"Book Limit Order" in the implementation of the difficult to move forward

Absrtact: January 8 This year, the Chinese Publishers Association, the Chinese Book Distribution Industry Association, China Xinhua Bookstore Association Three associations issued the domestic books publishing industry, the first industry norms-"book Fair Trade rules." In this rule, the relevant regulations stipulate:

January 8 This year, the Chinese Publishers Association, the Chinese Publishing industry association, China Xinhua Bookstore Association Three associations issued the domestic book publishing industry, the first industry norms-"book Fair Trade rules." In this rule, the regulations stipulate that: When a new book enters the retail market within one year of publication, it must be sold according to the book Price, the net bookstore or membership system sales, enjoy no less than 85 percent discount margin. This regulation is also called by the industry "book Limit Order."

7 months later, the reporter found that "book Limit Order" in the implementation of the difficult to move forward.

"Limit order" is not operational?

Recently, the reporter has just ordered a bestseller on the Dangdang: "Live to change the world: Steve Jobs Biography." The book is a new book published in July 2010, the original price is 39 yuan, while the actual price of Dangdang is 30.10 yuan, this price on the basis of the original prices dozen 77 percent. In fact, this phenomenon should not have happened after January 8 this year. Because, this January "book Limit Order" issued, has made it clear that the publication of a year's new books in the online bookstore sales, enjoy no less than 85 percent discount margin.

Obviously, Dangdang did not comply with the "book Limit Order" of the relevant provisions. According to the reporter understand, "restraining order" promulgated soon, Dangdang issued a statement publicly refused to "limit the order": "Dangdang has always advocated free pricing, in no less than the cost, does not violate the" anti-unfair competition law "under the premise of the commercial enterprise independent pricing, to customers the biggest concessions. ... ' limit order ' is not operable for Dangdang. " ”

Not only is the network bookstore opposed, even the "limit order" to protect the entity bookstore has been no one to buy. Wan San Shu Park boss Liu Suli said although I have heard of this thing, but the bookstore has been walking their own way, and has not received the implementation of the "restraining order" of the relevant notice, "book Limit Order" is not feasible; Beijing Xinhua Bookstore, the full investment of the acquisition of Zhongguancun Book Building also did not "ignore", the reporter interviewed that The discount of the bookstore to the member is 80 percent.

Analysis of the people that the "limit order" is only the book publishing industry within the rules, does not have the legal effect, coupled with consumers and some of the sellers of strong opposition, become "isolated" inevitable.

The reason behind the limit order

Although several of the physical bookstores interviewed by the reporter thought that "book limit Order" is not operable, but have said that the book minimum discount requirements are reasonable, and the network bookstore explicitly resisted the "limit order."

Why do the two attitudes differ? What is the purpose of the restraining order promulgation? These are from the book sales of the Troika: state-owned bookstores, private bookstores, online bookstore, respectively.

2009, China's news and publishing industry output value has exceeded 1 trillion yuan, has entered the ranks of the world's publishing power. January 18, 2010, the new media in Anhui listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The securities Daily has reported that, with more and more news media publishing companies restructuring success, 2010, will be "China's media industry listing year" in the Annals of China's capital market development. As the country's largest state-run bookstore, Xinhua bookstore listing will become inevitable.

However, according to reporter survey, the rapid development of the network bookstore in recent two years has caused a great impact on Xinhua bookstore, especially at the end of 2009, the impact is fierce. In order to eat a bigger cake, at least to keep the present position, to investors in a satisfactory return, for the listing to clear the "obstacles", Xinhua bookstore to take measures are inevitable, so the interests of Xinhua bookstore in China's Xinhua Bookstore Association promulgated a "book Limit Order", which is understandable.

Private bookstores on the scale than the state-owned bookstores, on the price and no online bookstore cheap, sandwiched between the two "choke", market share in the gradual contraction of the situation increasingly difficult. Once the scenery unlimited private bookstore leading the third pole bookstore, in the Zhongguancun book Building and online bookstore price war came tumbling down is the best example. "Book Limit Order" although not feasible, but private bookstores hope that the book industry can reach a consensus, unified book discount standards, to bring their own chance. Wind into the Pine bookstore Wang manager said, if the "limit order" really can be implemented, then the book sales market price war, vicious competition will improve the situation, its original intention or to maintain a fair competition in the book market environment. ”

The reason why the online bookstore has issued a statement rejecting the "good intentions" limit order is that it touches its fundamental interests. As we all know, Dangdang book low Price is to stick to the user, "sticky users can rely on the extension of the product profit" century Securities Institute Lu Lihua reporters. This is true, Dangdang's business has been expanded to electronic products such as cosmetics and other fields. On this basis, Dangdang also has the intention of listing, at this time if the implementation of the "book Limit Order", online book advantage will be greatly reduced to the user's attractiveness will also seriously decline, the pace of the listing will inevitably slow down.

Expert: The advantage of online book purchase is obvious

With regard to the promulgation of the restraining order, Ongchang, an associate professor of journalism at Renmin University of China, said that the industry association set the minimum discount of the industry rules, in the end is to take care of the particularity of the book products, or suspected price monopoly, I believe the relevant parties to the game to draw conclusions. However, the current criticism of the rules by the industry and society shows that the current readers ' prejudice to the "profiteering industry" of the publishing trade shows the interest game between the online bookstore and the real bookstore, the private bookstore and the state-owned bookstore. Of course, the excessive attention to price shows that the competition level of book industry is still in the initial stage of price competition, and it has not reached the level of brand competition, service competition and innovation competition.

For the competition of online bookstores and physical bookstores, Ongchang also gave his own analysis: The advantage of online bookstores is that there is no store cost, so discount more favorable, purchase and distribution convenience, user experience is good, available bibliography complete, adapt to the trend of digital reading demand-These are also the physical bookstore competitive disadvantage: The high cost of store rents, Customer purchase cost is high.

According to CNNIC (China Internet Network Information Center) published in the "2009 China Online shopping market Research report" (hereinafter referred to as the report) shows that books, audio-visual products to 20.2% of the proportion of users to buy the third place, only in clothing home accessories, cosmetics and jewelry, its development momentum imaginable. Low to 2, 30 percent of the books, door-to-door delivery of goods to pay the good distribution system plus high-quality return and Exchange services have greatly improved the user experience, established a good relationship with customers, the market share gradually climbed. "This is to see the benefits, cheap and convenient, do not go out to buy the book you want, why not?" Guo Xin, a junior student at Renmin University, told reporters.

This shows that online shopping has become a trend. Consumers to buy a more cost-effective books, dealers reached the scale of operating efficiency, both win, and then count on the online bookstore convenient door-to-door service and excellent return and replacement services and other advantages, these make online books become the general trend, and if only to use the "book Limit Order" to limit the impact of the bookstore on the real bookstore, It might be too easy.