Mags has been using Joyo/Amazon.cn for months now to stock our shelves with every yoga book that exists – but only recently informed me that they have an “English Bookstore” section of imported books.

Now, unfortunately this wont help you if you are completely without a Chinese person (or fluent-in-Chinese laowai), as the ordering process is still all in 中文 – but that’s just a small matter of getting your Chinese wife/gf/friend/secretary/QQ buddy/random stranger to help you.

Not unlike the bricks and mortar 新华书店, a lot of the books are “classics” that haven’t been seen by many of us since 10th grade. However, they carry a lot of new best-sellers, as well.

No Chinese credit card? No problem. China is still very much a C.O.D. world and you just pay the delivery guy when he shows up with a big box of books.

Joyo’s main (and larger) competitor, DangDang.com, also has an Import Books section, and appears to offer much the same selection. Not sure how their delivery system works though – probably similar to Joyo/Amazon.cn’s.

Delivery groceries, delivery pizza, delivery books. I’m making a habit of finding ways not to go outside.