Jennyfer launches into bookselling, a danger for bookstores.

Placed in receivership in 2023 but saved in 2024, the Jennifer brand has since August launched into book sales to make its stores hubs that mix culture, beauty and decoration. A new approach that does not please the book trade at all. For Elsa Mittelette, a bookseller in Longjumeau, this kind of initiative is slowly killing independent bookstores, as companies are not aware of the harm they are doing them by launching this kind of operation. Furthermore, Elsa Mittelette regrets that in France, because the network of bookstores is dense, we think that they are operating at full capacity.

There are 3,700 independent bookstores in France, a figure that has been on the rise since 2019. A survey conducted by the Xerfi firm shows that these professionals enjoy some of the lowest profitability in the retail trade. Booksellers struggle to earn a salary that is often close to the minimum wage.

To protect and save bookstores, France introduced the Darcos law in 2021, applicable since 2023, which imposes a minimum amount of shipping costs on large platforms for the sale of books online. On Amazon for example: the buyer must pay 3 euros in shipping costs for any order less than 35 euros.

Laws that are not enough

The idea is to encourage consumers to go to bookstores. Unfortunately, as Elsa Mittelette points out, these measures are not enough and small bookstores remain weakened compared to large retailers who can place much larger orders with publishers – allowing them to get discounts – than small bookstores.

In the case of Jennyfer, the problem is the books promoted by the brand. Essentially romance, a literary genre that is popular on social networks and on booktok but which nevertheless promotes toxic romantic relationships. More and more publishing houses are capitalizing on these sexist romances, most of which are recommended for ages 16 and up.

To buy your books, romance or not: don’t forget to favor bookstores. The professionals who work there will always be better able to advise you than ready-to-wear specialists.