Marketing Study re: HP Reading by Adults

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 4854

Hi --

Well, while writing up the FAQ on the NY Times debacle and the universal
cross-appeal of HP, I found the reference to the name of the marketing
firm that did the study that shows 43% of all HP books are being bought
by or for people over the age of 14.

I found their website & sent a letter off to the guy who handles their
book industry reports.

He's already answered me!  Wow!  :--)

The report for this particular study was based on consumer purchasing
"diaries" completed by 12,000 households during a one-month period.
These "diaries" addressed purchasing habits other than books
(pharmaceuticals, flowers, etc.).

He says there is a more detailed report called "NPD BookTrends: The
World of Harry Potter" that contains more demographic info and is
available for the very reasonable sum of $1000.  I don't we'll be buying
a copy to reference for the FAQs!  :--)  I wasn't entirely clear from
his email if this report is based on the "diaries" study or something
entirely different.  But, in any case, I think we have the gist of where
the figure was derived.  I don't know much about marketing but 12,000
households over a one-month period strikes me as a fairly
representational statistical sampling.  Any thoughts?

I've cut & pasted the full text of his reply to me below my sig.

Penny


> Penny,
>
> The NPD Group is one of the nation's largest market research/information
> company.  We have been collecting consumer purchase behavior within the
> publishing industry for many years.  NPD is recognized as the leading
> information supplier within the industry.
>
> The information that the WSJ referenced was based on the results of diaries
> that 12,000 households complete on a monthly basis.  These households are
> demographically representative of the 48 contiguous United States.  They
> are sent a letter inviting them to join our panel.  The diary that they
> complete contains other categories in addition to books (both adult trade and
> childrens) including:  flowers, toys, apparel, pharmaceutical, meat/poultry, etc.
>
> NPD has a report entitled NPD BookTrends The World of Harry Potter that
> takes the information from both the adult trade and children's book categories.
> We look at the age of recipient (who the book was intended to be read by),
> gift buying, demographics, where the purchase was made, etc.  The report is
> available for $1000.
>
> For more information about NPD and the work we do in the book industry, log
> onto our website www.npd.com  (sometime on monday or tuesday, there will be a
> link for this report)
>
> Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
>
> Barrie Rappaport
> Senior Account Executive
> The NPD Group, Inc.
>


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