Another net red bookstore is closed, whether the physical bookstore is "sunset red" or "no sunset"

In the last week of July, many readers took pictures of the Pioneer Bookstore Wuxi Huishan Bookstore. On August 1, a few days later, the bookstore that had been in business for 10 years officially closed the store. Under the epidemic, the closure of physical bookstores seems to be no longer news. In July of this year, a series of problems such as closed stores, arrears of salary, and becoming executed appeared in July this year. closure. On the one hand, the online celebrity bookstore has closed the store one after another, and on the other side, the new physical bookstore is still poured in. The data of "2020-2021 China physical Bookstore Industry Report" shows that in 2020, the number of newly opened bookstores in China is about 2.6. Note.

Where is the physical bookstore? Why is this business attracting new entrepreneurs to enter the game? In the face of e -commerce shocks, what are the opportunities for physical bookstores? Under market changes, many physical bookstores are looking for new ways.

The profit is small, it is difficult to survive by selling books

Qian Xiaozheng has opened a bookstore for more than 20 years in Nanjing. As the founder of the old art bookstore "Keyi Shop", she usually works in the bookstore. Whenever she saw someone picking up a book from the bookshelf, taking out her mobile phone to take a picture or scan the price barcode, she knew that another reader had to go online to buy books.

"The low -cost competition of the online platform is the initial reason for the difficulties of bookstore development." Qian Xiaozheng said that she opened a store on Hunan Road for 19 years, with more than 300 square meters of space. It is difficult to return to the book by selling books.

"Book Retail Market Report 2021" shows that in more than 18,000 bookstores monitoring, platform online stores, short video platforms, large -scale self -operated online stores and other online channel code oceans (all book pricing) account Near 80%. Data show that the discounts of online store channels in 2021 further increased, and the difference between online and offline discounts was 31 percentage points.

Nanjing's first 24 -hour study "South Study on the Second Floor". Wang Jing/Photo

"The entry price of the book in the store is 40 % off, and the book selling books is 20 % off. One is not to e -commerce promotional efforts. Secondly, the gross profit margin is only about 20 %. The space is limited, and there are not enough categories. "Chen Yan, the founder of Nanjing's first 24 -hour study" Second Floor Study Room ", revealed that in fact, he did not consider using book sales as the main source of income in seven years ago. Book project services are mainly.

In April of this year, the South Study Room on the second floor stopped 24 -hour opening service. Last year, the Xinhe Store and Reading Bookstore Zhongshan Store, which was opened last year, also closed the store. Excessive cost is an important factor in adjusting the operation mode. The south study on the second floor is located near Xinjiekou, which is inch inch. The rent is not low. Under the circumstances of continuous opening, it is calculated at the lowest hourly salary standard of Nanjing. More than 200,000 yuan.

The continuous staging of "death" and "life" of physical bookstores is also related to fierce market competition. Nanjing Qi Dian Book Collection opened in September 2019. The general manager Yang Runkang told reporters that he had done market research before opening the store and found that most emerging private bookstores in recent years have imitated Eslite Life, Duoyu Bookstore, and making books, coffee, life aesthetics, etc. In the mixed business, Sisifer Bookstore created a book fast -moving mode of the book.

"Everyone is exploring the new business model. The times are different. In the past, the growth route of bookstores was difficult to copy." For example, Yang Runkang said that Phoenix Book City is back to the publishing house, not a "two -way dealers". Even in the face of e -commerce shocks In addition, there are channel resources such as library procurement. The success of Pioneer Bookstore also depends on surrounding universities. The Volkswagen Book Company has accumulated a large number of members by years of operation. These are not available for new entrants. The support point.

Random response, service for reading needs

Yangzhou people Daiyang's wild Lily Bookstore opened in March 2020. At present, book sales account for only 20%of his bookstore's revenue. "At present, the e -commerce platform books are low, the variety is complete, and the service is home. I am willing to buy books by myself. The physical bookstore uses feelings to feel moving. It is really difficult for a while." Dai Yang said.

Before starting a business, Dai Yang had planned a number of reading activities such as slow reading list, 72 -hour bookstore, and picture book stories in Yangzhou. He found that reading needs still exist. Market demand, but some disorderly development. " Dai Yang has selected 100 books suitable for children 1 to 9, and find someone to guide reading, or take the children to study in Yangzhou. These activities accounted for 80 % of the first year's operating income of the bookstore, and book sales became the one that was driven.

"Opening the store is to verify my graduation thesis." Dai Yang said that after one year of opening, he scored 48 points (100 points in full scores) to the wild lily bookstore. Bookstore research. In March of this year, the score rose to 61 points, which was indispensable for the support of small fans, and it was more thanks to the contribution of "reading for the whole people".

