Under threat from Internet and rising rents, they look to find niche

Book lovers throughout the city must surely be worried about the fate of Beijing's bookstores, which are not only facing fierce competition from online retailers, but the potentially crushing burden of expensive rents.

"The bigger and closer the bookstore is to an expensive location, the higher the risk of losing money," said Deng Xin. Deng was in charge of logistics for Disanji, which was once China's largest private bookstore, occupying four floors of a building in Zhongguancun.

The company ceased trading in early January with a loss of 78 million yuan for its three-year operation.

Sun Tingting, publication manager of Lady Book Salon, admitted the store also faced the challenge of expensive rent, but said that as well as high rents, the competition from online bookstores was also impacting the sales of books.

Online retailers, like dangdang.com, have lured away more and more readers because of the discounts they offer.

"Usually, when you buy a new book online, you can save 20 to 30 percent. Not to mention it is more convenient. All you need to do is click the mouse and wait," Gu Xiaoyu, 28, told METRO.

Readers are also abandoning bookstores to read e-books using their computers or MP3s.

"I don't buy books any more since I got my MP3 player. I can download almost all the best-sellers and classic books that I want from the Internet," said Wu Xinmin, a middle-aged public servant.

"It's been a long time since I went into a bookstore," Wu said.

"Selling books alone can no longer make money and maintain a bookstore's daily operation," Sun said.

To survive the fierce competition from the Internet and the escalating rents, Sun stressed the importance of bookstores creating distinct characteristics and finding a niche. "A bookstore should no longer be defined as a store selling books, but a place offering a lifestyle for city dwellers," Sun said.

Lady Book Salon, the city's first bookstore focusing on female readers, is aiming to maximize its niche.

The bookstore not only welcomes mothers to bring their children but also holds birthday parties, women's gatherings, workshops and regular seminars.

The bookstore also offers special drinks and fruit tea for women in their caf.

The bookstore, which opened in 2007, has already opened two other branches in the city.

"By increasing the bond between the readers and the bookstore, the space for making new profit naturally appears," Sun said.

O2Sun, one of the most famous bookstore chains in Beijing, was among the first generation of bookstores to adopt a business model that is more than just selling printed publications.

Customers can also buy souvenirs and music CDs, and even drink coffee in the store's caf section.

"Selling coffee has become a very important revenue source to maintain the daily operation," Deng said.

Another well-known private bookstore in Beijing, One Way Street Library, relocated from Yuanmingyuan to Solana Lifestyle Shopping Center.

It has become very popular among white-collar workers and college students as a place to hang out at the weekend because of the regular lectures and salons it holds on the second floor.

China Daily

(China Daily 09/30/2010)