Chat-in - calculations

The talk about the presentation of results of the first wave of research of book sales in Ukraine should have been more “numerical”, not verbal. But it happened to be the other way around! Experts of Ukrainian book industry didn’t believe that every second Ukrainian had bought more than one book during the last three months and began an active discussion. They criticized the research saying that the book is a very specific product. Only then they have remembered that such statistical research of book industry in Ukraine is being carried out for the very first time.

The presentation was carried out in the weekly chat-in format in UNIAN (Ukrainian Independent Informational News Agency). Iryna Kuchma, the coordinator of the Ukrainian book projects, announced upon the beginning of the discussion that particularly sales were researched, not the reading itself. That means that the results are going to be useful particularly for the book publishers and distributors. That’s why UABooks.іnfo, the web portal of Ukrainian book industry, presents first results of the research in the full volume.

Mrs. Iryna also added that the first wave of research had dispelled at least two myths. The first one: the book is a valuable and necessary product. 58% of respondents didn’t buy any books. Half of them said that literature is not interesting and not necessary for them. The second historical myth: a book is luxurious. Maybe it was that way in times of first chronicles with ancient writings. But today only 19% of those respondents who haven’t bought a book during the last three months think that it is something too expensive and unaffordable.

Tetyana Ilyashenko, the manager of the project, the “GKF Ukraine” Company, told about the research itself.

The selection was 1000 persons, age 15-59. The company’s representatives interviewed respondents personally at their homes. The first question in the form was “How many books have you personally bought for yourself or for other people during the last three months?” An addition in the same question was: “all books, in any language, including children’s and educational literature, except for textbooks for elementary and middle schools”. You should agree that it is not quite easy and understandable formulation. 

Petro Matskevych, chief editor of the “Kalvaria” publishing house, wanted to immediately check the numbers of the report. He has a degree in physics and mathematics, so he had done it quickly and easily. According to statistics the number of books bought during the last three months is higher than that of books published during the last year in general. Is this a case similar to the one with Potyomkin’s villages again?

Other comments occurred later on  Konstantyn Klimashenko, the director of the “KS” chain, said about the inconformity of the “Research of the book market” term: “What is the book market? Is it the one situated on Petrivka?” He also mentioned that 61% of purchases in book stores are impossible de-facto. The number of book stores in Ukraine is constantly decreasing.

Then everybody began to look for a common conclusion. Where the mistake or mistakes were made? Besides those 3.2% that are acceptable.

Firstly, it is shyness of respondents. Sometimes a person doesn’t want to admit that he or she doesn’t read, doesn’t develop his or herself spiritually, so he or she lies.

Secondly, the research took place in September. So happy parents were preparing their children for school and could ignore the comment about “all books, except textbooks for elementary and middle schools”. And high school students and students of higher education establishments could consciously count methodical manuals as educational or even artistic literature.

Thirdly, the proposed questionnaire wasn’t adapted to our specific buyer. All questions were developed for all countries of Western and Eastern Europe without considering understanding or misunderstanding of certain things by respondents. For example, “where exactly did you by books during the last three months?” Answers like “in a book store”, “In a book supermarket”, “from a traveling salesperson”, “directly from a publisher” are unclear and incomprehensible.

Nevertheless, this questionnaire has proposed interesting innovations. For example, sales of books in regular supermarkets or development of book publishing in newspaper offices are popular things in Western countries.

Participants of the book market haven’t invested any money into this research. However, their opinion is worth considering. Let us remind that the research was initiated by the “Vidrodzhenya” (“Revival”) International Fund and the Fund for Central and East European Book Projects, Amsterdam. The MATRA Program of the Ministry of International Affairs of the Netherlands has joined them as well.

Iryna Kuchma said that when the project was on the preparation stage she personally asked book publishers and distributors for help, consultation and support. But they have answered only when the first wave was already finished.

Here are some mentionable tendencies. Women buy books more often than men. The older the person, the more often it buys artistic (fictional) literature. The West reads more than the East... But these theorems do not require proofs any more. They are axioms already, but native book publishers and distributors still have to learn to use them in their business.

In general, this research is absolutely positive event in the native book publishing industry. There are still 5 more research waves to be carried out; they will become more detailed and of higher quality each time. At the beginning of 2007 even a segmental research on “why people do or do not by books” is planned.

Let’s hope that at the beginning of 2008 we will have complete research of the Ukrainian book market. Then book publishers and distributors will finally see what their average, but specific recipient wants to buy and read.
 
Zhenya Shydlovska (UABooks.info)

Discuss on the portal's forum