Can a book shop. (Photo confession in the respondent)

"Bookstores are also stores. When opening a store, you must earn money to support yourself and support employees. This is the basic thinking of operators." Qian Xiaozheng said that in 2016, Hunan Road Commercial Street was renovated. From the beginning, she began to plan in Xiaolin's "second entrepreneurial". At the end of last year, a bookstore · Xianlin Art Center began trial operation. It was located in the Xianlin University Town, and the changes in consumer groups prompted Qian Xiaozheng to adjust their business methods. "According to the past experience opening experience, the passenger flow of the new store is average. This year, the Spring Festival was originally closed for a rest. I did not expect that many readers to require it normally. As a result, the employees of the Spring Festival holiday were on vacation. I opened the door in the bookstore." After zero, it is the main consumer group in the store. Children can't be idle at home during the holidays. Bookstores are in line with parental needs. Children write homework and parents read.

"The book buying group has changed. The community bookstore radiates 5 to 10 kilometers around the city. As soon as school starts, many parents take the classroom to read the bookstore to buy books." Qian Xiaozheng, who opened the art bookstore for more than 20 years, headed Once a large number of children's books were placed in the store, the new children's picture books and students must read the counter. They also set up small tables and stools for low young children in the bookstore, and a large number of famous lectures were set up.

Multiple operations, empower the entity with culture

A variety of consumer formats such as cultural and creative, catering, etc., emphasize design and space experience, are now the transformation and upgrading path explored by many physical bookstores.

The strange book collection is one of the most beautiful bookstores in Jiangsu this year. In front of this bookstore in charge of this bookstore, Yang Runkang was mainly responsible for attracting promotion to Nanjing Xiehe Commercial Plaza where the bookstore was located. He was born in a non -retail industry. When operating a bookstore, he incorporated business thinking into the book business.

In 2018, Xiba Commercial Plaza decided to open a bookstore to attract the passenger flow and strengthen the literary attributes of the neighborhood. "At that time, the target group was a white -collar worker in the surrounding office buildings and college students in colleges and universities. They were more willing to consume offline physical space. It attracted many people to take pictures and punch. "When mentioning the" net red decoration "label brought by the white stairs and metal ceiling in the bookstore, Yang Runkang did not exclude it. He thought this was a normal business choice.

Nanjing Qi Dian book set. Wang Jing/Photo

"The shop is now walking three legs for books, exhibitions, and performances." Yang Runkang said that in the past three years, the only thing that broke through his business ideas was the drama performance. Nanjing was the host city of the Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Award last year. The strange book collection is one of the first plums drama. After completing the specified publicity activities in 2020, they cooperated with Nanjing Peking Opera Troupe to try to open the winter camp, the bookstore to provide venues, Peking Opera. The delegation gives low -grade children to Peking Opera Experience Course. "I didn't expect to be full soon." Yang Runkang wanted to come now, and he was crooked.

"Books are difficult to sell because of the low -cost sales in online stores. If physical bookstores can provide more original content, and at the same time, can they find a way of life?" In product research and development and cultural activities, a large number of mansion and material resources are invested. On several theme booths in front of the bookstore, books and original cultural and creative are placed alternately. On the "Red Mansion · Nightmare" theme booth, there are different versions of the original and red studies monographs of the "Dream of Red Mansions" and the research monographs of the Red Mansion. A classic plot. Qian Xiaozheng once met a grandmother with his grandson reading in the store. When he was shopping, he saw a silk scarf and bought three.

The Nanjing Jinchuang Book City, which opened in January this year, also sold coffee like other emerging bookstores. At present, the book accounts for 50%of the sales of the store, and coffee accounts for 30%. "The gross profit margin of coffee is higher than the book and contribute more profits." Ding Lin, general manager of Jincheng Book City, said that the bookstore has been exploring the composite business model for more than half a year. Essence "For more than two weeks, the tickets were sold more than 30,000, and the initial investment has been basically recovered." Ding Lin said that the exhibition last year in Nanjing's first exhibition was good and consistent with the temperament of the bookstore, so he wanted to introduce it. "The initial estimation of the benefit is more conservative, because the interval between the two exhibitions is only half a year, and many local people may have seen it. When online marketing, it will expand the scope to Nanjing Metropolitan Circle, and at the same time, the difference between the content of the exhibition." Ding Ding. "Ding Ding. Lin said that the current sales of tickets exceed expectations, and in the future, we will consider continuing to introduce such exhibitions with brand influence.

In the first weekend, the 3rd floor of Nanjing Jinchuang Book City was full of readers waiting for the exhibition. Wang Jing/Photo

Some people in the industry have pointed out that although various innovative business methods do bring certain economic benefits to physical bookstores, there are also operating risks. Investment in the early stage of comprehensive operations is usually more. The clear and differentiated profit model lacks reading services, and it is difficult to retain readers and stay consumption.

Xinhua Daily · Jiaojiao Reporter Wang Jing

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