Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 2.0 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $114.9m in 2024.
Trends and Insights
Stores will continue to rely on establishing a niche
- Used book stores are retail stores that sell pre-owned and antique books. Stores in this industry may specialize in particular types of used books that have different markets and operating conditions.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2024-2029)
Market size is projected to decline over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Competitive pressures continue to rise
- Moving forward, used book stores will continue to struggle with little relief in sight. Competition from e-commerce giants like Amazon.com Inc. will continue to threaten used book stores across the country.
Biggest companies in the Used Book Stores in the US
There are no companies that hold a large enough market share in the Used Book Stores in the US industry for IBISWorld to include in this product.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Used trade books, Used textbooks and Rare and antique books. Used trade books is the largest segment of the Used Book Stores in the US.
Trends and Insights
Used trade books are a cornerstone of the industry
- This segment includes children's, young adult and fiction and nonfiction books that are used. These books are the second-most popular item sold. Diversification among trade books makes them appealing to many young and old readers.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
This industry includes establishments that retail used books in traditional brick-and-mortar stores. This industry does not include online sales of used books.
What's included in this industry?
Selling used booksBuying used booksSelling antique booksSelling other items related to readingCompanies
Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
ANTIQUARIANE-COMMERCETRADE BOOKSIndustry Code
NAICS 453310 - Used Book Stores in the US
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Performance improved following the pandemic. Strong, local support and renewed interest in reading created a resurgence in spending on used books
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Factors that influence volatility in the industry
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Textbooks are the most popular products at used book stores. Textbooks are often one of the greatest expenses for students, so being able to buy them used at a discount is ve...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2024
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2024
- Major market segmentation in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
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In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each state in 2024
- Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of employees in each state in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
The distribution of used book stores in the US closely follows population patterns. Used book stores tend to locate near sizeable populations to ensure a steady stream of cus...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
With more used books being sold online, retailers must adopt data and privacy laws. Used book stores must follow regulations outlining how they can collect, store and use cus...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Stiff competition has eroded profitability. Recent growth in book sales hasn’t been enough to recover losses stemming from price competition and the popularity of e-readers i...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Industry Multiples (2017-2022)
- Industry Tax Structure (2017-2022)
- Income Statement (2017-2022)
- Balance Sheet (2017-2022)
- Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
- Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
- Leverage Ratios (2017-2022)
- Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
- Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Average Wage (2014-2029)
- Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
- Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2014-2029)
- IVA (2014-2029)
- Establishments (2014-2029)
- Enterprises (2014-2029)
- Employment (2014-2029)
- Exports (2014-2029)
- Imports (2014-2029)
- Wages (2014-2029)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Used Book Stores in the US industry in United States in 2024?
The market size of the Used Book Stores in the US industry in United States is $114.9m in 2024.
How many businesses are there in the Used Book Stores in the US industry in 2024?
There are 1,793 businesses in the Used Book Stores in the US industry in United States, which has declined at a CAGR of 4.2 % between 2019 and 2024.
Has the Used Book Stores in the US industry in United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Used Book Stores in the US industry in United States has been declining at a CAGR of 2.0 % between 2019 and 2024.
What is the forecast growth of the Used Book Stores in the US industry in United States over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Used Book Stores in the US industry in United States is expected to decline.
What does the Used Book Stores in the US in United States include?
Selling used books and Buying used books are part of the Used Book Stores in the US industry.
How competitive is the Used Book Stores in the US industry in United States?
The level of competition is moderate and decreasing in the Used Book Stores in the US industry in United States.
Related Industries
Widen your competitive advantage with related industries
Complementors
International industries
View all industries in United States
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in the US include:
- US Census Bureau
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics
- US International Trade Commission
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
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