This article comes from WeChat public account: Bookstore (ID: shudianxing) , author: Zeng Feng, Sun Qian

Thanks to Zeng Feng for the birth of this article.

The epidemic affects the hearts of every Chinese and every bookstore. On the second day of the Chinese New Year, Zeng Feng was the first of all the book-making people to make a sound, “A Book-making People’s Year of the Rat’s Spring Festival”, calling on the bookstore to save themselves. Questionnaire for Bookstore Status Survey. After the questionnaire was sent, it was forwarded and assisted by many friends in the industry. In less than 24 hours, the reading volume has exceeded 10,000. More than 350 copies of valid answers were also collected.

How to analyze these questionnaires in a timely manner, how to write the report in depth, and how to deserve everyone’s help and expectations. I knew that I was not good at writing reports, so I asked Zeng Feng if he could write the report together. He replied, “Okay, I’m waiting for your notification.”

In this report, I completed the analysis of the previous multiple choice questions. Zeng Feng completed the analysis of the Q & A questions and combined the texts of the two people. After writing the report, I left a message to him, “I’m very happy to do something for the bookstore together.” Coincidentally, he sent the same text over the screen.

Today, let us all do something for the bookstore industry. In this article, Shumeng is authorized to open and synchronize. All relevant media can contact Shumengjun to forward the report. Together we call on the society to pay attention to the bookstore and support the bookstore to overcome the difficulties!

Yesterday, Shumeng launched the “Questionnaire on the Current Situation of the Epidemic and Bookstores” online. The reading volume of the questionnaire exceeded 12,000 person times for 22 hours. As of the time of writing, the questionnaire was received and submitted More than 350 copies, covering all provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in mainland China except Tibet.

The epidemic is comingThis fierce, many bookstores have been passively or actively suspended business, making practical contributions to epidemic prevention. But probably the vast majority of the public did not expect that the physical bookstore’s business ceased, which means that the bookstore’s income is gone, but the various operating costs that the bookstore needs to bear have not decreased (at least before the preferential measures were introduced) ) . Through the investigation, the physical bookstore’s uncertainty about the current situation and concerns about the future prospects jumped out of the paper. Behind this questionnaire are the concerns of countless bookstores. Shumeng also hopes to spread the voice of physical bookstores to a wider range. With the support of all parties, through effective measures, the protection and transformation of physical bookstores in recent years are protected As a result, physical bookstores will not enter the second “Book Winter”.

Let ’s take a look at the data analysis of this survey:

1. By the time of writing, we had received 353 valid answers.

The first question reflects the distribution of the bookstores surveyed. As can be seen from the map, except for Tibet, bookstores in other parts of mainland China have participated in the survey. As of the publication of the article, we have received a total of 353 valid questionnaires. Among them, Yunnan had the highest participation, with 49 bookstores in Yunnan completing the questionnaire survey; 40 bookstores in Beijing submitted the questionnaire, and more than 20 bookstores in Guangdong, Henan and Sichuan also participated in the questionnaire. At the time we wrote the report, questionnaires were being submitted continuously. We hope that more bookstores will be involved and collective voices will be able to arouse the attention and attention of the society.

2. 98.02% of the bookstores surveyed are still books.

Second question, we understand the main business of the bookstore under investigation. It can be seen from the answers to the questionnaires that 98.02% of the bookstores stated that Books are still the current main business , and stationery culture and creativity followed closely behind, accounting for 67.14%, because this is more than one Select a topic. From the other side of the diversified operation of the manual store, Stationery and cultural and creative revenue are not low . And we have always thought that the food and beverage (water bar) is the main income of the bookstore, and got the opposite answer in the questionnaire. Only 22.38% of the bookstores said that the food and beverage (water bar) is the main source of current income. Of the 353 bookstores, only 79 accounted for. At the same time, venue rental and activity income is also one of the main revenues of some bookstores.

3. 86.97% of the bookstores have been closed.

Third question, we investigated the current business status of the bookstore. Of the 353 bookstores participating in the survey, 307 are currently closed, accounting for 86.97%. That number is worrying. In the new crown pneumonia epidemic, physical bookstores announced that they were temporarily closed for business. They were first seen in Hubei, including Hubei Xinhua and Wuhan Xinhua. Zhejiang Xinhua issued a provincial-wide temporary store closure notice on the evening of January 23, which was a major public emergency. The first-level response to the health incident was followed by the Xinhua Bookstore in Jiangsu and other provinces. Authorities in most regions have issued notices successively, requiring bookstores, libraries, etc. to be temporarily closed and resumed operations in accordance with the notice. However, a considerable number of bookstores have continued to operate according to their own circumstances and have not temporarily closed stores. So far, quite a few provinces require companies to not resume production or business before February 9. The physical bookstores in these provinces, especially the state-owned bookstores,It must first be implemented in accordance with the notice, and the private bookstore is expected to deal with it according to the actual situation.

