Retail News CRM

Tag: reading

  • Singapore’s largest bookstore, Books Kinokuniya is downsizing

    Singapore’s largest bookstore, Books Kinokuniya is downsizing

    Singapore’s largest bookstore, the Books Kinokuniya flagship in Takashimaya shopping centre on Orchard Road, is downsizing – again.

    The company said changes will include refinement of its book collection while incorporating a lifestyle element, including a new cafe set to open this year.

    A recent rental negotiation with Toshin Development has led to announcements informing shoppers that Books Kinokuniya is “currently making changes to store layout” and advising them to approach staff if they cannot find what they need.

    The decision is likely a response to the declining book retail industry, which is experiencing a rise in poor reading habits and diminishing book-buying rates coupled with high rental costs.

    According to a 2021 survey by the National Library Board, only 33 per cent of respondents reported reading six or more books a year.

    Currently, the store occupies 38,000sqft of retail space on one floor, a size that has fluctuated over the years.

    From 1999 to 2013, it occupied a 42,000 sqft space on the third level of the mall before reducing its size by approximately 25 percent and relocating to the fourth floor in 2013 to make room for new retail offerings.

    After the closure of the Chinese restaurant Imperial Treasure Teochew Cuisine in 2016, Books Kinokuniya regained 5000sqft of space and subsequently reopened with a layout and frontage that is familiar to shoppers today.

    Books Kinokuniya said that challenges are “ever present” for book retailers.

    “Our Singapore main store continues to evolve while remaining true to our core values, offering an extensive collection of quality titles housed in a pleasant ambience,” it added.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Amazon books 244 per cent surge in net income

    Amazon books 244 per cent surge in net income

    Amazon has delivered a stunning 244 percent growth in third-quarter net income as – in the words of one analyst – it overrides the slight slowdown impacting the wider US consumer economy.

    The e-commerce giant booked a net income of $9.9 billion during the third quarter of FY23, which GlobalData MD Neil Saunders attributes to efficiencies the management implemented, such as responding to concerns of overcapacity and the reorganization of the fulfillment network to both reduce costs and improve services for customers.

    “It is very easy to look on these things as obvious steps after they have been implemented, but the level of thinking and planning required to implement them is very high and is a testament to Amazon’s entrepreneurial zeal and spirit,” said Saunders.

    “One of the factors that makes Amazon less susceptible to some of the challenges in the economy is that it has become a reliable and important partner to many in the consumer sector. When it becomes more difficult to reach customers and shoppers become a little more reticent to spend, many companies turn to Amazon and its various solutions from advertising to seller services.”

    Amazon reported a 13 percent increase in net sales to $143.1 billion, as sales grew 11 per cent to $87.9 billion in the North American segment and jumped 16 percent to $32.1 billion in the international segment.

    Its cloud service AWS reported an increase in sales of 12 percent to $23.1 billion.

    “We had a strong third quarter as our cost to serve and speed of delivery in our stores business took another step forward, our AWS growth continued to stabilize, our Advertising revenue grew robustly, and overall operating income and free cash flow rose significantly,” said Andy Jassy, Amazon CEO.

    For the fourth quarter, Amazon forecasts net sales of between $160 billion and $167 billion.

  • Wuhan’s Chinese Language bookstore Zall opens in Singapore

    Wuhan’s Chinese Language bookstore Zall opens in Singapore

    A Chinese-language bookstore from Wuhan opened its first overseas store today in Singapore.

    The Zall Bookstore, popular in the main city of China’s Hubei province, opened its doors to bookworms at the Wheelock Place mall on Orchard Road.

    The two-story space houses a wide collection of more than 30,000 books, some of which are displayed on a revolving bookcase that leads visitors to an art gallery showcasing exhibitions by Singapore-based artists like Boo Sze Yang and Justin Lee. There is also a cafe serving pastries.

    Its titles are mostly in Chinese, covering genres such as literature and history. Given that its home has become most-associated with the origin of COVID-19, it’s worth noting there is a section about the ongoing pandemic.

    The bookstore’s four outlets in Hubei are open 24 hours, though the Singapore store is not. It was founded in 2013 by Chinese writer Yan Zhi, whose daughter is the first general manager of the Singapore store.

    The return of a bookstore to Wheelock Place comes 10 years after American books megastore Borders moved out of the mall after 14 years as its anchor tenant.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Ebetsu Tsutaya Books: A community space that’s more than just a public building

    Ebetsu Tsutaya Books: A community space that’s more than just a public building

    Tsutaya Books commissioned Hikohito Konishi / HIKOKONISHI ARCHITECTURE Inc. to design the company’s twentieth store since its restructuring, located in the city of Ebetsu, Hokkaido. The site is adjacent to Ebetsu’s Four Seasons Promenade, a landscaped walking path, and faces a wooded area with many large trees. With a store concept of “a slow-life library in the woods,” our focus was on creating a comfortable space for customers to enjoy.

