Book Sales Are Up During Pandemic
Sales of books grew despite bookshops being closed during COVID-19 lockdowns.
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The pandemic season has given people a more compelling reason to pick up a book.
Confined at home, many people rediscovered their love of reading.
BookXcess co-founder Andrew Yap said more people are spending time and money on books during the lockdown.
“It’s clear that many people have read more books than usual since Covid-19 started.
“People are at home; some find themselves with nothing to do, some searching for meaning,” he said.
According to Yap, more than 60 per cent of publishers worldwide had recorded higher sales since the pandemic started.
“This shift towards digital such as e-books, did not reduce the number of non-readers,” he added.
Yap spoke to The Rakyat Post during a media tour of its 13th outlet at MyTOWN Shopping Centre in Cheras on Friday.
Measuring 31,200 square feet, the outlet contains more than 170,000 books.
Readers can enjoy a cup of coffee at a café or indulge in classic Japanese Teishoku (set meals) and noodles dishes at a Japanese restaurant inside the massive bookstore.
The first chapter of BookXcess’s success story started in Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya, as a small bookstore way back in 2007.
It is famous for its Big Bad Wolf (BBW) sale, touted as “The Mother of Book Sales” in Malaysia.
Despite the phenomenal growth of BookXcess, Yap and his team are not resting on their laurels.
“We are going after the 90% of the public that are not yet into reading culture,” said Yap.
BookXcess co-founder Andrew Yap
He is confident in reaching the goal of getting more Malaysians to read, given that books are getting cheaper thanks in part to BookXcess.
Price has been the most significant factor for many Malaysians, and many books at BookXcess sell for under RM20.
He added that book stores need to evolve and innovate.
This is why the latest outlet also has a spacious co-working space which is free of charge.
Book shops are evolving to becoming a perfect pit-stop to energise those who wish to whet their appetite, or just pause, to rest and ponder for a moment, said Yap.
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