Book Off
Encyclopedia
is Japan
's largest chain of used
bookstores. Founded in August 1991, the company has had explosive success, expanding to 866 stores throughout Japan and eight overseas locations (as of August 2006). In addition to books, its chains also sell manga
, CDs, DVD
s and video games. The stores are distinguished by their large surface area, cleanliness and bright illumination.
standing quietly in the aisles. Another innovation cited for its success is the practice of shaving the edges off the pages of books using a special machine in order to make them appear newer. By offering a wide selection of books that appear like new at reduced prices, Book Off has aggressively targeted conventional bookstore chains, which are unable to sell new books at a discount due to regulations.
Book Off is frequently cited as a rare example of a corporation that was able to grow during the so-called "lost decade" of economic stagnation
that followed the collapse of the Japanese asset price bubble
, through its use of innovative business strategies that are covered in the Japanese business press. It expanded from merely used books to used second-hand merchandise through its Hard Off stores and to the video rental market through Tsutaya.
, two in Seoul
, three in Paris
, and one in Vancouver
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's largest chain of used
Used goods
A second-hand or used good is one that is being purchased by or otherwise transferred to a second or later end user. A used good can also simply mean it is no longer in the same condition as it was when it was first transferred to the current end user...
bookstores. Founded in August 1991, the company has had explosive success, expanding to 866 stores throughout Japan and eight overseas locations (as of August 2006). In addition to books, its chains also sell manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, CDs, DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
s and video games. The stores are distinguished by their large surface area, cleanliness and bright illumination.
Operations
As stores are larger it is easier for shoppers to find what they are looking for. Browsing is encouraged, shown with a typical scene of high-school students who read through entire series of mangaManga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
standing quietly in the aisles. Another innovation cited for its success is the practice of shaving the edges off the pages of books using a special machine in order to make them appear newer. By offering a wide selection of books that appear like new at reduced prices, Book Off has aggressively targeted conventional bookstore chains, which are unable to sell new books at a discount due to regulations.
Book Off is frequently cited as a rare example of a corporation that was able to grow during the so-called "lost decade" of economic stagnation
Economic stagnation
Economic stagnation or economic immobilism, often called simply stagnation or immobilism, is a prolonged period of slow economic growth , usually accompanied by high unemployment. Under some definitions, "slow" means significantly slower than potential growth as estimated by experts in macroeconomics...
that followed the collapse of the Japanese asset price bubble
Japanese asset price bubble
The was an economic bubble in Japan from 1986 to 1991, in which real estate and stock prices were greatly inflated. The bubble's collapse lasted for more than a decade with stock prices initially bottoming in 2003, although they would descend even further amidst the global crisis in 2008. The...
, through its use of innovative business strategies that are covered in the Japanese business press. It expanded from merely used books to used second-hand merchandise through its Hard Off stores and to the video rental market through Tsutaya.
International stores
Book Off also operates several stores in United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, two in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, three in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and one in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
.