Modern bookstores offer more than good titles

Rudijanto, Contributor, Jakarta

"No reading, please" or "No browsing, please". Those warnings in typical bookstores have disappeared in some modern bookstores, replaced with a cozy atmosphere, soft chairs and ear-pleasing music. Has this strategy boosted growth?

Common sights in modern bookstores are not just neatly displayed books ready for browsing, but, surprisingly, also various programs like book launches, handicraft demonstrations and even cafes and restaurants integrated in the entire concept of the bookstore.

The disappearance of the watchful eyes of store attendants has also created an atmosphere of freedom for visitors who want to take more time to scrutinize or even read the books that attract their interest.

"We would like to think that QB World Books is not merely a bookstore, but a community center in which people from different backgrounds interact. It is without a doubt a bookstore that is built with love of books, love of literature, writers and artists," said Richard Oh of QB World Books in Jakarta.

A community center, a meeting place for people from various backgrounds, seems to be the strategy applied by modern bookstores, including QB World Books, Kinokunia and, perhaps, Periplus.

In this concept, books are no longer the only reason for someone to visit a bookstore. In other words, modern bookstore management has to stimulate other needs for people to visit their outlets. Any intellectual-oriented event or book launch has the potential to attract visitors.

QB World Books, for instance, has held the annual Khatulistiwa Literary Award for the last five years. Weekly, the bookstore also organizes special literary and cultural events.

"If there is an author who wants to launch their book here, he or she is welcome and we will provide a free-of-charge space for the launch," said Jakarta's Kinokunia bookstore director Paulus Tandagi.

Kinokunia is determined to provide a perfect meeting place for people by integrating the Chatterbox restaurant and Starbucks cafe in its concept. Visitors who want some refreshment after hours of browsing books have a good place to eat and chat.

"We are not here strictly speaking to sell books, but we provide a meeting place for people who have the same interests. That is why we provide them with facilities that support such activities," said Paulus.

However, a bookstore is a bookstore and, therefore, books still occupy an important place in the whole concept. That is why an availability of good books, the kind of books available and the amount of old titles and new arrivals still are a magnet for bookworms.

"We have about 300,000 book titles and one million copies available in our bookstore. Every week there are about 20 to 30 new titles arriving, mostly from abroad," said Paulus.

Receiving new books from well-established publishers is another important strategy that modern bookstores have to follow. Acquiring the trust of those publishers that payments will not be late and the books will be properly sold is important.

That is why some players have opted to buy a franchise from internationally respected bookstore rather than starting from zero. For instance, Jakarta's Kinokunia is able to display newly released titles from well established overseas book publishers due to the name of its franchiser, the Japanese-based Kinokunia.

Fast-growing bookstore chain Periplus has no trouble acquiring new titles. Starting with its first bookstore in Bali in 2000, it was receiving imported books from various well respected overseas publishers due to its already well-established sister company, Java Books.

Being one of the largest distributors of foreign books, Java Books has been supporting Periplus bookstores from the very beginning. No wonder that Periplus has been able to expand to 32 bookstores in Indonesia. By the end of this year, Periplus' outlets are expected to reach 35 bookstores with the opening of outlets in Jakarta.

Like Kinokunia and QB World Books, Periplus puts the emphasis on creating a cozy atmosphere with a touch of Indonesian style in all of its outlets. But unlike other bookstores that emphasize the size of their outlets, Periplus' bookstores are relatively small.

"Our concept is a boutique bookstore. Aside from being convenient, our shops are located close to the customers' places. Being a boutique bookstore, we are also more flexible in adjusting the types of books to the tastes of our customers at specific outlets," said Java Books marketing and business development manager Hanna Yakin.

With this concept, the types of books displayed in the Periplus outlet in Jakarta's Plaza Indonesia might be different from those sold at Jakarta's Periplus outlet in Kemang or Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Compared to local bookstore chains such as Gramedia and Gunung Agung, the books in QB World Books, Kinokunia and Periplus are mostly imported. English-language books constitute the majority of the titles, but Mandarin and Japanese titles are also increasing their presence.

With such selections of books on display, QB World Books, Kinokunia and Periplus certainly aim at different market segments than local bookstore chains. Focusing on the English-speaking Indonesian and expatriate markets, these bookstores hope to tap the huge potential of the market.

Many Indonesians looking for children's books might be greatly surprised to see the prices of such books, usually in English, at Kinokunia or QB World Books and Periplus, which can reach above Rp 100,000 (above US$10) per title. While if they shop in local bookstores, they can get four titles or more of either Indonesian translated versions or locally printed books.

"Yes, it is true that our people might not be able to purchase expensive books at this juncture of our economic condition, but things will change slowly for the better," said QB World Books' Richard Oh.

Players in the Indonesian imported book market sound very optimistic about the growth of this market. In spite of this optimism, Richard stresses that selling books has never been a big or glamorous business anywhere in the world.

"It is in fact not a business, but a passion for sharing our love of books with the multitude. That should, I think, be the spirit," said Richard, who is also a respected author.

The rapid growth of bookstores specializing in selling imported books is tangible proof that this "passion for sharing a love of books" is indeed a lucrative business. As the bookstore chains expand their business, Indonesian bookworms have reason to celebrate.