After 20 years of operation, the Beijing Douban Bookstore, located near Peking University and Tsinghua University, is set to close its doors. The owner cited poor business performance, especially this year, as reasons for the closure, stating, “Business has been consistently slow, particularly this year, making it difficult to see any hope.” In 2024, over 40% of independent bookstores in China closed down, and the trend continues this year.
The news of the impending closure of the Beijing Douban Bookstore spread among book enthusiasts in early September. On September 14th, the official WeChat account of Douban Bookstore confirmed the closure.
Shop owner Qing Song recently told the Publisher Magazine, “The bookstore business has been struggling for years, especially this year, with little hope in sight.” Over the years, Douban Bookstore had made efforts to salvage the situation by recommending books through social media platforms and even briefly introducing book mystery boxes last year.
Specializing in selling inventory and second-hand books, Douban Bookstore shares the same name as the social media platform Douban, although they are not directly related. The store, opened in 2006, is located on Chengfu Road in Haidian District, with a floor area of approximately 60 square meters.
Due to operational challenges, Chinese publishing institutions have started live streaming book sales, directly encroaching on the survival space of bookstores like Douban. Qing Song mentioned, “When I learned that some publishing institutions we collaborated with started live selling slightly flawed books at 30% off to clear inventory, I realized that traditional bookstores like ours have no place in the market anymore.”
Not only Douban Bookstore but also many influencer bookstores have not been able to withstand this wave of bookstore closures. Last month, the TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE in Chengdu Renheng Place announced its closure, ending operations on August 31, 2025. Since October last year, the Japanese TSUTAYA bookstore chain has closed three stores in China, including Xian Maiko Center Store, Shanghai MOHO Store, and Tianjin Renheng Isetan Store.
Other influencer bookstores in China have also not been spared. Xiamen’s “Ten O’Clock Bookstore” closed all three of its stores in July 2024, Zhongshuge Chongqing flagship store shut down, and Shanghai’s Yanjiyou Bookstore reduced its outlets from 60 to only 3. According to the “2024 annual report on the bookstore retail market,” at least seven well-known influencer bookstore brands have closed over 50 stores from early 2024 to April 2025, affecting more than a dozen cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Xian.
Influencer bookstores are those physical bookstores that attract a large number of customers by optimizing cultural consumption scenes, creating unique atmospheres, and becoming popular “check-in” spots. These spaces integrate reading, socializing, and experiences into a diverse consumer environment, transforming traditional bookstores.
Additionally, Shanghai’s Bance Bookstore closed on March 25, Wujue Bookstore shut down on May 31, Paradise Bookstore in Hangzhou and Beard Bookstore in Yinchuan both decided to close on the same day, and Wild Pear Tree Bookstore in Chengdu ceased operations on June 17.
According to the “2024 China Physical Bookstore Development Report” released by the China Publishing Industry Association, the total number of independent physical bookstores nationwide decreased from nearly 30,000 in 2019 to 16,800 in 2024, a 44% decrease over five years with over 2,600 bookstores closing annually on average. In 2024, the total number of physical bookstores in China decreased by 18% year-on-year, with the closure rate of independent bookstores exceeding 40% and average revenue declining by 25%.
While physical bookstores are closing down, China’s Xinhua Bookstore has seen growth, with total assets surpassing 257.598 billion yuan in 2023, and a year-on-year increase in net profit of 11.6%, reaching 14.764 billion yuan. Xinhua Bookstore is a state-owned book distribution enterprise affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party’s Propaganda Department and China Publishing Group, serving as one of the outlets for party publications.
However, the success of Xinhua Bookstore is not solely dependent on standard book sales but on the distribution of educational materials, a lucrative business. Since 1951, Xinhua Bookstore has had the exclusive rights to distribute primary and secondary school teaching materials. In 2023, educational materials accounted for over 70% of the bookstore’s revenue, with a gross profit margin over 10% higher than other books. The selection service for educational materials covers 26 provinces, generating an annual income exceeding 135 million yuan.
Henan Radio and Television’s program “Different Perspectives” highlighted four reasons for this trend. Firstly, there’s the “replacement of content carriers.” In 2024, China’s e-book market exceeded 30 billion yuan, growing by 15% year-on-year, whereas physical book sales decreased by 8%. The reading habits of young people have shifted from holding books to staring at screens.
Secondly, there’s the “overwhelming purchase channels.” Online bookstores with cost advantages like no rent and low labor costs have drastically impacted physical bookstores. Platforms like Dangdang with discounts, JD.com’s next-day delivery, and Pinduoduo’s free shipping offer have made physical bookstores’ prices uncompetitive.
Thirdly, the “fragmentation of reading demands.” The core scene of physical bookstores is immersive reading, but in modern society’s fast-paced environment, this setting has become a luxury. Data from a specific physical bookstore showed that the average time customers spent in-store dropped from 45 minutes in 2019 to 15 minutes in 2024, with 70% of people just browsing without making a purchase and 30% leaving immediately after buying a book.
Lastly, there’s the tightening financial squeeze: the dual pressure of rental and labor costs. Rental and labor expenses make up around 70% of a physical bookstore’s expenditure, and with revenue continually declining, these costs have become the final straws breaking the camel’s back.
In bookstores around the university district of Wudaokou in Beijing, rent can exceed 60% of total costs. In comparison, Jingdong’s warehouse costs constitute only 5% of revenue, without needing to pay premiums for prime locations attracting foot traffic.