Book Bargain Hunters to Be Disappointed: Costco Plans to Stop Selling Books in Most U.S. Stores Starting Next Year
The retail sector continues to grow and transform globally. According to Statista, supermarkets are major players in the retail industry, as these chains sell enormous quantities of products to thousands of customers daily. In fact, among the most valuable European retail brands are multiple supermarket chains such as Carrefour, Tesco, Aldi, and Lidl.
In this context, one standout brand in the sector is Costco. According to its reports, Costco has experienced a steady annual increase in its global net sales, rising from $110.2 billion in 2014 to $249.6 billion in 2024. Costco has made a name for itself worldwide as an exclusive membership-based wholesale retailer with warehouse-style stores.
Costco Bids Farewell to This Product
The brand announced that in January 2025, it will eliminate the popular book section from most of its more than 600 U.S. stores.
Books will only return during the holiday season, from September to December, and at other intermittent times, as the discount chain informed publishers over the summer.
Costco explained to executives that the decision was made because stocking books on tables is labor-intensive and must be done manually rather than using forklifts like other products, according to the Times.
This move comes at a time when more and more consumers are purchasing books through online retailers such as Amazon.
However, books will remain available year-round in about 100 Costco stores nationwide, according to Publisher’s Weekly, a specialized news magazine that reported on this development earlier this week.
The decision to keep books in some stores represents a change from the retailer’s earlier plans, the outlet reported.
Publishing and Costco executives are also closely monitoring sales trends for Taylor Swift’s official Eras Tour book, which will be sold exclusively at Target starting on Black Friday, Publisher’s Weekly reported.
According to the magazine, if book sales remain strong, Costco could consider bringing book sections back to more stores, or all of them might become seasonal if sales slow.
It is worth noting that many brands remove products from the market, including some consumer favorites. For example, Walmart has discontinued various products, among others.
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