About this reportAbout the market…This report is essentially three reports in one as it covers three distinct markets, namely, book, music and video retailing.
The three product categories are often grouped together under the heading of “cultural goods” and while the three sectors have enjoyed varying degrees of success in recent years, the products share certain similarities that justify our decision to include them in one report title.A modest decline in book sales and a more drastic decline in music sales reflect poor consumer confidence and retail conditions in the German market.
Growth in online sales helped save the book market, while the 28% drop in music sales was hugely impacted by illegal downloads and copying.
By contrast, the video retail market more than doubled in size between 1999 and 2004 and has outpaced growth in consumer spending and retail sales.
A dramatic rise in DVD retail sales is responsible for the anomalous success of video retailers.
What drives success in these highly fragmented markets? Specialists in each of these three markets are losing market share to internet retailers and Mintel predicts that E-commerce will become an increasingly important channel for book, music and video retailers.
However, the prospects for these markets must be viewed in the scope of the wider German retail market and short-term growth will be difficult to achieve.About Mintel’s research…Pooling together the most innovative consumer research and latest market analysis, Mintel's new report offers you all the insight and inspiration you need for designing clever, creative and profitable business strategies in the German market.
Use Mintel's research to:Develop your sales strategies to win shares of developing markets Discover what consumers think about purchasing books, music and videos Switch German book browsers, to book buyers Pinpoint market potential before your competitors Find out how to best reach key audiences with the most effective marketing communications Track the sales performance and trading strengths and weaknesses of the market’s leading retailers Measure market forecasts and build realistic business modelsIntriguing findings include…People living in Berlin are much more likely to have purchased a book in the last 12 months and they are also most likely to be heavy users (5+ books per year)People from the lowest income bracket (including probably a lot of young people) are as likely to buy mini-discs as those from the highest