However, readers still have a difficult time obtaining the books they want. The advent of online bookselling offers a prime opportunity to change this situation. Not only can readers use the Internet to find books, but the distribution system itself is undergoing a transformation. Local bookstores can now purchase books for resale without having to go through the state-owned Book Distribution Center. Besides book databases, most of China's online booksellers also feature book reviews and electronic books, so there is plenty for users to read on these sites even if they are not buying books.
Online bookstores are more reader-friendly than traditional bookstores in China have been.
Users can express their opinions freely on electronic bulletin boards and book review pages or engage in online discussions with authors and other readers. In the past year, the number of online booksellers in China has increased tenfold. So far, not one online bookseller has been able to turn a profit, nor does any seem likely to in the near future. Nevertheless, online bookstores will continue to proliferate. Bookselling is a business, but it's a unique business because books are qualitatively unlike other products.