Book Off

Japanese chain of used bookstores

Book Off (ブックオフコーポレーション)

Company type| Bookstore
Industry| Retail
Founded| August 1, 1991 (1991-08-01)
Founder| Takashi Sakamoto
Headquarters|

Sagamihara, Kanagawa

Japan

Area served

| Worldwide
Products| Second-hand books, magazines, manga, CDs, DVDs, video games, video game consoles, mobile phones and portable media players
Book Off in Higashiyama, Nara Book Off in Shibuya

Book Off (ブックオフコーポレーション, Bukku Ofu Kōporēshon) (TYO: 3313), stylized as BOOKOFF, is Japan's largest chain of used bookstores. Founded in August 1991, the company has had explosive success, expanding to over 850 stores throughout Japan and several overseas locations. In addition to books, its chains also sell manga, CDs, DVDs, video games, and used video game consoles, mobile phones, portable media players, and sports equipment. Stores are distinguished by their large surface area, cleanliness, and bright illumination.

## Operations

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Book Off stores are large and browsing is encouraged. Another innovation cited for its success is the practice of shaving the edges off the pages of books using a special machine in order to make them appear newer.[1] By offering a wide selection of books that appear like new at reduced prices, Book Off has aggressively targeted conventional bookstore chains, which since 1953[2] have been unable to discount new and near-new books and other media due to government regulations which enable a publisher's cartel.[3]

Book Off is frequently cited as a rare example of a corporation that was able to grow during the so-called "lost decade" of economic stagnation that followed the collapse of the Japanese asset price bubble, through its use of innovative business strategies.[citation needed] It expanded from merely used books to used second-hand merchandise through its Hard Off stores, and to the video rental market through Tsutaya.

## Brands

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The Book Off group includes a range of sister brands including:[4]

* Hard Off, selling electronic goods and hardware
* Off House, selling household items
* Hobby Off, selling hobby related goods
* Mode Off, selling used fashion
* Garage Off
* Liquor Off

## International stores

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Book Off also operates several stores in the United States, two in Seoul and three in Paris.[5] In 2012, it closed its only Canadian store in Vancouver, British Columbia. In the United States there are three stores in New York, ten in California, two in Hawaii, and one in Arizona. There are eight stores in Malaysia operating under the Jalan Jalan Japan brand.[6]

## Gallery

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* Manga volumes on shelves at Book Off

* Book Off store near Opéra in Paris

* Video game book section at a Book Off store

## References

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1. ^ "Screen savers: Japan's latest mobile craze: novels delivered to your handset". The Economist. May 24, 2007.
2. ^ J. Kreiner; U. Mvhwald; H. D. Vlschleger (2004). Handbook of Oriental Studies. Section 5 Japan, Modern Japanese Society. p. 452\. ISBN 90-04-10516-6.
3. ^ Mike W. Peng (2008). Global Strategy. pp. 390–393\. ISBN 978-0-324-59099-9.
4. ^ https://www.hardoff.co.jp/shop/
5. ^ Nos Boutiques BOOKOFF
6. ^ "Jalan Jalan Japan - Pre-loved Goods from Japan". www.jalanjalanjapan.com.my. Retrieved 2021-12-07.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Book Off.

* Companies portal
* Books portal

* Official website
* U.S. website

* v
* t
* e

Major bookstore and book superstore chains

Asia|

| East|

* Librairie Avant-Garde (CN)
* Page One (CN)
* Kinokuniya (JP-based)
* Book Off (JP-based)
* Tsutaya (JP)
* Libro (JP)
* Eslite Bookstore (TW-based)

|

South|

* Oxford Bookstore (IN)

Southeast|

* Dokya (TH-based)
* Gramedia (ID)
* Gunung Agung (ID)
* Naiin (TH-based)
* Times Bookstore (SG)
* National Book Store (PH)

West|

* Jarir Bookstore (SA-based)
* Steimatzky (IL)
* Tzomet Sfarim (IL)

Europe|

| East|

* Empik (PL-based)

|

North|

* Blackwell (UK)
* Eason (EI)
* Suomalainen Kirjakauppa (FI)
* Waterstones (UK-based)
* WHSmith (UK-based)

West|

* AKO (NL)
* Bruna (NL)
* Read Shop (NL)
* Thalia (DE-based)

North America|

* Barnes & Noble (US)
* Books-A-Million (US)
* Half Price Books (US)
* Indigo Books and Music (CA)

Oceania|

* Dymocks (AU)
* Angus & Robertson (AU)

Defunct|

* Amazon Books (US)
* Borders (US-based)
* B. Dalton (US)
* Crown Books (US)
* Dillons (UK)
* Hastings (US)
* Ottakar's (UK)
* Waldenbooks (US)

See also|

* List of bookstore chains (including local entities)

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Japan

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