2015年CRI Online Retailer Dangdang to Open 1000 Bookstores in 3 Years

 

With the success of online bookstores, many traditional bookstore chains have, in recent years, either declared bankruptcy¹ or cut back their business activities.

This has made many people wonder whether physical 'bricks and mortar²' bookstores will soon become a thing of the past.

Yi Yali is one of them - a traditional bookstore owner struggling to survive in the digital era.

"Between 1997 and 2010, real bookstore business reached its peak with its rapid growth. Many featured bookstores have emerged at that time. However, the bookstore business has been in a decline since 2010 due to rising costs. This includes expensive human resources and rents."

However, Yin Changlong, General Manager of Shenzhen Publication and Distribution Group, disagrees with that view, saying the traditional bookstore business has not yet entered the ranks of so-called sunset industries.

"It is the failure of business strategies rather than the fall of brick-and-mortar bookstore industry itself. The biggest challenge for traditional bookstore lies in its single form, which makes it hard to build strong ties with customer. As such, bookstore operators need to be more creative."

Many physical bookstore owners have adapted their business models, providing optimal⁴ sensory⁵ experiences for readers.

Among the most successful - the Taiwan-based eslite and the Beijing-based SDX Joint⁶ Publishing Company. They usually partner with other retailers⁸ such as coffee shops and art galleries to create a comprehensive cultural space.

Zhang Wei, assistant executive of Dangdang.com says the e-commerce giant wants to follow this business trend.

" Our bookstores in the first and second tier cities will be as large as one to two square kilometers, and they will become a cultural complex with sales of books and other related products with higher profits. Meanwhile, we will team up with renowned⁹ shopping malls in an attempt to substantially cut bookstores management costs."

At the same time, Dangdang will merge³ its online and offline business and customer services. This is also being seen as a great opportunity for the online retailer⁷ to turn around its financial position.

Dangdang's first offline bookstore is expected to open in Changsha city next month, occupying 1,200 square meters.

Earlier this month, online retailer Amazon also launched its first 'real' bookstore in a Seattle- based shopping mall, making full use of its online business experience in the process.

For CRI, I am Wang Mengzhen.

1 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

2 mortar   

n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合

参考例句：

• The mason flushed the joint with mortar.泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
• The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in.迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。

3 merge   

v.(使)结合，(使)合并，(使)合为一体

参考例句：

• I can merge my two small businesses into a large one.我可以将我的两家小商店合并为一家大商行。
• The directors have decided to merge the two small firms together.董事们已决定把这两家小商号归并起来。

4 optimal   

adj.最适宜的；最理想的；最令人满意的

参考例句：

• What is the optimal mix of private and public property rights in natural resources?私人和国家的自然资源产权的最适宜的组合是什么？
• Optimal path planning is a key link for the sailing contest.帆船最优行驶路径规划是帆船比赛取胜的关键环节。

5 sensory   

adj.知觉的，感觉的，知觉器官的

参考例句：

• Human powers of sensory discrimination are limited.人类感官分辨能力有限。
• The sensory system may undergo long-term adaptation in alien environments.感觉系统对陌生的环境可能经过长时期才能适应。

6 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

7 retailer   

n.零售商(人)

参考例句：

• What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
• The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。

8 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

9 renowned   

adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的

参考例句：

• He is one of the world's renowned writers.他是世界上知名的作家之一。
• She is renowned for her advocacy of human rights.她以提倡人权而闻名。