Bookstores

Brief Excerpt from Industry Overview Chapter:

Companies in this industry sell books from physical retail locations; they may also sell via websites. Major companies include Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Follett (all based in the US), as well as Fnac Darty (France), Indigo Books & Music (Canada), Kinokuniya (Japan), Thalia (Germany), and Waterstones and WHSmith (both based in the UK).

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

The potential long-term effects to bookstores as a result of the coronavirus outbreak may be severe. Store closures and social distancing by consumers will drive sales lost to online booksellers, notably Amazon, which the industry has been battling for decades. Already suffering year-over-year declines in sales, COVID-19 is likely to accelerate sales declines at bookstores. However, the global book market is expected to recover after a decrease in sales from 2019 to 2020. The market is expected to reach about $95 billion in 2025, according to Statista.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

The industry is segmented into general, college, and specialty bookstores. Main revenue sources include the retail sales of books, which account for 50% of the industry revenue, followed by traded books (more than 20%), and textbooks (20%). Other revenue sources include religious books; office and school supplies; and toys, games, and hobby and craft supplies.