Closing a chapter: Costco will end year-round book sales at most of its stores next month

Costco is closing the book on selling physical novels year-round.

The wholesaler reportedly plans to end continuous book sales in 500 of its 600 stores in the United States. Starting in January, Costco will remove the book section from most stores.

Book sales will only resume during the holiday season and other select times of the year.

Costco officials said they were making the switch because storing books on tables is labor-intensive and must be done by hand — unlike other goods, which can be stored using forklifts, according to the New York Times.

Consumers have also chosen to buy books from Amazon rather than major retailers.

The popular store says if book sales go well in the stores where it remains, it could return to stores. But if they continue to lag behind, more book sections could lose out.

Executives at the retailer are also watching how book sales are trending at competitors, including Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Book sold exclusively at Target, according to Publisher’s Weekly.

Costco continues to make changes as it navigates the consumer market. Earlier this year, the company announced that membership cards would be required to be scanned for entry. The retailer also increased membership fees, with most increasing by about $5. A Gold Star account went from $60 to $65 in September.

Despite the changes, the prices of Costco’s popular hot dogs have not changed. They continue to cost $1.50, just as they did in the 1980s when the stores opened.