Shelf Awareness with Bookshop.org
In a world where everything seems to be unrealistically fast, it’s because there is minimal time to think about the “how” of the speed. Some things can be accomplished much faster and cheaper when corners or cut, the fine print is ignored, or decisions are made unconsciously. (That last sentence can be about the practice of reading as well, but I’ll save it for another day.) Let’s instead focus on where you choose to buy books from this holiday season. I know how easy it is to want that new book in two days or not think twice about paying a significant fraction of the cost of a book, we’re book lovers - the more, the merrier.
What if we de-prioritize our next “massive” book haul from a retailer that cares very little about the community, about local independent bookstores, about the authors, and think more about how our individual book purchases contribute to the landscape of the book community? As I said above, I’m aware that there’s joy in opening multiple books to add to our personal libraries and that many of us are going toe-to-toe with a skyrocketing cost of living, so we have to cut corners to get the most out of our bi-weekly income.
This holiday season I urge you to shift your shopping habits by gifting new books to your fellow bookworms consciously — it’s what I did! Bookshop.org is a phenomenal way to give back to YOUR reading community, because when you shop on BookShop.Org you financially support local independent bookstores. Readers can simply log on to Bookshop.org and select an indie bookstore they wish to support. This year I chose to support Foxing Bookstore, a new brick-and-mortar bookshop in Louisville, KY. If you’re interested in which books I purchased for my loved ones this holiday season you can check the list out HERE. Bookshop.org is giving an additional 15% off for books purchased from their gift guide when you use code HOLIDAY23 through December 18, 2023.
Facts About Bookshop.org and their mission:
Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores by providing them
with an easy way to sell books online and gives socially conscious
shoppers an alternative to buying books on Amazon. Every time you
buy a book on Bookshop.org, you financially support local independent
bookstores.
Over 80% of Bookshop.org’s profit margin goes to independent bookstores.
As of March 2023, Bookshop.org has generated over $28 million for independent bookstores.
As Amazon continues to dominate book sales, threatening the future of beloved bookshops around the world, Bookshop.org is providing businesses the opportunity to make viable income.
Amazon sells over 60% of all books in the US and is growing. That shift threatens the future of bookstores and will hurt readers, authors, and publishers who rely on a diverse, healthy ecosystem for books.