Book Price Topic (3) Besides buying books, are there other ways to save bookstores?

Independent bookstores have the dual nature of culture and business. They convey diverse concepts through book selection and bookstore operation. Each bookstore recognizes different cultural cognitions, accommodates various values, and also forms a diverse cultural worldview; however, the scale They are small and lack the bargaining power and price-cutting competition conditions, but they have gradually become the weakest in business culture...

[It's not just about making photos and asking for attention, the bookstore owners have also done this! 】

Continuing the previous discussion, independent bookstores unanimously rejected the normal and low discounts, and jointly launched the "#1111 Bookstore Closure Wave" last year. Although they have suffered from the infamy of "emotional blackmail", they still firmly believe in their original intentions and hope that this will lead to public reflection. However, just as the collapse of the book industry is not an overnight phenomenon, such a response activity is not an innovation, and the bookstore owners are not limited to "groaning about the disease", but communicate with readers who enter the bookstore through practical actions. The influence of bookstores and the publishing industry.

In the face of the oppression of the discount war, independent bookstore groups are committed to dialogue with the society - first, at the end of 2007, with Yonghe Xiaoshufang, Danshuiyouhe book, Zhubei Caoyeji, Taizhonghai Shuyuan, and Chiayi Hongya Study 5 Headed by an independent bookstore, it publishes the "Never-Independent Newsletter" . Every month, I personally visit, interview, record, and organize an independent bookstore's operation, business philosophy, operating conditions, difficulties and bright sides, and ideas for the future. The current status of independent bookstores is more transparent; in 2008, "Book Collector Culture: Independent Bookstore Alliance" was established . At this time, in addition to the above five bookstores, it also introduced Hualien Kaifeng Kama Children's Bookstore, Hsinchu Shuimu Bookstore, and Taipei Mansion. There are three independent bookstores in Tangshan Bookstore, and in 2010, they held the "'Discount War, Who Survived?' Seminar on Anti-Discount War and Promotion of Unified Book Pricing System" , calling on the society to face up to the problem of book price reduction; 2013 In March 2009, the "Taiwan Independent Bookstore Cultural Association" was established to "record and develop the unique culture and spirit of independent bookstores", "assist the survival and operation of independent bookstores", and "combine independent bookstore operators with readers who identify with the spirit of independent bookstores". "Three points are the core spirit, and I have held a local seminar on "What is an independent bookstore? "Independent bookstore culture". I hope that through a series of lectures, the public can understand the living environment of independent bookstores... It can be seen that discounts War, distorted interest structure, and bookstores' appeals for systems and regulations are not actions aimed at "getting hot" or "discussing auctions", but are continuing phenomena.

In addition to narrowing the distance between bookstores and the public and enhancing public awareness of bookstores, the owners of independent bookstores also hope to improve their own situation by promoting the positive actions of the government. Taiwan Friendly Book Industry Supply Cooperative" (referred to as: Friendly Book Industry Cooperative), not only in the name of the organization to jointly import books to the publishing house to reduce operating costs, but also actively participate in the process of the Ministry of Culture to develop a book pricing system, and has held " How to measure a book? Diversity to create a rational book market - an open forum on book pricing" and two citizen forums "Buying a Book to Learn: Citizens Meeting on New Book Price Regulation". However, although the appeal was made by bookstores, has the government responded?

[Using those "hands that can see and see" to save independent bookstores: exploring the unified book pricing system]

As we all know, independent bookstores carry extraordinary cultural significance. However, the current situation of the book market makes it difficult for independent bookstores to survive, which not only symbolizes the oppression of individual bookstores and the cultural worldview they convey, but also represents the diversity formed by independent bookstores. The development space is compressed together; the state has the obligation to protect the free development of culture. On this premise, the government should actively support independent bookstores and create an environment suitable for the development of independent bookstores to maintain and ensure cultural differences. What? This kind of argument is too high and ideal? Then we try to step back and consider it from an economic point of view. Even if book prices are not the only factor affecting the book retail market, protecting culture is not enough to justify state intervention in the free market. However, when book prices are not the only factor affecting the book retail market The market fails to achieve efficiency on its own, resulting in a situation of "market failure". At this time, the government should intervene in regulating the market order. There should be no objection to this, right?

Now that we understand the bookstore's position in wanting the government to intervene in the market, we can talk about "current" or "practical" methods and strategies. In the previous topic, we briefly mentioned that the "Uniform Book Pricing System" is one of the most popular policies in the cultural world. However, what is the "Uniform Book Pricing System"?

The so-called "uniform pricing of books" mainly refers to the fact that bookstores of all sizes and various channels in the market must sell books at a uniform price; and this "uniform price" can refer to selling books completely according to the set price, or the specification is only in special circumstances. Discounts can only be obtained at the next level, and the discounts cannot exceed a certain percentage, so as to allow the publishing industry to maintain basic operating profits, and to allow readers to see a more diverse selection of books to achieve a win-win situation.

At present, among the 23 largest book markets in the world, 11 countries have adopted a unified book pricing system . Within two years of the publication of a new book, the discount of bookstore access cannot exceed 5% of the price set by the publisher; in 2011, e-books were included in the scope of this law; in June 2014, the Anti-Amazon Law was passed. That is, online retailers are prohibited from launching "50% off + free shipping" combination offers to protect the living space of independent bookstores. From the stable book prices in France, the existence of more than 2,000 independent bookstores, and the surging reading atmosphere of the public, perhaps we can infer that the "uniform book pricing system" seems to be really effective, allowing independent bookstores to avoid being chained to supermarkets. and online bookstores, but can compete with them in terms of book selection ability and service.

However, not every country that implements a "uniform book pricing system" can reap fruitful and sweet fruits: Mexico also follows this system in the cultural publishing industry, however, due to the lack of enforceable provisions in the bill, discounts Illegal acts have no corresponding punishment, but instead become a channel of disguised punishment, and the original intention of the legislation has been lost. In Israel, after the implementation of this system, the average book price did not fall but rose, and the publishing house estimated that only the works of famous authors. After reading the above cases, I can't help but think: If this system is implemented in Taiwan, what results will it possibly lead to?

In fact, the unified book pricing system is an ongoing topic in Taiwan, and it is raised, analyzed and discussed by cultural circles almost every year. However, why has it not been implemented yet? Are there any concerns or obstacles in the system? Difficulty? And has the contemporary government done anything in the face of the dilemma of independent bookstores?

The answer, we will wait for the next announcement!