4. 86.97% of bookstores currently have almost no source of income.

Considering that some bookstores have both social sales and e-commerce platforms, Question 4, we investigated the current turnover of bookstores, which is the income situation. The ratio is the same as that of closed stores. Almost all bookstores that are currently closed have chosen the option of “nearly income.” But how do you survive the days when you continue to close stores because of the epidemic? Some bookstores have also been actively searching for online solutions. Some Xinhua Bookstores have launched online book purchase services, non-stop express delivery, non-stop service, or online ordering and book pick-up. Some private bookstores have conducted online and community lectures to actively guide readers to a healthy lifestyle while also generating income for themselves.

5. Most of the surveyed are private small and medium bookstores.

If the temporary suspension is a loss of business income, the fifth question in the questionnaire, About fixed costs for bookstores, is not so optimistic. It can be seen from the answer of the bookstore that there are 328 bookstores with fixed costs of operating from 500,000 to 500,000 per month, accounting for 92.91% of the bookstores participating in the answer. It can be seen that most of the questions collectedIt is the answer sheet for small and medium independent bookstores, and it is also the group of bookstores most affected by the outbreak.

6. 85.84% of bookstores have no source of income after closing.

The questionnaire design of the sixth question was originally to hope that more bookstores could be supported by other industries. However, the questionnaire that was withdrawn only aggravated the current situation of physical bookstores. Of the 353 bookstores surveyed, 303 had no other source of income. The shop is closed, and you can only sit down and eat. Then, you may actually close the shop.

7. If the epidemic continues, 77.62% of bookstores persist for less than three months.

The seventh question is how long can the bookstore’s current capital reserve last if it continues to suspend business? There are 34.56% of bookstores that can only last less than a month. In fact, in the book group, there are already bookstores in operation. At the same time, another 43.06% of bookstores said that it will last less than three months.

8. 73.94% of bookstores believe that even if they resume business, their income will not be half of what they were before.

At the same time, we investigated the physical bookstore’s expectations after the epidemic . Everyone ’s answer to the eighth question is: nearly 80% of bookstores are not optimistic about the future situation, of which 42.21% said that the turnover can be up to half of the original, and nearly 31.73% of the bookstores said that the future business status Not even the previous half. But also saw 5.67% of bookstores expressed optimism about the future.

We cross-checked these data that are optimistic about the future of the bookstore with Question 6, and the results show that the proportion of bookstores that are optimistic about the future, and other sources of income, are higher than those that are pessimistic about the future. . This also shows from another aspect that bookstores are no longer an industry that only depends on book sales. Bookstores are becoming more complex and diversified, which requires bookstore practitioners to have more capabilities and resources.

Although bookstores are temporarily closed, what are the costs that a physical bookstore will continue to bear during the temporary closure? We saw the answer in the ninth and open question:


9. Rent, personnel, and payment may be the heaviest burden that overwhelms a physical bookstore.

Because the vast majority of the respondents are private bookstores, theseBookstores have stated that during the temporary closing period, they will still need to bear the store rent, property costs (including water and electricity fees, heating fees, etc.) , and employees (including social security) . At the same time, some bookstores that have food or water bar operations will have losses of corresponding ingredients, etc. Some bookstores have loan interest, suppliers’ futures payments, and some bookstores that are calculated strictly in accordance with financial specifications. Depreciation of equipment investment still needs to continue. Some bookstores indicate that under the previous operating conditions, the rental pressure was greater than labor costs, but some bookstores indicated that labor costs were higher than rents and property expenses.

It is important to note that the physical bookstores currently participating in the survey do not know whether they will receive rent reductions from the owner. But most bookstores indicate that they are not prepared to work on labor costs. Employees will be guaranteed the relevant income, even if it is at least the basic salary. At this moment, the stability of the workforce is also crucial.

The bookstore has no income and no cash flow during the temporary closure of the store, but it still needs to pay various costs in the future. The tenth question is actually everyone’s true voice. What are the physical bookstores most worried about at present?


10. At present, I am most worried about the enduring epidemic, changes in consumer spending habits and employee turnover.