    In order to reduce the volume of the 140-meter-long structure, we divided it into three blocks and five zones with a staggered layout. The blocks form a cohesive cluster of buildings whose trimmed-back scale is effective in attracting more people. The exterior is finished with bricks from three local companies, creating a strong contrast with the surrounding greenery. We expect the bricks to age beautifully, along with the extruded cement panels on the sides of the buildings.

    The three blocks are assigned the respective themes of Mind, Life, and Food, and their interiors are configured to offer framed views of the forest as well as a sense of unity. The locally produced bricks, concrete floors, exposed steel frames, and wood-and-steel furniture all contribute to the tranquil atmosphere inside, as does the lighting design.

    The store hosts nearly 50 events every month and over 500 throughout the year, playing a role in the community that goes far beyond that of a typical public building. It is not only a commercial facility selling books, DVDs, and more, but also a place that strives to create and nurture local culture. This resonates with the commitment of the company’s founder to create places where people gather—and with our concept of a “slow life” bookstore in Hokkaido.

     

  • Hong Kong’s Swindon Book Store closes after 100 years in Business

    Hong Kong’s Swindon Book Store closes after 100 years in Business

    Swindon Book Co, one of the oldest bookstores in Hong Kong, will permanently close at the end of this month.

    The 5000sqft Tim Sha Tsui venue, with its distinctive vintage storefront on Lock Road, has operated for more than a century. Its closure comes as several other major booksellers exit the Hong Kong market, including all 16 branches of Popular Bookstore, which traded for 40 years in the territory prior to closing in March. Chain stores Dymocks and Page One both departed Hong Kong during the past five years.

    Reports have blamed high rentals and online competitors for the closures.

    A Facebook message posted by the store on Tuesday announced a new chapter in the brand’s journey with a move online, while subsidiary stores Hong Kong Book Centre and Kelly & Walsh will remain open.

    “We deeply appreciate all your support over the years and we are truly honored to have spent time with you at retail,” read the post.

    Swindon Book Co, which distributes school textbooks in Hong Kong, partnered with e-book firm Kobo several years ago as an authorized seller of the device in order to keep up with the times.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Malaysian bookstore MPH shifting focus to online

    Malaysian bookstore MPH shifting focus to online

    Malaysian bookstore chain MPH is closing multiple stores as it moves to a digitally-driven omnichannel business model.

    The company is not closing down, despite much speculation on social media concerning the impending closure of multiple stores.

    A recent Facebook post revealing nine MPH stores in the process of shutting shop went viral, with many users expressing sadness at the presumably imminent disappearance of the brand.

    In a statement answering customer concerns, MPH Group clarified its strategy as a transition into a more e-commerce-focused retail format, consolidating non-performing stores and pooling resources for a digital-business push.

    The company’s new strategy also involves the deployment of high-tech vending machines placed in strategic locations, as well as a social interactive e-learning platform.

    The 114-year-old firm will maintain its key physical locations as it undergoes the transition, in a process that has been largely accelerated following the coronavirus outbreak with a concomitant sharp uptick in online sales.

    The store’s e-commerce platform is due to launch in its revitalized form later in the year.

    “We want to be able to connect with our customers through multiple touchpoints, be it online or offline by adopting an omnichannel approach,” said MPH Group CEO Donald Kee.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Taiwan’s Eslite to make Southeast Asian debut in Malaysia

    Taiwan’s Eslite to make Southeast Asian debut in Malaysia

    Taiwanese bookstore chain Eslite is preparing to launch in Kuala Lumpur.

    Although final details have yet to be released, the new 3300–6600sqm store will likely trade in downtown Kuala Lumpur. The opening, scheduled for next year and potentially delayed due to Covid-19 concerns, will see Taiwan’s largest bookseller opening its first store in Malaysia. Earlier reports have suggested the firm has been seeking a partner in the territory for some time.

    The 30-year-old chain is well known for its unique fusion retail business model as a bookstore, mall and cultural creative platform. It operates 48 stores in Taiwan as well as overseas outlets in Hong Kong, Mainland China and Japan. The Malaysian store will be the first Eslite outlet in Southeast Asia.

    Despite the expansion, Eslite’s business has struggled in its home territory, prompting a series of high-profile store closures, including its flagship location in Dunnan where it famously traded 24 hours.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • JD offers a helping hand to boost bookstore sales in China

    JD offers a helping hand to boost bookstore sales in China

    E-commerce platform JD has helped boost bookstore sales in China during the coronavirus outbreak.

