Kyobo Bookstore "Local bookstore supply volume expanded from 2,900 to 15,000 copies per day"
Kyobo Bookstore announced on the 22nd that it will suspend the sale of books by author Han Kang at some of its stores until the 31st, and during this period, books received will be preferentially supplied to local bookstores. Kyobo Bookstore explained that this measure is to promote coexistence with local bookstores.
According to this decision, sales of Han Kang's books will be completely suspended at 26 out of 34 Kyobo Bookstore locations nationwide until the 31st. The remaining 8 stores will sell only limited quantities. The 8 stores with limited quantity sales are Kyobo Bookstore Gwanghwamun, Gangnam, Jamsil, Yeongdeungpo, Bundang, Daejeon, Daegu, and Busan branches.
Kyobo Bookstore stated that all books received for store sales during this period will be allocated entirely to local bookstores. They further explained that this measure will increase the daily average supply of Han Kang's books to local bookstores from about 2,900 copies to approximately 15,000 copies.
According to Kyobo Bookstore, from the 14th to the 17th, the average daily supply to Kyobo Bookstore stores was about 17,000 copies, of which about 2,900 copies were supplied to local bookstores. Starting from the 22nd, when priority allocation to local bookstores begins, the supply to Kyobo Bookstore stores will be limited to an average of 2,000 copies per day, and the remaining quantity will be distributed entirely to local bookstores. Through this, it is expected that up to about 15,000 copies per day will be allocated to local bookstores.
Kyobo Bookstore explained that as of the 21st, the order volume from local bookstores for 18 titles by Han Kang was about 99,000 copies, with about 58,000 copies already shipped, leaving about 41,000 copies unshipped. They stated that with this priority supply measure to local bookstores, the remaining approximately 41,000 unshipped copies will also be supplied to local bookstores within a few days.
Earlier, the Korea Federation of Bookstore Associations issued a press release on the 17th claiming that Kyobo Bookstore did not properly supply Han Kang’s novels. In response, Kyobo Bookstore stated that although they are currently experiencing difficulties in book supply, they will take all necessary measures to share the joy of Han Kang’s Nobel Prize in Literature with local bookstores in the spirit of coexistence.
A Kyobo Bookstore representative said, "Han Kang’s Nobel Prize in Literature was completely unexpected, and there were various difficulties during the book supply process." They added, "To fulfill our responsibility as a supplier to local bookstores that have experienced inconvenience due to insufficient supply, we decided on this sales suspension and priority supply to local bookstores." They further said, "We hope this effort will help local bookstores with their book supply even a little, and we also hope that during this period, customers will use nearby local bookstores for Han Kang’s books."
Kyobo Bookstore explained that Han Kang’s books are being sold normally on their online mall.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
