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Costco to stop selling books in surprise blow to publishers: report
New York Post ^ | 06/06/2024 | Ariel Zilber

Posted on 06/07/2024 8:10:56 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Costco will no longer offer books for sale year-round and will instead stock them only for the holiday shopping period and during special promotions, according to a report — a surprise move that poses yet another threat to the publishing industry.

Several publishing executives who were informed of the retailer’s plans told The New York Times that Costco will cease offering books for sale on a consistent basis starting in January.

The decision was met with criticism on Reddit, where users vented that the decision was akin to “cancelling the hot dog in the food court” — a reference to Costco’s beloved $1.50 hot dog-and-soda bundle deal that remains a hit with customers.

The executives said that Costco was looking to cut back on labor costs associated with stocking books, which is often done by hand.

Unlike books, many of Costco’s other products are rolled out on a pallet.

Costco staffers also have to devote considerable manpower to put new books on display every week when they are released for sale while returning old books that went unsold.

The decision is a blow to the publishing industry given that Costco buys books in bulk — ordering tens of thousands of copies of a book at a minimum — and offers them for sale to shoppers who may not otherwise seek them out.

“Costco across the country was a big outlet for books,” Robert Gottlieb, a literary agent who heads Trident Media Group, told the Times.

“There are now fewer and fewer places to buy books in a retail environment.”

Last week, Costco reported robust earnings in its most recent quarter as cash-strapped consumers flocked to its warehouses to grab low-priced discretionary items and groceries.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Books/Literature; Business/Economy; Society
KEYWORDS: amazon; biography; books; catastrophism; costco; godsgravesglyphs; pages; publishing; stringtheory; xplanets
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To: Reno89519

Same with me. Downsized our residence to single floor house at 1,800 sf from ranch over full basement at 2,600 sf. Parted ways with many books and a National Geographic mag collection of over 30 years all stored in the faux leather annual binders. Looked great on a bookshelf but nobody or place wanted them but the Dumpster. Actually a good place for the post 1990 issues and their woke green bent!


21 posted on 06/07/2024 8:36:41 AM PDT by The FIGHTIN Illini ("Let Us Never Forget What They Have Done")
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To: SeekAndFind
I have a mountain of the printed word. My wife and I made a deal, there is NO LIMIT to the amount of books we can have, if you want the book, buy the book. New, used it doesn't matter, books are knowledge, entertainment, advice, instruction...a conversation between you and the author.

Books are a a refuge, a diversion, and an escape.

I want to die surrounded by my friends, family and my books.
22 posted on 06/07/2024 8:37:56 AM PDT by The Louiswu (Pray for Peace in the world.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Where will we get our copies of Fahrenheit 451 now?...............


23 posted on 06/07/2024 8:47:22 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: The Louiswu

I have an extensive hard copy library that cannot be revoked, revised, disappeared or otherwise fvcked with, as repressive regimes tend to do. They’d gave to go all Fahrenheit 451 on me. The survivors would, anyway.


24 posted on 06/07/2024 8:48:03 AM PDT by Noumenon (You're not voting your way out of this. KTF)
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To: SeekAndFind

Technology is changing everything, businesses need to adapt or perish.


25 posted on 06/07/2024 8:52:09 AM PDT by CIB-173RDABN (I am not an expert in anything, and my opinion is just that, an opinion. I may be wrong.)
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To: laplata

I agree. Especially the Bible.


26 posted on 06/07/2024 8:52:20 AM PDT by No name given (Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: SeekAndFind

Besides the publishing industry is liberal elite and corrupt.

All those books people like Biden say they wrote and sell?

The ‘publishing industry’ takes orders from ‘backers’ who buy 30,000 at a time - and pay the publishers NOT to print the books so they don’t show up on the secondary markets... (which would make it obvious the book sales were really illegal donations.)


27 posted on 06/07/2024 8:54:13 AM PDT by GOPJ (WOKE DEI hires are an easy way to work hard core commies and sexual weirdos into top corporate spots)
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To: wildcard_redneck

Ebook sales suck.

Folks still want dead tree editions, but what’s being publushed nowadays, in every genre, just sucks.

I like the self-publishing idea, but mist of them decide to save themselves the cost of a decent editor and boy, does it show.

