Book Off Sales Decline

[Mulboyne]

[floatl][/floatl]Second-hand giant Book Off has announced same store sales in June fell 6.9% compared with a year earlier. A bit less than May's 7.1% fall but that's now the 9th consecutive month of declines. Book sales are holding steady but CDs, DVDs and video games appear to be dropping like a stone. The rise of second hand shops like Book Off may have helped mask the switch away from physical media seen elsewhere in the world, by providing a means for Japanese consumers to buy it at discounts, but trends at Book Off seem to indicate that lower prices are no longer sufficient to keep sales afloat.

[Iraira]

Could also be the new fragrance that all Book-Offs seem to be afflicted with. It's kind of a mix of old dusty books and frequently unshowered otaku. Smell is pretty much overwhelming in a few Book-Offs that I've been forced into by gf who is perpetually looking for English study books that she buys and never uses. Ahhhh....foreplay.

[Mike Oxlong]

How are the prices there compared with new these days? I used to go to "recycle shops" when I first noticed them in the 90s, and they often had good/interesting deals. Now, it seems like the prices are pretty close to what you'd pay new, and they give sellers almost nothing for their items. I used to shop around at the recycle places for items before deciding on purchases, but now generally avoid them. Also, some video rental places are selling used vid game software and such, and probably cutting into BookOff's sales.

[Ganma]

Prices for J books are great, you can usually find what you are looking for for 100 yen. The occasional English titles you might find are usually cheap too.
I have noticed the drop in CD prices recently. A lot of CDs are getting thrown into the 500/250 yen bracket now. Not surprising with the rise in popularity of youtube. I'm still a CD guy for the sound quality and sometimes the packaging. Most of the stuff I buy holds its value as it fall under the 'mania mono' category where fans prefer CDs over downloads.
DVDs, especially TV shows are overpriced IMO, games too.

[plaid_knight]

I thought CDs in Japan were way too expensive. I waited to get them secondhand. DVDs were something I almost never bought in Japan - I brought over my American playstation so I could buy the DVDs from America to watch. Even with shipping, it was far cheaper than getting the Japanese equivalent.

These days I have a dedicated media server, so the price of watching stuff is basically nothing.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Sorry to see people getting a Hard Off about Book Off....I've always loved them for their cheap books.

[Proxy]

RIP.

may the book rest in peace.

[Jack]

Sorry to see people getting a Hard Off about Book Off....I've always loved them for their cheap books.

Not everyone, only iraira because it will kill him to say anything nice about anything connected with Japan even a great business like Book Off.

It's a great business model and their stores smell great compared to used shit bookstores in his home country which prolly smell somethng like a mixture of puke and naphtaline.

[damn name]

RIP.

may the book rest in peace.

Wasn't the second book printed on the Gutenberg printing press a book about the demise of book publishing?

[Proxy]

Wasn't the second book printed on the Gutenberg printing press a book about the demise of book publishing?

good point!
i remember reading *the gutenberg elegies* when i was a youngster.....

i guess you have to figure that everything that lives must die.

that goes for you, too, facebook.

[Coligny]

waaarggg blllaaarggg... you'ze all poopy headz...

0/10 trying too hard...

[Jack]

0/10 trying too hard...

Last I saw no one had thrown you a bone? Why you jump in with open jaws wanting to join the party?

[Coligny]

Last I saw no one had thrown you a bone? Why you jump in with open jaws wanting to join the party?

Come on, you just stay here for the free bitchslapping... don't act like you don't love it...

[Greji]

Not everyone, only iraira because it will kill him to say anything nice about anything connected with Japan even a great business like Book Off.

It's a great business model and their stores smell great compared to used shit bookstores in his home country which prolly smell somethng like a mixture of puke and naphtaline.

You and McTojo have a lot in common!

[Iraira]

Not everyone, only iraira because it will kill him to say anything nice about anything connected with Japan even a great business like Book Off.

It's a great business model and their stores smell great compared to used shit bookstores in his home country which prolly smell somethng like a mixture of puke and naphtaline.

Just said that the place smells like otaku...so you have me confused with someone else....but keep on trollin', Jack.....my little bitch..

[Iraira]

Just got back from the gym, got a little bit of time before Saturday night sickness starts, so I'll feed the troll here.
Jack....do you have any real Japanese friends? I mean ones where the conversation isn't about business, and goes beyond the "Oh, you like natto?!?" level of conversation? If you did, you'd find out something very surprising. A lot of the stuff that gaijin bitch about regarding Japan, Japanese also bitch about regarding Japan. You don't seem to know that, which speaks volumes as to who you are, and I almost (repeat...almost) feel sorry for you because of it.
Are there things I love about Japan? Duh! The list is endless, and as with anything you enjoy, there are also aspects of it you do not enjoy, perhaps even loathe. That goes for things related and not related to Japan.
The list does not contain anything that is Akiba-otaku/anime related, unless it is for a female to wear as foreplay.

Don't worry, Jack, you are still my little bitch.

[Jack]

Just got back from the gym, got a little bit of time before Saturday night sickness starts, so I'll feed the troll here.
Jack....do you have any real Japanese friends? I mean ones where the conversation isn't about business, and goes beyond the "Oh, you like natto?!?" level of conversation? If you did, you'd find out something very surprising. A lot of the stuff that gaijin bitch about regarding Japan, Japanese also bitch about regarding Japan. You don't seem to know that, which speaks volumes as to who you are, and I almost (repeat...almost) feel sorry for you because of it.
Are there things I love about Japan? Duh! The list is endless, and as with anything you enjoy, there are also aspects of it you do not enjoy, perhaps even loathe. That goes for things related and not related to Japan.
The list does not contain anything that is Akiba-otaku/anime related, unless it is for a female to wear as foreplay.

Don't worry, Jack, you are still my little bitch.

Look, I hate many Japanese as much as the next white guy. I have been fucked a few times in business because I trusted them too much. I just don't go out and bitch about everything I see. On balance I like this place a lot more than where I lived for most of my 50 years. And as you say, the list is endless too.

[Iraira]

Look, I hate many Japanese as much as the next white guy.

That's kind of a creepy way to phrase it.

I have been fucked a few times in business because I trusted them too much.

Biggest fuck-over I've had here was from an ex-boss, another "white guy".

I just don't go out and bitch about everything I see.

Still not sure where you get the "bitch about everything" from. First, I don't think I bitch (or that most people on FG) bitch about things as they do on JT or some of the other for gaijin sites. I said that Book-Off smells like otaku. You might be over-guestimating my "bitch factor" due to your anger issues over my consistently berating over the years.
Second, don't use statements like "everything", "you always", etc., when arguing with a guy. It's a technique that chicks use in arguments, along with the "6 years ago, you said...and I quote,"....." perfect memory game.