Data: A Look at One Association's 7-Year Growth Streak
Associations Now
Books are not dead, at least as evidenced by membership growth at the American Booksellers Association. ABA's success points to the power of industry leadership in the face of economic challenge.
Despite predictions to the contrary, Amazon and e-reader technology have not led to the total annihilation of independent, brick-and-mortar bookstores. Membership in the American Booksellers Association, in fact, has risen for seven straight years, up 27 percent from 2009 to 2016, with store locations up even more. CEO Oren Teicher credits the “buy local” movement and efforts such as IndieCommerce, ABA’s e-commerce platform for independent bookstores, among factors contributing to its growth.
Source: American Booksellers Association
[This article was originally published in the Associations Now print edition, titled "7 Up."]