8 Billion Sales by Bookstores Member of ‘Book Market’ System

According to the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA), the ‘Autumn Book 1404; Special Book Market Sale’ initiative was implemented across the country from November 15 to 20 (1404) to commemorate the 33rd Book Week.

In this initiative, organized by the Deputy for Cultural Affairs of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and the Iran Book and Literature House, a 20% book subsidy was allocated for every Iranian, up to a maximum purchase of one million Tomans. This subsidy was available both in person at participating bookstores and online through the ‘Book Market’ system at Bazarketab.ir. Online purchases also benefited from a 50% shipping subsidy, providing easier access for audiences across different parts of the country.

The ‘Autumn Book’ initiative welcomed enthusiasts with 456 participating bookstores, which collectively managed to record sales of 80 billion, 281 million, 775 thousand, and 897 Rials during the 6-day sale period.

In this special sales period, Tehran province led with 66 bookstores, followed by Qom, Razavi Khorasan, Isfahan, and Kurdistan provinces with 46, 32, 43, and 15 bookstores, respectively. The top-selling provinces were Isfahan, Tehran, Qom, Razavi Khorasan, and Kurdistan.

The total sales subsidy amounted to 13 billion, 388 million, 980 thousand, and 141 Rials, comprising 11 billion, 600 million, 319 thousand, and 330 Rials (87%) for in-person subsidies and 1 billion, 788 million, 660 thousand, and 811 Rials (13%) for virtual subsidies.

Out of 248,406 book titles offered during this period, 25,757 copies were purchased by 9,566 individuals, including 19,849 volumes sold in person (77%) and 5,908 volumes sold virtually (23%). In the virtual sales section, 3,424 postal packages were dispatched nationwide, incurring a postal subsidy of 1 billion, 780 million, 383 thousand, and 556 Rials.

Isfahan province, with 2 billion, 598 million, 336 thousand, and 140 Rials, Qom with 1 billion, 872 million, 373 thousand, and 320 Rials, Tehran with 1 billion, 742 million, 877 thousand, and 480 Rials, Razavi Khorasan with 1 billion, 741 million, 393 thousand, and 244 Rials, and Kurdistan with 1 billion, 18 million, 57 thousand, and 500 Rials, managed to attract the highest amounts of subsidies.

In terms of the number of buyers, Isfahan led with 1,949, followed by Razavi Khorasan with 1,248, Tehran with 1,242, Qom with 1,152, and Gilan with 799 buyers. Among publishers, ‘Cheshmeh’ led with 1,022 books sold, followed by ‘Ofoq’ with 634 books. ‘Ghadyani’ with 622 books, ‘Porteghal; affiliated with the Happy Children’s Land Publishing Institute’ with 542 books, ‘Negah’ with 536 books, ‘Milkan’ with 511 books, ‘Niloofar’ with 444 books, ‘Qoqnoos’ with 377 books, ‘Mahi’ with 364 books, and ‘Iran Technical Publishing Company’ with 347 books were among the other top-selling publishers in this period.

The bestselling books of this period included ‘White Nights: A Sentimental Novel From the Diary of a Dreamer’ (90 copies), ‘Nazanin: An Imaginary Story’ (87 copies), ‘Bambdad-e Khamar’ and ‘The Death of Ivan Ilyich’ (77 copies each), ‘Symphony of the Dead’ (75 copies), ‘Pieces of a Coherent Whole’ (64 copies), ‘The Year of Turmoil’ (52 copies), ‘Companion of Fire and Snow: Farahz Rasul’s Account of Sardar Haj Saeed Qahari Saeed’ (44 copies), ‘Lady Moon: A Narrative of a Woman Without Any Suffix…’ (43 copies), and Nahj al-Balagha of Imam Ali (AS) (40 copies).

In the category of top-selling bookstores in this initiative, Shahr-e Ketab Isfahan led with 1,345 volumes sold, followed by Shahr-e Ketab Mashhad with 1,051 volumes, Ketab Ordibehesht with 796 volumes, Banafsheh Cultural Complex with 632 volumes, Ketab Ordibehesht Chaharbagh with 536 volumes, Ketabsara-ye Noor al-Hoda with 498 volumes, Jangal-e Javedaneh with 475 volumes, Donya-ye Ketab Qom with 443 volumes, Pardis Ketab Isfahan with 436 volumes, and Shazdeh Koochooloo with 432 volumes.

According to IBNA; the 33rd Book Week of the Islamic Republic of Iran was held from November 14 to 20, 1404.