    Last month, sales of two children’s bookstores – Caldecott Bookstore and Zhongshang Children’s Books – increased by 221.6 percent and 282 percent respectively, year on year.

    According to JD, the increased bookstore sales in China are attributed to consumers staying home during the epidemic and turning to books for inspiration and encouragement.

    JD Logistics continued to deliver products to Chinese consumers as usual during the outbreak while implementing a series of disinfectant measures to ensure consumers received their books safely.

    The coronavirus outbreak has led to the temporary shutdown of offline bookstores, a shortage of employees due to the epidemic, a sharp drop in operating revenues, and a surge in pressure on store rents and staff spending. During the period, JD has been assisting partnering bookstores in putting out live broadcasts to drive traffic and promote brand awareness, thus boosting bookstore sales in China.

    “Supporting offline bookstores to do live broadcast is a good example of how JD.com has been using its resources to help offline bookstores to transform their businesses to better cater to the needs of Chinese consumers,” said JD’s offline book team operations manager Jiao Zhang, “especially when there is limited traffic in offline bookstores during the epidemic period”.

    According to the 2019–2020 China Offline Bookstore Industry Report, there are more than 70,000 bookstores in China. Last year, more than 4000 new bookstores opened in the territory. China currently has 135 book malls that are more than 5000sqm each, of which 35 are more than 10,000sqm in size.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • BookXcess opens ‘book tunnel at Malaysia’s Sunsuria Forum

    BookXcess opens ‘book tunnel at Malaysia’s Sunsuria Forum

    Malaysia’s first book tunnel concept BookXcess has opened at Sunsuria Forum in Shah Alam.

    As customers step in the entrance, they will witness a towering circular bookshelf similar to the world-famous Starfield Library in Seoul, South Korea.

    Located at Sunsuria Forum @ 7th Avenue, the bookstore offers more than 500,000 different books, including art and design to literature, fiction, non-fiction, young adult and children’s books. The eighth BookXcess’ bookstore features several zones for customers to work and read. Beverages and treats are available in Cafe Wolf, an in-store cafe.

    “We want to continue to spread the love of reading to the people of Malaysia with the opening of our eighth bookstore in Malaysia and third new bookstore this year alone,” said Dipak Madhavan, chief marketing officer of BookXcess.

    “We are always looking out for new ways to increase the reading habits of Malaysians and creating new concepts like this tunnel bookstore is part of this effort. The unique structure and concept will attract readers and non-readers alike to the bookstore and our prices will hopefully convert them to pick up a book or two.”

    A mini-maze for children and Magic Books using Augmented Reality technology are featured to create better immersive, interactive reading experience.

    Senior project director of Sunsuria Berhad, Wong Chiew Meng believes Sunsuria Forum will be the next ‘talk of town’ with child enrichment and family-oriented elements embedded into the concept of Sunsuria Forum.

    “Apart from the choices of F&B and amenities, we believe that BookXcess will be beneficial to the surrounding communities especially young families who see the importance of cultivating the joy of reading in their daily lives.”

    BookXcess also created a donation corner called Red Readerhood where customers can donate books to unprivileged children from Cahaya Kasih Bestari and Rumah Amal Bistari in hopes that the children from the homes will receive knowledge through the initiative and will be inspired to chase their dreams.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Amazon launches Kindle Kids Edition

    Amazon launches Kindle Kids Edition

    Amazon just announced the Kindle Kids Edition, an e-reader geared towards children. Though the internet giant has sold Fire tablets marketed under the Kids Edition label, this is the first time Kindle e-readers have gotten the same treatment. The bundle is available for pre-order now.
    The Kindle Kids Edition comes with the base 10th-generation Kindle, along with one of four colorful, kid-friendly covers and a two-year replacement guarantee. The e-reader is a good match for kids with its portable size and month-long battery life. This model also comes with special software features for younger readers, such as Achievement Badges for reaching reading goals, Word Wise for automatic definitions of more difficult words, and an enhanced book search designed for kids.
    The bundle also includes one free year of FreeTime Unlimited, Amazon’s all-in-one subscription for children’s content. The subscription gives access to a curated selection of books, movies, TV shows, audiobooks, and more content, as well as powerful parental control features. Recently, Amazon also announced that the service will also start working on Echo devices, Fire TV sticks, and Fire TVs.
    Given that FreeTime Unlimited normally costs about $3 a month for Prime members, the free subscription adds a good deal of value for potential buyers. The Kindle Kids Bundle is set to start shipping at the end of October.
    Lees ook:

  • Eslite Bookstore to open outlet in Tokyo

    Eslite Bookstore to open outlet in Tokyo

    Taiwan’s Eslite bookstore chain is set to launch its first outlet in Tokyo this week.

