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Published on December 3, 2024
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What could the purpose of the book market be? Perhaps to simply and quickly provide more and more abundant, interesting and diversified works to more and more readers, all at the best possible price. However, listening to the debates surrounding the distribution of books, one could almost believe that the ultimate purpose of this market in fact consists of preserving the interests of independent bookstores, without consideration for the interests of consumers. And it is not the speeches of the Minister of Culture Rachida Dati that could disabuse us.
The latter has in fact just loudly protested against the techniques implemented in France by the online sales giant Amazon to prevent its customers from having to pay shipping costs of at least 3 euros for a lower order of new books. at 35 euros. “A circumvention of the legislation”she denounced, promising at the same time to examine the question closely and to respond to it very soon.
Flashback
It all started in 1981, with the adoption of the Lang law requiring publishers or book importers to set a single sales price valid for all distribution channels throughout the national territory. In this context, any discounts, loyalty card for example, cannot exceed 5% of the set price. More or less stated objective: to support independent bookstores in the face of new competition, therefore necessarily unfair, from the new players in the sale of cultural products that are the supermarkets, whether they are specialized like Fnac or non-specialized like the centers Leclerc.
It is also quite amusing to know that Fnac was founded in 1954 by left-wing activists who wanted to offer lower prices to consumers through the effect of scale on purchases and that it very quickly became the bane of the middle of the market. the traditional bookstore and the first socialist government of the Fifth Republic. But this is not the only divergence nor the only inconsistency which punctuates the great battle of the book, as we will see.
Because after Fnac and other similar companies, which remained physically stores frequented by flesh-and-blood customers, the possibilities of online sales appeared, symbolized by the emergence of Amazon and the subsequent question of shipping prices. delivery. Hence, a new front in the protection of independent bookstores: obtain through a new law the establishment of minimum delivery prices allowing the smallest players in the sector to continue to sell their lowest volumes without asking disturbing questions about their economic model.
This was done in several stages: first by a law of 2014 which prohibited the accumulation of the 5% discount and free shipping, then by a more restrictive law of 2021 establishing a floor delivery price, which floor was finally set at three euros for any order not exceeding 35 euros (and 1 cent beyond) by a decree which took effect in October 2023. These same three euros that Amazon thinks it can avoid invoice taking into account a provision of the 2021 law which exempts deliveries made “in a book retail business. »
Even if the government discourse and that of the French Bookstore Union (SLF) piously revolve around territorial equality, cultural pluralism and “fair competition” fortunately preserved by the existence of the minimum delivery price, no one thinks of hiding that it is above all a question of encouraging readers to go to bookstores rather than ordering from Amazon and others, as the blunt headline says. the newspaper Le Monde on this occasion.
Which means neither more nor less than the “fair competition” in question is in reality a concept of breaking competition intended to protect certain economic actors to the detriment of certain others, less appreciated by those in power.
In this area, we will remember that at the time of Covid, books were not at all considered essential products by the Macron-Castex government. As a result, bookstores and specialized sections of supermarkets were closed by administrative decision while online sales were free to continue their activities. Divergence and inconsistency oblige, Amazon was nonetheless vilified by the entire governing class and the anti-capitalist sphere. “Amazon is stuffing itself, it’s up to us not to stuff them”exclaimed then Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot. And to cover the shipping costs of booksellers on a “whatever it costs” basis rather than authorizing the reopening of bookstores on the model of bakeries.
The situation today
We first see that independent bookstores are holding their heads high in the face of competition from the internet, with a market share of 23.7% compared to 22.2% for online players (Amazon, fnac.com, etc.). ) in 2023, as shown in the diagram below, taken from an infographic from the Ministry of Culture. Compared to 2022, the first three distribution sectors increased their market share, while the last three stood still or lost ground:
Furthermore, despite the terrible competition from online sales, the profession of independent bookseller continues to attract people, to such an extent that the creation of bookstores has reached a “record level” in 2022. The approach, committed to the “culture, equality, proximity”, is clearly militant – who wouldn’t dream of opening their small business perfectly sheltered from competition thanks to the good offices of the State? And sometimes totally eccentric, as reported by Didier Grevel, general delegate of the Association for the Development of Creative Bookstores. We even presented him “a cuddle therapy bookstore concept in which the customer could buy books, while stroking rabbits”… Market saturation is not far away and Amazon has nothing to do with it.
The fact remains that for many consumers lacking time or living too far from shopping districts to easily get to a bookstore, the average price of books is increased by these 3 euros. In addition, sales of second-hand books, not affected by this provision, are booming, which is not the business of independent booksellers, who have little interest in this niche. As a result, the idea of booksellers and publishers to obtain taxation on second-hand books is well underway with the public authorities. And too bad for consumers.
However, it is possible to adapt to changes in sales techniques and consumption patterns. A first approach consists of regrouping, a second to adopt new sales methods and a third to specialize. The existence of Amazon in no way prevents the appearance of very specialized niches which have the capacity to develop tailor-made marketing for their products. In fact, it arouses them. Alongside Fnac, there have always been specialized bookstores and very sophisticated Hi-Fi and photo equipment stores. Same today for Decathlon and high-level mountain equipment stores.
It appears, however, that calling on the government to regulate and tax those preventing people from going around in circles remains the preferred method of economic actors who are not interested in questioning themselves. The second-hand book is perhaps good for the planet, but for booksellers, for publishers, for cultural pluralism, it is less good, so… Another inconsistency-divergence to be attributed to the battle of the book.
Without forgetting the most beautiful, that which consists of denouncing “dumping”, that is to say the loss-making sales of Amazon which does not want to charge delivery costs, while also accusing the platform of gorging itself too little taxed profits!
