Big-box warehouse chain Costco will stop selling books in its stores year-round starting in 2025, worrying authors and upsetting BookTok. This literary-focused section of TikTok was outraged at the announcement in the summer of 2024 and was devastated again to find a smaller selection of books at their local Costcos while they were shopping for Christmas gifts this year.
Costco still plans to put up a book section in each location during the last four months of the year for holiday sales. For the other eight, book lovers may find Costco trips less satisfying.
Why did Costco decide to stop selling books year-round?
According to the New York Times, stocking books every day of the year is too labor-intensive to be worth the trouble during the months when they don’t sell as well. Unlike other items, which workers roll out on pallets and leave on the sales floor, they have to unbox and display books by hand.
On June 5, 2024, publishing executives revealed Costco’s decision to end this practice except for around the holidays. Some stores may display some books during the other months of the year, but the larger dedicated book section will be a thing of the past. Costco already made this change in Alaska and Hawaii in 2022.
BookTok and publishers devastated
Book lovers immediately voiced their disappointment, especially in the section of TikTok known as BookTok. Here, users review, discuss, analyze, and poke fun at their favorite pieces of literature and discuss the culture, often boosting sales of the titles they choose to feature. Costco was always a great place to go to peruse new titles at reasonable prices, and many a BookToker made a video or two grieving the loss.
@imliteraryasmut Did anyone else find out that costco is getting rid of their book section? Im legit canceling my membership. #books #costcobookfinds #costcobooks #costcobooksection #booktok #booktoknews #booksale #costcobookfinds #costcofinds ♬ Close To You – Gracie Abrams
Meanwhile, publishers expressed both disappointment and concern about what this could mean for the industry. During an age when retail bookstores have struggled to survive, Costco remained a place of easy access to the world of literature for the everyday shopper.
“It was sort of a point of pride within the industry, that books are not just elitist, books had a really solid mass market play,” publishing industry analyst and author Thad McIlroy told USA Today. “It really meant a lot to the industry that Costco was a strong outlet, and to have it turned into just Christmas gifts, that’s not a good thing.”
BookTok reacts to the downsized Costco books section
@durrieche What do you mean they’ll get rid off the book table???? #costco #costcofinds #books #booktok #fypシ ♬ Hinoki Wood – Clavier
While Costco continued selling books in most stores throughout 2024, BookTok noticed that the area where the workers display them seemed smaller this year. This section of the warehouse was never as large as most others but experienced definite shrinkage even in the weeks before Christmas.
“Where did all the books go?” asked user @jackiesbooktally on Dec. 8. “Is this the beginning of the end?”
@jackiesbooktally Where did all the books go? Is this the beginning of the end? They always had all the new releases and were so affordable at Costco! #costcobooks #bookshopping #books #newbooks #newreleasebooks #costco #bookstore ♬ original sound – Maceo
Some BookTokers only found out about the end of the year-round Costco books because of this or began to remind their followers that the section will vanish in many locations starting in Jan. 2025. Some of them claim that their primary motivator for going to Costco is the books, and others say they will miss discussing the featured titles with fellow shoppers.
Authors on the platform are particularly concerned about what this means for book sales. Although only about four percent of all books sold come out of retailers like Costco, according to the editorial director of Publishers Weekly in 2014, any drop in revenue could be a serious blow to an individual writer.
@alannagraceauthor #Inverted Costco will keep their holiday book selection m, but otherwise they will no longer be selling books in their stores in 2025. The book landscape is changing. #b#bookstoresb#bookshopsi#indiebookstorei#indiebookstoresc#costcob#buyingbooksb#bookloversb#bookishthoughtsb#bookish ♬ Sleigh Ride – Lindsey Stirling
“A huge decline in books sales is predicted,” said @alannagraceauthor in a TikTok video. “I’d like to live in a world where this means readers will spend their book dollars in independent bookstores.”
According to the 2022 Freckle Report on consumer reading and buying habits, independent bookstores continue to see fewer customers. Among those surveyed, 43 percent use online retailers as their primary book source with only 15 percent perusing physical shops most of the time.
@birdthecat I’m so bummed Costco is getting out of the book game! #costco #fyp #booktok #booktok #costcobookfinds #bookrecommendations #books #bookclub@Costco Wholesale ♬ original sound – Meli Gold
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