Recently, Zhejiang Publishing United Group, established nearly ten years ago, hosted its first nationwide customer bidding forum. Fifteen publishing franchises from all around China participated; their annual average sales were over one million yuan (USD$ 150,000), which accounts for roughly 30% of the publishing group’s distribution and sales outside of Zhejiang Province – the core of the Group’s publishing power nationwide. Jiangsu Xinhua Publishing Group is among the fifteen franchises. Leading publishing figures, including Cheng Jintao, Ha Jiuru, Gong Cimin, Yuan Shuqin, Liu Jianwei also attended. Zhejiang Publishing United Group Chairman Tong Jian also attended, having personally extended invitations to the fifteen franchises and expressed the positive state of affairs on behalf of the Group.

The new overall layout of the book industry, along with changes in development trends, was the focus of the forum’s attention. The erratic macroeconomic conditions and a foreboding future for the book industry have pushed Zhejiang Publishing United Group to take precautions before it is too late by looking for new publishing channels and methods. This triggered the Group’s plans of forming close bonds with franchises and establishing some key footholds in the publishing sector. Publishing has consistently been the Group’s focus – without guaranteed distribution, publishing development is grim. Having established a strong presence in Zhejiang Province, the Group is waiting to fully tackle the challenge of increasing its overall publishing power, which was the primary reason behind this forum.

As reported, the Group will conduct an integrative assessment of its strategic customers and will award incentive packages to those that produce cooperative results, effectively setting up a reward mechanism to stimulate sales growth. Capitalizing on the forum, the Group and its fifteen invitees have each separately signed partnership framework agreements, which aim to establish a platform for mutual benefit and stable, long-term cooperation – especially closer, deeper cooperation between the Group and its downstream franchisers.