About physical bookstores 1. Physical bookstores should have book varieties. Although the government has been very open in terms of bookstore industry access policies, as a realistic physical bookstore, there should still be some basic physical space requirements and book (publication) varieties.

(Quantity) required.

Of course, this can be adjusted with changes in time and society, but its basic industry rules and business logic remain unchanged.

For example, our physical bookstores today should at least have space and location where readers can sit down and browse books. If the space is so small that it cannot provide services to readers; or the actual store does not even exist, how can it be considered that it is a physical bookstore?

Is it a "physical bookstore"?

Another thing is that our physical bookstores today should at least have a certain variety (quantity) of book products.

If the number of book varieties in a so-called "bookstore" is so small that it is just for decoration, then a "question mark" needs to be placed.

2. A physical bookstore should have book revenue. Since it is called a bookstore, it must have books (publications) as its soul and book management and reading services as its core business.

Of course, the core business does not mean that the main part of the bookstore's revenue (profit) is books; it can also be the non-book business (such as activities, coffee drinks, meals, training) created by "draining" books as the "traffic" entrance.

and other).

According to what we know, for physical bookstores that are currently operating well, book revenue generally accounts for between 30% and 50% of the overall revenue; in addition, non-book business is needed to make up for it.

Most of the companies that rely entirely on book revenue to support bookstores are in a state of loss or low profit.

Of course, there are also some brand bookstores and professional bookstores that still thrive mainly on book sales.

As for those so-called "new concept bookstores" that have very little book revenue, or whose overall revenue is almost entirely supported by non-book business, it is very likely that their non-book business is their main business, and books are just decoration, just a cover, and just

concept, or it cannot be called a “physical bookstore” worthy of the name.

As local governments have successively introduced policies to support the development of physical bookstores in recent years, there has indeed been a gratifying phenomenon of overall recovery and recovery in the physical bookstore industry.

However, during the survey, we did find another problem: a small number of non-book companies imitated or created the so-called "+bookstore" phenomenon in order to realize their desire to ride on the policy dividend train.

For example, if it was originally a restaurant, just put a few books randomly, and then apply for a physical bookstore support project; for example, if the original fitness place had operational difficulties, it would also buy a few low-quality books and turn it into a "bookstore";

There are places (spaces) that often have thousands or even thousands of square meters, but the number of books that are pitiful than some family collections are displayed for decorative effect - they have the name of a bookstore but not the reality of a bookstore.

Of course, as the government promotes national reading activities in depth, it encourages and advocates scholarly enterprises, scholarly institutions, scholarly campuses, and scholarly families.

It is completely feasible to add the scent of books to a restaurant and the scent of books to a gym, and it is also a good business idea.

But actually starting a physical bookstore was another story.

3. The essence of physical bookstores is to serve readers. The physical bookstore industry has been serving readers since the day it was born.

Has the essential character of this bookstore changed today?

Obviously there are big changes.

If we do not acknowledge such changes, we are complacent.

With the rise of the Internet and e-commerce, today we rarely go to physical bookstores to buy books - not only books, but also our other production supplies are increasingly moving to "online shopping."

But why are physical bookstores still attractive and valuable, and why are they encouraged and supported by the government?

This is determined by the natural flaws of online e-commerce.

"Amazon has no toilets" - this is a derisive American saying about e-commerce.

Online bookstores, like all online businesses, lack experience, humanized services, and direct communication between people.

Although the advancement of network technology is continuously improving the customer experience of e-commerce, the natural advantages of physical commerce cannot be replaced.

When readers go to physical bookstores to buy books, they can read them directly, feel the quality and beauty of the books in person, and get recommendations from shopping guides; they can participate in reading activities in the bookstore; they can taste the coffee and food in the bookstore; they can meet friends; they can take a nap;

You can get physical and mental release...not to mention the convenience of going to the toilet.

This is determined by the "positive externalities" of physical bookstores (in economic terms: it refers to an economic behavior or activity that benefits others or society).

Physical bookstores have good and extensive “positive externalities”.

Physical bookstores can not only benefit surrounding physical businesses, but can even increase the value of surrounding properties (real estate).

Nowadays, a high-quality bookstore is a "standard feature" in the newly built commercial center (SHOPPING MALL).

In addition, in some real estate projects developed by well-known real estate companies, if there is no planning for a community bookstore or library, it will also be considered to be not of “high quality”.

This is determined by the quasi-public cultural attributes of physical bookstores.