Of challenges and opportunities

With the ever decreasing number of readers visiting brick and mortar bookstores in the city, most sellers are passing difficult times during the pandemic. For a select few, online sales have picked up, but even they are struggling to meet high overhead costs.

Tareq Abdur Rab, head of operations at Baatighar, said that overall sales are still almost 25 percent less than average.

"Online demand has significantly increased, but as we have four physical stores in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet, the cost of maintaining our physical presence is becoming harder. Our business in Sylhet suffered the most," he said.

Popular bookshop Bengal Boi at Dhanmondi started online sales through Facebook in late June.

"We felt that given the current circumstance, meeting readers' demands by taking online orders is the safest way to serve their needs. Initially, we had opened our outlet in June. We observed that not all our clients are equally aware of the stringent health protocols necessary to fight the coronavirus, and we closed our doors soon after," said Akhter Hossain, brand and communication manager of Bengal Boi.

"The closure was only temporary," he said.

Much to readers' delight, Bengal Boi re-opened yesterday at Bengal Shilpalay, nearby its previous location.

Some sellers have claimed that online sales have in fact increased in the last few months. Indo-Bangla Book Shop, one of the most popular "online-only" stores, is one.

"Compared to December 2019, we are now receiving almost double orders. We import from India, so the supply chain was disrupted for a while. But we are still delivering whatever we have in stock," said Sajjad Sakir of the shop.

He also said more and more people are buying books on how to run businesses. "Educational reference books are also on high demand," Sakir added.

Rise in sale of self-help, business guides, and books to aid admission exams, is noted by retail giant Rokomari.com.

Mahmudur Hasan Sadi, head of communication and inbound marketing of Rokomari, said, "Demand for fiction has significantly decreased since the outbreak. People are mostly buying nonfiction."

On the state of affairs in the book business, he said, "Rokomari.com was closed during March and April, and began operations on a limited scale in May following health protocols."

Although a few months have passed, their business has not picked up as expected.

"Most of the publishing houses have not become operational yet. We are currently doing business based on our inventory. We are also taking back-orders," he said.

Online trade has started for most booksellers, but the loss incurred during the lockdown still makes the future in book business uncertain. Those stores who have not been able to adapt to this "new normal" are contemplating closing their ventures altogether.

Lifestyle is published with The Daily Star every Tuesday.