One factor that's contributed to the increase in book prices is an increase in the cost of paper (i.e., print books are more expensive to produce than they used to be). This piece goes into some of the reasons for the increase in the cost of paper, e.g.:

>According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the costs of pulp and paper for corrugated boxes increased by over 25 percent between 2020 and 2021, making it more expensive to procure paper.
>
>Experts report that some of the major lumber supply chain problems come from a workforce shortage, a lack of truckers to move materials, manufacturing problems and now the increase in gas prices, all of which affect wood and its delivery.
>
>Over the last couple of years, the price of processed wood products increased significantly. During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, processed wood prices nearly quadrupled. Wholesale prices for plywood increased from $400 to $1500 per 1,000 square sheets.
>
>Although it is convenient to blame everything on COVID, the truth is that paper mill production in America has been declining since long before the pandemic. Like many aspects of industrialization, we are losing American made manufacturing and products, and that means paying more to get goods here.