Date: Dec 1st 2008 6:46p.m.

Contributed by:
andreawong

So tell us about your company.

We are a fast-growing distributor specializing in imported books in China, based in Shanghai. We supply major airports, bookstores, online booksellers and international schools. We also have a bilingual retail website
with 600,000 English titles listed.

Wow, that's a lot of titles.

Yes, we have several partnerships with companies in the U.S., UK, and Singapore, and I'm always traveling and buying more titles.

So what if we wanted some hard-to-find title that isn't available in Shanghai?

We can work with you to look for it, then deliver to anywhere in China within two weeks for US$2.99.

Okay, say we need the next installment of a certain book coming out next month. How long do we have to wait?

We try to get books as close as possible to their release date in the West, so hopefully either none or only several days.

Are you an avid reader?

I'm not reading as much as I wish. Now I'm reduced to reading on the subway or on the plane, as I travel a lot.

What are your favorite books?

Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt and Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell.

You're a member (as well as supplier) of the CW Book Club. What's your favorite book you've read there so far?

I would say The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

So how important do you think English-language books are to expats in Shanghai?

Well, everyone complains about the selections, but book sales are not great here. People usually go to Hong Kong, Singapore or home to buy books. This makes it hard for booksellers here to really expand their selection.

What genre of books are the most popular with your customers?

The majority ...