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How large is the second hand books market, and what is its growth trajectory?
The second hand books market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $25.32 billion in 2024 to $27.13 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increased consumer interest in affordable reading materials, rising environmental awareness promoting reuse and recycling, the expansion of literacy programs and educational initiatives, economic factors influencing consumer spending on books, and rising education costs.
The second hand books market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $35.39 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.9%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing value placed on unique and vintage books, changing consumer preferences, the expansion of global markets, cross-border trade, and the and the popularity of reading clubs and communities. Major trends in the forecast period include technological advancements, adoption of digital learning materials, increased use of digital libraries, innovation in logistics and shipping solutions, and digital marketplaces.
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Second Hand Books Market Report 2025
What are the key forces behind the second hand books market’s growth in recent years?
The growing number of readers is expected to propel the growth of the second hand book market going forward. The growing number of readers is driven by the easy availability and convenience of accessing digital books through e-readers, smartphones, and tablets, as well as the expansion of genres and topics in literature, appealing to a broader audience with diverse reading preferences. Moreover, global efforts and learning programs promote literacy education and reader populations. Second-hand books provide affordable access to a wide range of literature, foster sustainability through reuse, and enable individuals to explore diverse genres and authors without significant financial investment. For instance, in January 2023, according to the survey conducted among 945 book readers by THGM Writing Services, a Canada-based provider of professional writing and editing services catering to diverse client needs globally, in 2022, 27% of respondents reported reading more than 20 books, while 32% indicated reading between one and five books. Looking ahead to 2023, 64% of readers expressed intentions to increase their book consumption compared to 2022. Therefore, the growing number of readers will drive the growth of the second hand book market.
What are the major segments of the second hand books market?
The second hand books market covered in this report is segmented –
1) By Book Type: Action And Adventure, Art, Music, Film, And Photography, Academic Books, Biographies And Comics, Crafts, Home And Lifestyle, Fantasy, Horror And Science Fiction, Health, Personal Development, Politics, Politics And Religion, Sciences, Technology And Medicine, Other Book Types
2) By Price Range: Mass Or Economy, Premium
3) By Sales Channel: Wholesalers Or Distributors, Hypermarkets Or Supermarkets, Specialty Stores, Multi-Brand Stores, Independent Bookstores, Online Retailers, Other Sales Channels
4) By End User: Adults, Kids
Subsegments:
1) By Action And Adventure: Thriller, Spy Novels, War And Military Fiction
2) By Art, Music, Film, And Photography: Art History, Music Theory, Photography Techniques, Film Studies
3) By Academic Books: Textbooks, Reference Books, Study Guides
4) By Biographies And Comics: Memoirs, Celebrity Biographies, Graphic Novels, Comic Books
5) By Crafts, Home, And Lifestyle: DIY Guides, Home Décor, Gardening, Cooking And Recipes
6) By Fantasy, Horror And Science Fiction: Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Mythical Fiction, Gothic Horror, Supernatural Fiction, Space And Time Travel, Dystopian Fiction
8) By Health, Personal Development: Fitness And Wellness, Self-Help, Mental Health
9) By Politics And Religion: Political Theory, Religious Studies, Historical Politics
10) By Sciences, Technology And Medicine: Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Earth Science, Computer Science, Medical Textbooks, Engineering
12) By Other Book Types: Poetry, Travel And Adventure, Children’s Books
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Second Hand Books Market Report 2025
Which companies dominate the second hand books market?
Major companies operating in the second hand books market are Amazon.com. Spend less. Smile more. Inc., eBay Inc., Half Price Books Records Magazines Incorporated, Chegg Inc., Powell’s Books Inc., World of Books Group, Better World Books, Thrift Books Global LLC, Gumtree | Free classified ads from the #1 classifieds site in the UK Limited, Crossword Bookstores Limited, Valore Inc. (ValoreBooks), TextbookRush, Alibris Inc., Decluttr Limited, AbeBooks Inc., Strand Book Store Inc., StudentVIP, BookMooch, http://Biblio.com, Trade Used Books with PaperBack Swap (the world’s largest Book Club), BookScouter, BookChor Literary Solutions Private Limited, UsedBooksFactory, Kitabay, BooksRun
What major trends will shape the second hand books market during the forecast period?
Major companies operating in the second hand book market are adopting a strategic partnership approach to expand their reach and enhance their service offerings. A strategic partnership typically refers to a collaborative relationship between two or more organizations combining their resources, expertise, and efforts to achieve common goals or objectives. For instance, in October 2023, WH Smith, a UK based retailer of selling books, stationery, and travel essentials, partnered with Zeercle, a UK BASED technology-driven company, specializes in book buy-back and resale services, to introduce the BookCycle scheme, a buy-back initiative that allows customers to exchange unwanted books for e-gift cards. Customers can register online to scan their books, which are then evaluated based on condition, popularity, and market demand to determine their trade-in value. Once valued, customers can drop off their books at participating WH Smith stores in exchange for e-gift cards that can be used for future purchases. The scheme aims to promote sustainability by reselling most traded-in books at discounted prices and responsibly recycling those that cannot be sold.
What are the key regional dynamics of the second hand books market, and which region leads in market share?
North America was the largest region in the second hand books market in 2024. The regions covered in the second hand books market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.
What Does The Second Hand Books Market Report 2025 Offer?
The second hand books market research report from The Business Research Company offers global market size, growth rate, regional shares, competitor analysis, detailed segments, trends, and opportunities.
Second-hand books refer to books that have been previously owned and used by someone else before being resold or redistributed. These books are typically sold at a lower price than their new counterparts and can encompass a wide range of genres, formats, and conditions, from popular fiction and textbooks to rare and antique editions.
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Second Hand Books Market Report 2025
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