As local booksellers face growing challenges in management due to a shrinking market for books and magazines, some companies have begun to explore services that can offer information and promotional materials over the internet. Others have explored using the internet for book orders, so as to increasing publishers’ business efficiency.

On March 10^th, the Japan Publishing Organization for Information and Infrastructure  Development created the information site “BooksPRO”. The website is focused on offering information for bookstores that are looking for specific information on books they intend to buy and later sell. As well as registered information on published material, the site offers information on soon to be published books and magazines, reprints, media adaptations, awards, book reviews, and also supplies promotional material that can be placed within the store. Many hope that this service will help to strengthen the connections between publishers and booksellers.

Quaranta, a subsidiary of Mishimasha, plans to begin the service “Issatsu! Torihikisho” (One volume! Exchange station) that will connect publishers and bookstores, in May. While many companies in Japan still send most of their information on new publications via fax, Quaranta plans to send it all via email. The site will also allow orders to be made entirely through the site, though transactions made through publishing agencies will allow be possible. Plans are also being made for an accounting system and connections to an e-commerce platform.

Kunihiro Mishima, CEO of Mishimasha, points to a reduction of time and money spent on sending faxes as a particular selling-point for the service. “This way, publishers will be able to dedicate more time on editing and marketing, and bookstores will be able to spend more time on selling books.”

News Abstract from Article Originally Posted in Nikkei Shimbun April 11^th 2020