    The store opening marks Eslite Spectrum Corp’s 30th anniversary as well as the first time for the firm to start-up business in a territory where Chinese is not spoken. The 50th Eslite location, it will trade in books and other merchandise sourced from Taiwan and Japan.

    The late Robert C.Y. Wu, who founded the bookstore, is on record as hoping the store would become a “warm venue for people to meet and connect”.

    Eslite has stores in Hong Kong.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Zhongshuge Minhang bookstore announces grand book hall

    Zhongshuge Minhang bookstore announces grand book hall

    new bookstore in Shanghai’s Minhang District has been featured on designboom.com for its remarkable design.

    The Zhongshuge Minhang store was created by Chinese architectural firm X+living and installed in a third-floor business park location. The store features a black book wall with groups of peg-top bookshelves under a soft light, as well as a text-covered curtain wall with balanced geometric bookshelves inspired by spinning ballet dancers.

    The store’s grand book hall features bookshelves stretched outwards on both sides towards a mirrored ceiling with symmetrical designs resembling a British church. Low-profile reading booths allow visitors to enjoy private and quiet escapes during their reading.

    Readers may buy a cup of coffee while reading their selected books in an atmosphere that emphasizes the beauty of books and reflects a cultured and multidimensional design vision.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Popular bookstore at Thomson Plaza Closing Down

    Popular bookstore at Thomson Plaza Closing Down

    The Popular bookstore at Thomson Plaza has closed after 31 years.

    The outlet, which has traded since 1988, has been closed due to what the owners describe as “lease issues”.

    Popular invited its customers to share their memories of the Thomson Plaza store in a Facebook photo contest which will end tomorrow. Three winners will get SG$20 worth of Popular vouchers.

    The Popular chain is celebrating its 95th anniversary this year, but like all book retailers worldwide, the company is facing challenges from the growth of digital books and consumers moving to other media to read or entertain themselves.

    The top 95 spenders at the Popular bookstore at Thomson Plaza have been rewarded with complimentary three-year membership of the company’s loyalty program, valid also at UrbanWrite stores.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Booktopia expires crowdfunding plans

    Booktopia expires crowdfunding plans

    Booktopia has pulled out of plans to raise $10 million from customers and everyday Australians after struggling to reach its minimum goal for investment.

    The business announced last year that it was looking to raise at least $3 million and up to $10 million through the crowdfunding platform Equitise.

    At the time, it was publicised as the biggest ever crowdfunding attempt through Equitise. But the company on Tuesday revealed that it is ending the crowdfunding round early after raising just short of $900,000.

    Booktopia founder Tony Nash said that while the funding never stopped coming in, the company decided to let the campaign peter out after it received significant interest from the wholesale investment community.

    “Taking a larger investment from one or two strategic investors right now is the best partnership we can secure for our customers and our future growth,” Nash said.

    “If we weren’t talking to the investors looking to invest $20 million to $30 million we would have done a big push to say the offer is ending, and probably got to the $3 million.”

    Nash confirmed the funds raised through the campaign are currently held in trust, and will be returned to equity investors soon.

    Booktopia may consider using the platform again in the future when the “time is optimal and we’ve been able to scale thanks to larger investment.”

    Nash noted that the business is successful enough as is, and that the purpose of the extra funding is simply to reach its goals faster.

    “We are happy to bring on some strategic partners who have experience in the area that we do not have, and that is a key component on taking on the extra funding,” Nash said.

    The equity funding would have been used to drive an expansion in warehouse automation, hold more stock (the business estimates it is only using 25 per cent of its space), and continue to fund the liquidity of the business.

    Booktopia’s Equitise campaign would have allowed 8.1 per cent of the business to be owned by everyday Australians, something Nash said he still likes the idea of.

    Equitise co-founder Chris Gilbert stated he ultimately agrees with the Booktopia board’s decision, noting he looks forward to working together with the book retailer again in the future. 

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Eslite Taipei bookstore closing down

    Eslite Taipei bookstore closing down

    Eslite Taipei, the world’s first 24-hour bookstore, is scheduled to shut down next year.

    The popular Taiwanese bookstore chain will discontinue its flagship location in Dunnan, upon the expiry of its lease next year after 19 years of trading.

    The firm’s chairwoman Mercy Wu has admitted that no plans for the store are in the works following closure. She had previously stated that another Eslite location could have its hours extended to offer a 24-hour service to replace the Dunnan store.

    However, the firm’s previous experiments in round-the-clock bookstore service – including a trial in Hysan Place, Hong Kong – have proved not to be viable due to low customer turnout.

    Wu has been quoted as expressing hopes that Eslite stores will maintain their independence and “remain the first and last stop of book lovers in the next 10 years”.