Hon Wing Bookstore closed. Interview｜Behind the fact that there is no textbook that cannot be bought: if it cannot be sold, it is garbage

Once a treasure hunting place for many students, Hanrong Bookstore is famous for "there is no textbook that cannot be bought", but in a week, the bookstore will enter history.

The person in charge Shi Hanji was interviewed by "Hong Kong 01". To fulfill this promise, there are many risks behind it. money.

Hon Wing Bookstore closed.

Interview｜The second generation at the helm: sooner or later you have to face the end of choosing the best moment

At that time, Hong Kong was not in a good environment, and we were not in a good environment either. We knew that reading could change a person’s destiny, so my father (Shek King-yi) hoped that by doing something with books, he could help those who read. It can change the whole society.

Shi Hanji, head of Hanrong Bookstore

Textbook costs soar after reunification

Shi Jingyi and his wife, the founders of Hanrong Bookstore, started their business by selling second-hand textbooks.

In the 1990s, Hong Kong's economy developed rapidly, colleges and universities expanded, and the number of students increased. The development of bookstores accompanied Hong Kong's "take-off".

Times have changed, and the cost of textbooks is increasing day by day. Shi Hanji said that before the reunification, publishers only need to provide an English version and answer book for a textbook, and they have been able to sell it for many years.

But after the reunification, the publishing house needs to set up an English version, a Chinese version, an electronic version, and teaching materials for a book, that is, at least 4 copies of the cost, in order to do a book business, and sometimes the publishing house will design a "school-based book" for individual schools. Edition" textbooks, which are only available in certain schools.

Bookstores need to pay a lot of money to provide students with different book choices.

Tutor Publishing House, one of the textbook publishing houses, is a member of the Hanrong Department and is managed by Shi Guoji, one of Shi Hanji's younger brothers. This can explain why Shi Hanji is aware of the sharp increase in the cost of textbooks.

Hanrong Bookstore is famous for its complete inventory. Shi Hanji said frankly that once a person needs textbooks with a small circulation, the bookstore needs to order at least 5 textbooks from the publishing house, which is expensive.

(Photo by Zhang Haowei)

The less room for publishing houses to make money, the less discounts they can offer to bookstores. Hanwing Bookstore adheres to the business policy of small profits but quick turnover, and the profits in disguise are very small.

"The worst example is that a math book has traditional binding and loose-leaf binding, and then it is divided into Chinese version and English version, and then divided into sets and single books. There are 8 books in one book." Shi Hanji said, if the new The old editions are sold at the same time. The bookstore needs to provide a total of 16 editions for sale of a mathematics book in order to meet the needs of customers. This leaves the bookstore with insufficient warehouse space and it is difficult to order other books.

If we change a math book, we need to arrange 16 kinds of books, so our position is not enough, the situation will make the warehouse not enough, the store is not enough, so it is very difficult to order books .

Shi Hanji, head of Hanrong Bookstore

To order a book for a student, you need to order 5 books from the publisher before you can pick up the goods

Hanwing Bookstore is famous for its complete inventory, because whenever a customer has a request, the bookstore will respond. As long as the textbooks needed by the students are out of stock, the bookstore will immediately order from the publisher.

However, each order requires cost. For textbooks with a small circulation, once a person needs them, the bookstore needs to order at least 5 copies from the publishing house before they can pick up the goods.

Shi Jingyi and his wife started their business by selling second-hand textbooks. Now Han Rong specially exhibits photos over the years. Shi Hanji introduces the importance of photos.

(Photo by Zhang Haowei)

We sell these ordered books. If they can be sold, they are money. If they cannot be sold, they are garbage.

Shi Hanji, head of Hanrong Bookstore

During the summer vacation, Hanrong Bookstore mostly orders textbooks from publishers at a discount of 13%, and then sells them to students at a discount of 92%. The profit is less than 10%. You can make money, and if you sell the leftover copy, you will still get money out of your pocket.”

Shi Hanji said frankly that the books that cannot be sold after the closure of the bookstore may be sold as waste paper, because even if the books are given away, no one may be willing to take them, and others will not need the old textbooks.

When asked whether it is possible to donate to needy organizations, Shi Hanji was not optimistic about it.

donate?

What you donate may not be wanted by others. Most of the time, the most important thing is that there is a shortage of places in Hong Kong, and there is not enough space.

You are surrounded by people, and there is not enough room for them.

Shi Hanji, head of Hanrong Bookstore

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