A.C. Nielsen has released a new report revealing the sales figures behind the franchise for the past several years, supplying some data to support the anecdotal reports of increases in sales of Star Wars merchandise.

U.S. sales of consumer packaged goods tied to Star Wars were $243 million so far in the U.S. this year, up 45% from the $168 million in sales in 2014.  That’s the highest total since 2011, when Star Wars goods generated $208 million in sales, and the year isn’t over yet, with December undoubtedly generating a healthy total on its own. 

Sales of books (tracked by Nielsen service BookScan, so reflecting sales through bookstores, mass merchants, and online retailers) and DVDs/BluRay (tracked by Nielsen service VideoScan, so reflecting sales through mass merchants, specialty retail chains, and online) are both up dramatically this year.  While Nielsen's tracking services don't capture all sales (for example, most comic and game stores are not included), the results are an indication of what's happening at retail.

Star Wars book sales are nearly double their level in 2014, up from 1,034,200 units last year to 1,979,000 units this year.  Packaged home video sales more than doubled, up from 630,300 units last year to 1,449,300 in 2015. 

Nielsen tracked Star Wars-related book and disc unit sales back to 2005, the year Episode III: Revenge of the Sith opened, but the changes reflect more the shift to digital than the change in demand for Star Wars books and media.  In 2005, book unit sales were 2,001,000, and disc unit sales were 6,936,700. Both indicate a decline in sales from 10 years ago, but a large percentage of sales in both categories have moved to digital, and in the case of video, also to streaming.  It’s also worth noting that inflation means that the dollars generated by a “unit” is up substantially from ten years ago.

The top three Star Wars-related books this year, according to BookScan:

  • Aftermath: Star Wars: Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • Lego Star Wars Character Encyclopedia
  • DK Readers L1: Lego Star Wars.

The top three Star Wars-related-discs this year, according to VideoScan:

  • Star Wars Trilogy
  • Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
  • Star Wars: The Complete Saga.

The top three Star Wars-related consumer product goods are:

  • Ready-to-Eat Cereal
  • Boxed Prepared Dinners
  • Oral Hygiene

So after consumers eat their Star Wars food, at least their brushing their teeth!

Disney Consumer Products charges a high licensing rate for merchandise, but it’s evident that for these products, the price is worth channeling the Force all the way to the bank (see “Three Ways the Business of 'Star Wars' is Different”).