The demise of the Net Book Agreement has revolutionised the bookselling industry. Far from having the catastrophic consequences which many had feared, the post-NBA climate has been one of tremendous innovation and change. Some independents have struggled, but many have also encountered success.

Meanwhile, the focus has shifted from the battle between bookselling chains and independents to a major battle between terrestrial and Internet retailers, the latter having successfully captured a share - albeit remaining small to date - of the market.

The ability to use price as a major marketing tool has obviously been a key factor, enabling many more new entrants into the market. A flurry of discounted titles has flooded the market, and retailers' profit margins have suffered as a result.

This report covers the operating environment for book retailing, and reports on key trends within this industry. It also examines consumer attitudes towards book purchasing, the major elements affecting their choice of stores, and the shopping environment which they would like to see develop.

Other Mintel reports of relevance include:

- Books, Market Intelligence, May 1999

- Leisure Trends - 1998, Leisure Intelligence, May 1998.