Modern bookstores offer more than good titles

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.