Book Price Dynamics, Publication Date, and Concentration in the Italian Book Market. A Descriptive Exploration of the Italian and Foreign Fiction Books, 2022-2025

Abstract

This paper examines, with reference to the Italian market, the recent evolution of the average price, publication date, and sales concentration of Italian and foreign fiction books. Based on data published monthly by Il Giornale della Libreria using the NielsenIQ BookData, it is possible to obtain a timely and updated analysis of the 100 best-selling books in the main segments of the Italian book market. The analysis focuses on the Italian and foreign fiction segments, examining some of their characteristics from January 2022 to August 2025. Over the period examined, the average price of Italian and foreign fiction books remained virtually constant in nominal terms, albeit with some seasonal fluctuations. The average price of the 100 most-read foreign fiction books is slightly higher than that calculated for Italian fiction. Across both segments, the average age of the 100 best-selling books (calculated as the difference between the entry into the monthly ranking and the publication date) remains virtually constant over the period examined. Temporary age variations are also observed, with the average publication age decreasing in the last quarter of the year. The average age of foreign fiction books is higher than that of Italian fiction books. Finally, the concentration of sales does not reveal any significant pattern.