The New York Times reported that books will only be available from September through December, in line with the holiday shopping season. This will affect 500 of the 600 Costcos nationwide. The policy will be implemented in January 2025. Alaska and Hawaii locations have already been hit with cutbacks in book sales.

Costco is reportedly planning to stop selling books at most locations year-round. As the New York Times first reported in June, the warehouse retailer was planning to stop stocking books regularly as of January 2025.

First reported by The New York Times in June, the news of the book ban came from four publishing executives, who noted that the retailer would stop stocking books regularly beginning in January 2025. Instead, Costco intends to sell them only during the holiday shopping period, from September through December, according to the media outlet.