed by a bigger choice of titles (an incentive for 26% of buyers and 11% of those who haven’t bought books).
Book buyers go on to list competent and polite booksellers (10%), as well as better programmes (promotions, clubs, etc. – 9%).
7
8
9
10
10
26
64
1
2
1
2
5
5
4
2
3
44
11
45
1
2
2
3
4
Other
More free time
Book itself (title, content of the book)
More appealing bookshops and bookshopwindows
Better financial situation of respodent
Bookshop in the place of living / working
Service that enables finding and ordering books
Better program – e.g. writers as guests,promotions, ...
Competent and helpful booksellers
Nothing would make me buy (more) books
More titles / wider range of books / better offer
More titles offered at lower prices
Did not buy a book in the last 3months - March 2005 (n=647)
Bought book in the last 3 months -March 2005 (n=353)
31
Estimation of approximate price of a book (200-page paperback novel) in a book store
When asked what they thought was the average bookstore price of a 200-page paperback novel, both buyers and non-buyers gave similar estimates. Buyers think that the average price (arithmetical average) would be 122 kunas, while non-buyers said 125 kunas. However, there were significantly more non-buyers (22%) than buyers (6%) who were completely unable to estimate the price of a book, so this section of respondents was not used for the price comparison.
The estimates given by buyers who buy only at newsstands and those who also use other points of sale did not differ.
It is interesting that in this period the price estimates were statistically significantly higher than in the previous one, when the average was 112 kunas. In this period, there were slightly more extreme price estimates, which moved the value of the arithmetical average upwards. When the average value is analysed as a median (uninfluenced by extreme values), then there is no significant change from the last period.
... buyers / non-buyers
14
22
14
12
22
13
17
17
29
17
16
6DK / NA
200 HRK and more
150 to 199 HRK
100 to 149 HRK
60 to 99 HRK
up to 59 HRK
Did not buy a book in the last 3 months - March 2005 (n=647)
Bought book in the last 3 months - March 2005 (n=353)
... Point of sale
21
7
17
19
31
17
9
4
15
14
27
18
DK / NA
200 HRK and more
150 to 199 HRK
100 to 149 HRK
60 to 99 HRK
up to 59 HRK
Bought books (also) at other places
Bought only books with the newspaper
32
Most book buyers (76%) go to bookstores looking for a particular book, and 42% succeed in finding it always or often. The share of book-buyers who never succeed in finding the book they are looking for is very small (2%).
On the other hand, non-buyers much less often go to bookstores looking for a particular book or type of book (only 31%); half of them (14%) always/often find the book they are looking for.
As these findings are consistent with those from the previous two survey periods, it would seem that the main reason for current non-buyers not to be buying books is not only poor choice, but rather a lack of interest in books, as well as high prices.
Frequency of finding specific book in a bookstore
Please, try to estimate how many times it happens that you go to a bookstore searching for a particular title or content and it is not possible to find it?
... buyers / non-buyers
24
2
7
9
7
7
69
2
12
21
25
17
I never find books / contents I'msearching for
I rarely find it
I find it sometimes
I find it often
I always find what I am looking for
I never enter a bookshop looking forparticular book
Did not buy a book in the last 3 months - March 2005 (n=647)Bought book in the last 3 months - March 2005 (n=353)
33
Appendix 1:
QUESTIONNAIRE
34
Appendix 2:
Table results; breakdown by standard statistics