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Understanding the Consumer of Books in the Digital Era

Author

Listed:
  • Maria Orzaru

    (The Bucharest University of Economic Studies)

  • Mihaela Constantinescu

    (The Bucharest University of Economic Studies)

  • Adrian Apostol

    (Advanced Ideas Studio)

Abstract

Books have the power to transform people's lives. It is not an understatement to claim that the world we know today would not have developed as it has if books had not existed. Books have long been a staple of education and entertainment, and they remain an important tool for the investigation and dissemination of ideas. Over the years, the book industry has become larger and larger and, like many other industries undergoing transformation, new technologies are facilitating a shift in who determines the industry's value. The Internet paved the way for new technologies to emerge, allowing for changes in sales/distribution, publication, and where material might be accessed. With the rise in popularity of the e-book in the twenty-first century, for businesses and marketers, the process of understanding, analyzing and tracking consumer behavior is crucial for leading to a better understanding of the consumer and consequently, to a successful approach. Therefore, the study of consumer behavior represents the incipient stage of the journey to meeting consumer’s expectations and needs. This paper presents the results of a quantitative research with the main purpose of describing a clear perspective on book consumer behavior, what factors influence their book purchasing decisions, reading habits and preferences and some of the individuals’ favorite things about reading and books. One of the most conclusive questions for this research focused on the book format the participants use, obtaining a very big and unexpected proportion of respondents claiming that they still read printed book, which proves that books still hold their magic, despites different digital means of reading such as e-books.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Orzaru & Mihaela Constantinescu & Adrian Apostol, 2022. "Understanding the Consumer of Books in the Digital Era," Journal of Emerging Trends in Marketing and Management, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, vol. 1(1), pages 61-70, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:aes:jetimm:v:1:y:2022:i:1:p:61-70
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Belk, Russell W, 1985. "Materialism: Trait Aspects of Living in the Material World," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 12(3), pages 265-280, December.
    2. Gabriela Doina Stãnciulescu & Cezar Scarlat & Ana Maria Grigore & Simona Niculescu, 2020. "Did the Romanian Book Publishing Industry and Its Management Change Within a Decade?," MIC 2020: The 20th Management International Conference,, University of Primorska Press.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Book consumer; Marketing research; Consumer behavior.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M31 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising - - - Marketing

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

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