bookinsights.ai
Who buys books in the US? Nobody has asked properly in a decade. We're asking now.
bookinsights.ai is running Consumer Compass — the first comprehensive study of the US book buyer since before BookTok, Romantasy, and the rise of audio and AI. In field now, with results in November 2026. Alongside that, I work with publishers directly on getting more from the data they already have.
Consumer Compass
A syndicated study of 5,000 US book buyers. Who they are, how they find books, where they buy and more.
AI discovery, measured directly — which tools people use to find books, and what they actually ask them
Teenagers answering for themselves — not their parents answering for them
Genre by genre — because "the American book buyer" is an aggeregate of very different people
In field now · Results November 2026
What I do
Seventeen years in book industry data, now working independently. Two kinds of work: syndicated research the industry doesn't have, and hands-on help with the data publishers already own.
Every publisher is different. I'm open to conversations about consulting, research partnerships, and new ways of working — if you're curious, let's talk.
Consumer research
Syndicated studies of the people who actually buy books
Market data
Turning industry signals into direction
Performance tracking
Insights that drive decisions
About
David Walter
17 years in publishing data and insights, most recently as Executive Director of Client Development at Circana (Nielsen BookScan), working with 200+ publishers across the US. I've helped build award-winning data tools, launched new tracking services, and delivered insights to some of the biggest names in the industry.
Get In touch
Interested in working together, or just want to explore?
I'd love to hear from you.
info@bookinsights.ai