So after I finally post my year in review post on Thursday night, I wake up on Friday morning to find I’ve been scooped by none other than the New York Times

Publishers sold 3.13 billion books last year, compared with 3.1 billion in 2006, an increase of just 0.9 percent, according to Book Industry Trends 2008, an annual report that analyzes sales in the United States. Higher retail prices helped net revenue increase 4.4 percent, to $37.3 billion, from $35.7 billion.

I’ll point out again that publishers’ revenues aren’t quite the same as actual book sales. While the BISG posits $37B for the industry, the AAP reports that book sales were a mere $25 Billion.

If one were to jive the 3.19 billion in unit sales reported in the Times with that $25B number from publishers.org than we get an average book price of $7.99. Not that this number is useful in any meaningful way but it is 1) suspiciously low, and 2) suspiciously close to an actual price. (Probably just a coincidence.)

Now that I look at it though: why the difference between books sales and revenue? What are the other profit centers?

With the BEA in full swing I’m sure other publishing news and stats will be reported from all corners — I’ll post another update if I find some particularly juicy numbers.