However, this has changed since publishers were made responsible for their own profits and losses beginning back in 1983. Publishing houses now have to take responsibility for distribution themselves. There are 4000 outlets to cover in Jiangsu Province alone. This is not something every publishing house can handle, and many can't even cover their home provinces.
吳興文指出，大陸原來出版歸出版；行銷歸行銷，但自從八○年代起改由各出版社自負盈虧以後，出版社便轉而自辦發行，大陸幅員廣闊，光是江蘇就有四千多個點，豈是一個出版社能力所能及的，往往照顧「自省」就應接不暇了，那有餘力跨省發行？