Welcome back to Subject Spotlight, your go-to source for quarterly data-driven insights into the performance of particular subjects in the Canadian book market.
Previously, we looked at the sales and library circulation of Non-Fiction / Sports & Recreation books. In this instalment, we shine the spotlight on Non-Fiction / House & Home titles. How did these titles perform during the fourth quarter of 2023? We find out with the help of our SalesData and LibraryData services.
Buying Non-Fiction / House & Home
Compared to 2022, the overall sales of Non-Fiction / House & Home titles were up 31% over the entire fourth quarter. Looking at the graph below, from October to December 2023 sales of Non-Fiction / House & Home increased by 10%. Sales of Non-Fiction / House & Home titles increased by 259% in the fourth quarter of 2022.
These are the BISAC subcategories with the highest year-over-year increase in sales:
Non-Fiction / House & Home / Remodeling & Renovation — up 1,826%
Non-Fiction / House & Home / Maintenance & Repair — up 970%
Non-Fiction / House & Home / Cleaning, Caretaking & Organizing — up 109%
From October to December 2023, the most purchased Non-Fiction / House & Home subcategories were:
Non-Fiction / House & Home / Cleaning, Caretaking & Organizing — 37% of all Non-Fiction / House & Home sales
Non-Fiction / House & Home / Decorating & Furnishings — 31% of all Non-Fiction / House & Home sales
Non-Fiction / House & Home / Remodeling & Renovation — 11% of all Non-Fiction / House & Home sales
Borrowing Non-Fiction / House & Home
From October to December 2023, library loans and renewals of Non-Fiction / House & Home titles were down 4% and 7% respectively from 2022.
In the entire fourth quarter of 2023 loans decreased by 27%. Renewals for Non-Fiction / House & Home titles from October to December 2023 were down by 24%. In the fourth quarter of 2022, loans increased by 53% from October to December and renewals were up by 62%.
Which Non-Fiction / House & Home BISAC subcategories were the most popular in Canadian public libraries? From October to December 2023, these subcategories saw the greatest increases in library circulation compared to 2022:
Non-Fiction / House & Home / Power Tools — loans up 25% and renewals up 50%
Non-Fiction / House & Home / Maintenance & Repair — loans up 34% and renewals up 16%
Non-Fiction / House & Home / House Plans — loans up 28% and renewals up 2%
During the fourth quarter of 2023, the most circulated Non-Fiction / House & Home subcategories were:
Non-Fiction / House & Home / Decorating & Furnishings — 31% of all Non-Fiction / House & Home loans and 25% of all Non-Fiction / House & Home renewals;
Non-Fiction / House & Home / Cleaning, Caretaking & Organizing — 25% of all Non-Fiction / House & Home loans and 28% of all Non-Fiction / House & Home renewals
Non-Fiction / House & Home / Do-It-Yourself — 10% of all Non-Fiction / House & Home loans and 12% of all Non-Fiction / House & Home renewals
Reading Non-Fiction / House & Home
Here are the top selling and top borrowed Non-Fiction / House & Home titles from the fourth quarter of 2023.
Top borrowed
How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis
The Home Edit: Stay Organized by Clea Shearer & Joanna Teplin
Marie Kondo’s Kurashi at Home by Marie Kondo
My Hygge Home by Meik Wiking
Right at Home by Bobby Berk
Top selling
The Art of Home by Shea McGee
Call It Home by Amber Lewis
The Rural Diaries by Hilarie Burton
A Dirty Guide to a Clean Home by Melissa Dilkes Pateras
Safe and Sound by Mercury Stardust
Until next time!
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In this podcast episode, we talk to Simon Crump to discuss the EUDR and its impact on the book industry.