The administrator of failed booksellers Whitcoulls, Borders and Bennetts is putting the businesses on the market.
The booksellers' parent, REDgroup Retail, has been in voluntary administration for almost two weeks.
The group employs nearly 1400 people in New Zealand.
On Tuesday, administrator Ferrier Hodgson told creditors at a meeting that when the REDgroup collapsed, the New Zealand arm had $2.9 million in the bank, and $53.4 million of stock.
Ferrier Hodgson partner John Melluish says it is too early to say whether creditors will be paid.