A lot of bookstores are most worried about the development of the epidemic . The latest confirmed cases have reached nearly 10,000 people. The World Health Organization also listed this epidemic as a global health emergency, surpassing the SARS in 2003. Severity. According to the experience of fighting against SARS, the calculation from the Spring Festival will not be completed until June.This is over. The uncertainty of the duration of the epidemic also means the uncertainty of the bookstore’s operating prospects in the future. Physical bookstores worry about the country and the people, and they are also worried about themselves. Generally, after the continuous impact of the epidemic, many loyal local offline customers have to choose online channels to purchase books, and after a certain consumption habits have been formed, the bookstores will be completely lost As a supplementary channel for book purchases, this will be a direct and fatal blow to physical bookstores.

Some bookstores worry about the declining revenue caused by sales decline during the Spring Festival and peak school season and the problem of inventory destocking in advance. During the Spring Festival, some colleagues who continued to operate said that either no one or the sales revenue was quite poor. Sales during the Spring Festival peak season have basically been lost, and the effective sales period before and after the start of school is short. There are limited sales options. Some bookstores worry that the operating income in the first half of the year will drop by more than 50%. If consumers are unwilling to shop at a bookstore, a series of problems will arise, including the payment of later books, and some bookstores may have tight cash flow and cannot pay the fees. > (Including rent and labor) , whether it can be sustained and how long it will be a serious problem. In the questionnaire survey, some bookstores stated that they have been losing money for several years. This year may not be able to sustain it. It is not whether the bookstore can be opened, but the breadwinner may become a problem. Some bookstores said that they had just passed the end of 2019 and did not expect that the spring of 2020 would be directly hit, and there were no good tricks other than waiting.

Some bookstores Worry about the future passenger traffic will change , some readers may be afraid to come to the bookstore, or reduce the number of visits, before the epidemic has not resolved, most bookstores ’bookstore passenger traffic Without any confidence, there is no confidence when it will return to normal after dissolution. It is not good for people not to come, and it is not good to come, and they have to care about safety issues for consumers and employees. Related to this is the holding of various reading promotion activities. One is whether it can be done, and the other is that it may not have a good effect.

A lot of bookstores Worried about the stability of the workforce , some bookstores have encountered difficulties in recruiting workers before. The problem at this moment is whether the existing workforce can be stable and whether new Churn. Due to the development of the epidemic, various autonomous closure measures have been adopted in various places. (such as many communities in Beijing do not allow non-owners to enter, etc.) , even if they are fully restored Business, foreign employees temporarily living in the city are likely to face some real-life problems, and other issues, including reduced income, may affect employeesThe mindset has an impact and other employment directions may be considered. Some bookstores have stated that even if they are willing to pay, employees are still unwilling to come to work.

Many bookstores say their confidence in continuing to open a physical bookstore has been hit. In the past few years, the physical bookstores have picked up, and they have just seen signs of improving the physical bookstores. However, due to the impact of the epidemic, it is assumed that the downturn of the entire real economy and weak consumer confidence in the future may have a huge impact on the continued operation of physical bookstores. This impact includes the issue of profitability, as well as the problem of survival. Whether the bookstore can still be opened is a problem. Some bookstores are in the process of upgrading and rebuilding. At this moment, the project is shut down and the situation is dilemma. Some bookstores said that discounts on online sales are confusing. Do physical bookstores still exist?

11. I hope to get government support, rent reduction and exemption for owners, and timely supply of epidemic prevention materials.

At this very moment, what is the most desired support for brick-and-mortar bookstores?

Most bookstores hope to resume business as soon as possible. This is the best way to help themselves, but at present this time can only wait and estimate. Many bookstores hope that the competent authority can coordinate and let the bookstore purchase some basic anti-epidemic materials, including masks, disinfectants, temperature guns, and hand-free hand sanitizers. Due to the extremely tight supply, many bookstores are difficult to purchase by themselves and it is difficult to ensure their own use. Not to mention preparing for business resumption. If it resumes business in the future, it will be impossible to operate without these basic equipment. This is the most urgent thing now. Including the book disinfection cabinets commonly used in libraries, which are not yet necessary for physical bookstores, and may need to be configured in the future.

Almost all brick-and-mortar bookstores want financial support, including support for rent reduction or exemption for a period of time, or concessions for a certain period of time. Direct government support such as subsidies (used to pay rent or subsidize labor) , interest-free or discounted loan policy, issue book coupons to physical bookstores to purchase books, or be able to introduce some guiding policies to facilitate the implementation of (There is feedback from the bookstore that the local government has lost business in registering Internet cafes, KTV and other places, why the bookstore did not notify the registration) .

