Bookshop.org launched one year ago during the pandemic. The aim of the brand was to empower socially conscious shoppers to support independent booksellers who struggle to keep up with the convenience of mega-corporations dominating the publishing industry. Now, Bookshop.org is reporting that in just one year the site has generated over £1.7m profit for nearly 500 bookshops since its launch in the midst of a national lockdown.
The website handles all online bookselling on behalf of small independent bookshops which might not receive many direct website visits from customers. Bookshop then gives the bookseller a modest percentage of each sale brought through their online storefront on the website.
The timing of Bookshop’s release couldn’t have been any more perfect, as around the time the first lockdown crippled many businesses in 2020, Bookshop was providing a viable solution for bookshops to stay afloat.
When millions of people are forced to stick to their homes, naturally, reading will become a common pastime. Bookshop.org provided an alternate option for readers to purchase their books while contributing to the larger bookselling economy. Amazon no doubt thrived during this time, but it’s good to know that both readers and booksellers are now empowered with more options.
Bookshop is privately operated by its founder, Andy Hunter, the American Booksellers Association, and the book wholesaler Ingram. In 2020, Bookshop opened up a base in the UK.
Redital has reached out to Bookshop.org for a broader understanding of the company’s goals. Look out for more information in the coming weeks.
