It seems the on-line sales for used books may be harming the publishing industry, or at least that is what publishing companies are claiming. However, there are some individuals in the publishing industry that feel this is not necessarily the absolutely true.

It is true that used book sales are continuing to grow, especially with the hundreds of on-line web sites that are now currently available that specialize in used and new book sales. When individuals are given a choice of purchasing a used book or a new book of the same title it is wonder they are purchasing the used book more and more. One reason for new book sales being down could be due to the economy being slow at the moment, but some analysts feel that used book sales are slowly starting to edge their way into the sales of new books.

Consumer surveys reported that used book purchases increased ten percent from 2003 to 2002 from book stores, and during the same period Internet sales on used books increased six percent. Since then used books have continued to increase, especially more so with Internet sales. The increase of Internet sales is contributed to web sites offering used books right along side of the same version of a new book, but at a cheaper price. Book web sites have become so competitive with one another that book search engines are now available where consumers can be given the cheapest price for what ever book criteria they desire.

These web sites are able to offer their used and new books cheaper due to not having to deal with the overhead that retail book stores and used books have to deal with. Web sites have the advantage of offering used books or new books cheaper due to the profit margin being so small. Anyone within the used book industry has the ability to take a little off the top of each level, but the competition among web site book retailers has become the vision of the future for all used book sellers. Individuals have found that navigating through these web sites is becoming easier every day with the technology of search engines being developed.

Individuals have learned that by studying the listings they are more than able to come up with an average price for a book that is based upon its condition. Individuals learn that by paying a fair price they can get a bargain with used books at these reputable web sites. The only problem with these low cost used books and even new books at a lower cost really is that the majority of these web sites will get individuals with the shipping and handling charges. This will especially apply if the book happens to come from over seas due to it having to it having to be imported.

With new and improved search engine tools web sites are able to get five hundred percent more clicks with an increase in sales overall that has been proven to reach up to four hundred percent in used and new book sales. Of course, the web site does have to be in a prominent position to have that much of an impact on the book industry, but it can be achieved. One such web site attributes its increase in sales to newer search engines.