Socially-Conscious Consumerism Gets a Boost in a Big Way For E-book Lovers
I don’t own an e-reader. I have always preferred a physical copy of the book—the smell of fresh pages and the ability to throw it across the room when the protagonist makes another stupid decision is more my speed. Besides, “curling up with a good book” hits differently than “curling up with a good e-reader.”
Note to Authors: If I’m throwing your book across the room, you’ve done a good job!
There’s also the matter of whose platform I’d want to buy an ebook from. I love purchasing physical books from indie bookshops. Buying from locals like Caprichos Books or The Book Dragon Shop not only supports a small business near me but also the communities where I live, work, or visit often. While I do own a tablet device for work on the go, I’m not downloading many ebooks. That is until last week when bookshop.org dropped their new e-reader platform that lets consumers buy e-books from indie bookstores for the first time ever.
Bookshop.org isn’t new to avid readers and those who wish to shop small and local. The online site launched in 2020 and exclusively supports indie bookshops. Described as the indie alternative to Amazon (AMZ), the site has earned nearly $35 million for indie bookstores in its first 5 years. To celebrate its 5th birthday, Bookshop launched a new app that allows readers to continue to support indie bookstores when buying e-books. While AMZ accounts for 80% of the total book market, Bookshop aims to compete head-to-head with the billion-dollar company and similar platforms—and I’m here for it.
As reported by Porter Anderson at Publishing Perspectives last year, bookshop.org founder and CEO Andy Hunter said, “For the first time in history, local independent bookstores will be able to sell ebooks to their customers.”
This puts indie booksellers on a more even playing field against corporations with a near monopoly on book sales. They keep profits while authors, booksellers, and communities miss out. Readers can now support local indie bookshops at home and when traveling. It’s a win-win for indies and book lovers everywhere!
I won’t abandon my physical book copies completely. However, I will start purchasing more e-books via Bookshop’s platform and continue to support independent, small businesses. Will you join me?
* The app is available for iOS and Android devices. Simply visit bookshop.org, create an account, choose an indie bookstore you’d like to support and make a purchase. If you don’t choose a store, the proceeds from your purchase go into a pool that is split among the indie bookstore participants.