I don’t bother with self-published anymore.

My recommendation for anyone wanting something new to them to read, buy used. And old.


28 posted on 06/07/2024 8:56:01 AM PDT by mewzilla (Never give up; never surrender!)
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To: GOPJ

A lot of those books go to public library systems buying them with taxpayer money.

Just another reason I refuse to use our public libraries.


29 posted on 06/07/2024 8:57:04 AM PDT by mewzilla (Never give up; never surrender!)
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To: adorno

Not everything at Costco is cheaper than Wal-Mart, but most items are. Costco has much better quality in almost all product categories.

AS an example, if a person needs Claratin for allergies, the price for the Kirkland brand is $4.49 for the D-24. Everywhere else is 3-5 times higher.

Meat prices are also very reasonable, and the quality is Choice or Prime grade.

Bread prices are much lower at Costco, as are most frozen foods and dairy products. Milk is a possible exception since Kroger has milk on sale most of the time.


30 posted on 06/07/2024 9:00:11 AM PDT by WASCWatch ( WASC)
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To: No name given

That’s for sure.


31 posted on 06/07/2024 9:04:31 AM PDT by laplata (They want each crisis to take the greatest toll possible.)
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To: Michael.SF.

“Yeah, I know, pretty petty, but what the heck.”

Think of it as a hobby.


32 posted on 06/07/2024 9:05:41 AM PDT by dljordan (What would Michael Collins do?)
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To: mewzilla

I agree. There are still many used book sources, and the books are usually in good condition. I just wipe them down.


33 posted on 06/07/2024 9:07:11 AM PDT by laplata (They want each crisis to take the greatest toll possible.)
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To: Red Badger

There are still used books available and they’re usually in very good or good condition. I just wipe them down.


34 posted on 06/07/2024 9:09:27 AM PDT by laplata (They want each crisis to take the greatest toll possible.)
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To: WASCWatch
Not everything at Costco is cheaper than Wal-Mart, but most items are. Costco has much better quality in almost all product categories.

That may be true for you, but for the 2years I had a membership, I saw nothing that was priced less or competitive with Wal-mart or Target. And when I buy medicines or over the counter stuff,it's all generic and just as good as the brand names at Costco or anywhere else.

The meats at Costco were always higher-priced than what I could buy them for at other local stores and at Wal-mart. That's the same for all other regular grocery items, where Costco was not even competitive. If buying bulk is where the savings are, then, I don't need bulk and even then, when I compare bulk with Wal-mart or Target, I still could save by buying in lower quantities in Wal-mart or Target.

Perhaps it has to do with where a Costco is located, but, in the Tampa Bay area, I did not see any advantage in anything.
35 posted on 06/07/2024 9:09:43 AM PDT by adorno (CCH)
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To: adorno

I gave up on Costco when they went from tradesmen only: farmers, loggers, commercial fishermen, mechanics to allowing nurses - after that I only went there for specific items, and only if the round trip gas bill was not a factor.

Last trip - over 10 years ago, as the nearest stores are 30 miles away.


36 posted on 06/07/2024 9:10:18 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: laplata

I buy books at Goodwills and other thrift shops.
But only hardcovers.
Gotta clean them thoroughly though, silverfish can hide in the spine binding.

I’ve gotten some really good classics that way: Twain, Dickens, Doyle, Kipling, Austen................


37 posted on 06/07/2024 9:16:30 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: dljordan

LOL


38 posted on 06/07/2024 9:17:09 AM PDT by Michael.SF. (Pray for Biden: Psalms 109: 8)
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To: laplata

The biggest advantage of physical books is that the censors cannot go back and “edit” them to make them “politically acceptable”.

That applies to both fiction and non-fiction.

Imho this will become a bigger and bigger issue in the years ahead.


39 posted on 06/07/2024 9:21:01 AM PDT by cgbg ("Our democracy" = Their Kleptocracy)
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To: wildcard_redneck

My daughter is a book editor and bibliophile. At last count she’s at 1300 books. She recently moved to and from apartments with stairs.


40 posted on 06/07/2024 9:22:55 AM PDT by cyclotic (Don’t be part of the problem. Be the entire problem)
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