The Association of American Publishers said eBooks gained ground in all categories - adult fiction and non-fiction, young adult and children's and religious publishing - and helped the industry increase revenues 6% to US$7.1bn for the year.
The percentage of revenues from eBooks rose to 23% of net publisher revenues in 2012, from 17% in 2011 and just 1% in 2008, the trade group said.
Growth in eBook sales was 41% - an impressive figure but below the red-hot pace of recent years including 2011, when eBook sales doubled.
For adult fiction and non-fiction, eBooks provided US$1.3bn in revenue, a 33% gain.
Sales of children's eBooks were up 120% in 2012 to US$233m, driven by huge gains from titles like The Hunger Games.
The association said December data showed slower growth than in the past, suggesting the market is losing momentum.
Adult fiction and non-fiction eBooks showed a gain of 20% in December versus the previous year, and sales of children's eBooks fell 21%.
"In 2012, eBook revenue growth hit an inflection point - where it went from reliable triple-digit increases to double-digit increases," the group said in a statement.
"January 2013 could be a month of big increases following a holiday season during which many readers unwrapped new e-readers and tablets."
Source: AFP, via I-Net Bridge
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