What are the rules in the books for coffee exchange debate?
A bookstore in Beijing runs a books-for-coffee exchange, trading one cup of coffee for a used book. The shop accepts only bestsellers published within 20 years, hardcover, more than 200 pages, and priced above 39 yuan. It refuses professional textbooks, finance and economics, inspirational titles, children's books, health and wellness, parenting, and world classics, which set off an online argument.
The debate turns on how people measure value. Some commenters argue a hardcover book is worth far more than a cup of coffee is made of, while others call the owner's conditions reasonable. Behind the dispute sits a practical problem for bookstore cafes: balancing atmosphere and sentiment against operating costs, since coffee and books rarely earn the same margin.
Bring an old book, walk into a bookstore, and exchange it for a cup of coffee—such a literary scene is now playing out in some bookstore cafés. A bookstore in Beijing launched a "books for coffee" campaign, but due to its strict requirements for used books—demanding bestselling hardcover editions published within 20 years, with more than 200 pages, and priced above 39 yuan, while explicitly refusing categories such as professional textbooks, finance and economics, inspirational chicken soup, and children's books—it sparked discussion online. Some believe that the value of a hardcover book far exceeds that of a cup of coffee, while others think the owner's conditions are entirely reasonable. This controversy over measuring the value of books and coffee reflects the dilemma bookstore cafés face in balancing sentiment with costs in their operations.
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Holding a book and savoring a cup of coffee—this is probably the ideal afternoon that many people with literary sensibilities envision. To cater to this demand, more and more bookstores are crossing over into the coffee business. Well-known ones like Sisyphe Books are typical representatives of the integration of bookstores and cafés, and many independent bookstores have also adopted similar models, striving to create a relaxed, cozy, and culturally rich space.
In daily operations, such bookstore cafés often plan activities to attract customers, and "books for coffee" is one of the most common practices. A bookstore in Beijing is doing exactly this, hoping to draw consumers in through exchanging old books for coffee. Seeing such an activity, some netizens naturally think: since it's exchanging old books for coffee, then outdated picture books, magazines, or unused professional books at home should all be exchangeable, right? That way, old books find a new home, and you get to enjoy a cup of coffee—wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?
However, this store does not accept just any book. The notice clearly states the scope of books accepted: "bestsellers published within 20 years, with more than 200 pages, hardcover editions, priced above 39 yuan," and specifically notes: "We do not accept professional textbooks, finance and economics, inspirational chicken soup, children's books, health and wellness, parenting, or world classics."
Such meticulous restrictions left many netizens exclaiming in disbelief and voicing their dissatisfaction: "What gives instant coffee the right to exchange for my 39-yuan hardcover book?" "My book is worth far more than this cup of coffee." "With so many requirements, a book meeting these conditions could be sold secondhand for about the price of a coffee." "Is a cup of coffee really worth the price of a book?"
However, some netizens shared their experience of bringing books to this store to exchange for coffee, believing that the owner's requirements for used books are not excessive, and that there are actually quite a few books meeting the standards—for example, Chinese translations of foreign novels and social science books should all qualify. This netizen also candidly acknowledged that if someone brought an old book or magazine from the 1970s or 1980s, or reference books, or things like Reader's Digest, Youth Digest, or Story Club to exchange for a cup of coffee, it would be neither reasonable nor fair to the owner, so the store's rules are not entirely incomprehensible.
Most netizens in the comments section still feel that the price of a hardcover book far exceeds that of a cup of coffee, and think the owner is "quite calculating, using coffee made from the cheapest beans to exchange for someone's hardcover book." Book-loving netizens believe that a book can be read repeatedly, and reading it at different ages brings different insights, but once a cup of coffee is finished, it's gone—the value it brings cannot compare to that of a good book. Therefore, the exchange rules set by the owner are unfair to those doing the exchanging.
The owner launched the warm and romantic "books for coffee" activity originally to close the distance with customers and to let old books and coffee serve as a bridge—making book lovers fall in love with coffee and coffee lovers fall in love with reading. But overly specific reference criteria for old books will make those who want to try exchanging hesitate to step forward, and may even deter other potential customers. As netizens candidly put it, the owner's "requirements make people uncomfortable—I wouldn't want to go exchange, nor would I want to go try the coffee."
Image source: Xiaohongshu
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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