Some bookstores hope that publishers and suppliers can coordinate in terms of billing period, etc., and that they will increase the intensity of various storefront activities after resumption of business in the future. There are also bookstores that hope to increase the relevant training on the Internet side and make better use of the Internet platform in the future.

Summary

During the development of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, the mentality of brick-and-mortar bookstores has undergone a complex transformation: under normal business conditions, the “brake” was urgently stepped on due to the rapid development of the epidemic. Most brick-and-mortar bookstores were temporarily closed and closed. A series of follow-up questions arise. Restaurant dishes can be sold, after all, it is necessary for life, but books are not necessary for life.

In the process of closing and closing stores, as more and more information was obtained, ordinary people ’s attention was focused on epidemic prevention and epidemic prevention, and movie theaters could be closed, not to mention bookstores, so the subsequent operation of bookstores The prospects are worrying, and the existence and development of the bookstore are highly concerned but tense.

Consumer confidence needs to be boosted after the business resumes in the future, but the confidence of brick-and-mortar bookstores needs to be boosted. If there is no response, it is likely to usher in a new entity in the second half of 2020 and subsequent times. Bookstores are “closed.” This is not what the physical bookstores hope to see, nor will it be what the government authorities want to see. The results of the popular reading promotion in recent years cannot be wiped out by an epidemic, so the joint efforts of all parties are needed.

Here, Shu Meng made three appeals on behalf of all my physical bookstore colleagues:

1. Call on brick-and-mortar bookstores, especially small and medium-sized brick-and-mortar bookstores, to actively speak out and strive to obtain preferential policies for themselves, and actively carry out self-help work. According to the current public information, quite a number of commercial complexes have partially reduced or exempted their rents, including Wanda, China Resources, Xincheng, Longhu and other domestic commercial real estate leading brands, which will benefit the commercial complexes mentioned above. The chain of bookstore brands that open bookstores. However, it should be noted that quite a few independent bookstores have multiple sources of leased properties.It may not be able to get discounts directly. It needs active contact and communication from bookstores to communicate rent-free or case studies. I believe most owners still have conscience and will not rob. Physical bookstores cannot wait for themselves, and so on are not the answer. In the time that has not yet resumed business, they should actively consider various sales measures after resumption of business in accordance with their actual conditions, and strive to destocking, expand store sales, and It is possible to minimize losses and restore revenue levels to normal early.

2. I call on publishers to limit the online sale of new books published in 2020. While protecting the interests of the publishers, it is also the greatest help to physical bookstores. Although the online platform played a big role during the epidemic, it is also necessary to consider that physical bookstores are still an important channel for the sale of paper books. Both channels will coexist for a long time to come. Affected by the epidemic, the sharp decline or downturn in sales of paper books is expected to continue for some time. At this time, it is especially necessary for the entire industry to work together to cope with the difficulties. It is not necessary to drink and quench thirst for the temporary needs, and push the physical bookstore into a deep water. Limited-sale sales can set a reasonable online sales guide price and require each e-commerce platform and sales store to comply. This approach has many successful practice cases.

3. Call on local authorities to use the preferential support policies of physical bookstores in 2020 for key points, and effectively support a number of small and medium-sized physical bookstores in urgent need. From the perspective of the support policy of physical bookstores in the past, encourage development and innovation, but this year’s situation is unusual. It is recommended that the support unit’s support policy be changed to emergency and “point-aid” support. The closing of the physical bookstore during the Spring Festival is just the beginning. The follow-up involves many issues such as book inventory backlog and operating capital pressure. For some small and medium-sized brick-and-mortar bookstores, rent and labor costs may be the “last straw” that overwhelms them. It is recommended that the policy support the lack of a big pot of rice, a bowl of water that is leveled, and turn to special support for rent and labor costs for particularly difficult brick-and-mortar bookstores, as well as coordinate low- or no-interest loans for bookstore working capital.

At the moment, it can help physical bookstores coordinate the settlement of a batch of anti-epidemic materials used in the future to resume business, and ensure that physical bookstores can open doors smoothly after resuming operations, so as not to close the store due to improper preparation. The majority of brick-and-mortar bookstores, especially small and medium-sized bookstores, are not strong enough to resist risks. Movies can be re-released without watching the shift period, but after some fixed consumption seasons for book formation habits have passed, it means that sales opportunities have been missed.

I hope that all parties can pay more attention and help to the physical bookstores in the subsequent period of time. There will still be a physical bookstore in the future city life. We do n’t want many small and mediumPhysical bookstores, like the new crown pneumonia virus, disappear in the spring of 2020.

This article comes from WeChat public account: Bookstore (ID: shudianxing) , author: Zeng Feng, Sun Qian