Have you heard about Bookshop yet? It stated just a few years ago with the intention of being an alternative book selling platform, and now it may be on its way to giving Amazon a run for its money. It supports small, independently owned book stores, and authors too! Find out about Bookshop and how it can help you as an author below.
Bookshop: A Brief History
Launched in February of 2020 by publisher, editor and writer Andy Hunter, Bookshop is a success so far. Interestingly, Andy is also the co-founder of some favorites of mine, Literary Hub and Electric Literature. The man loves books! And authors and publishers. And book stores of course.
Because of this love for books and book stores and watching their profits drop dramatically in the age of Amazon, he wanted to create a space for them to compete. Thus, a creative solution was born.
And amazingly, the original goal of selling $10 million in books a year has been surpassed and they sold around $50 million! It has kept growing too. So, they’re doing well! Which means good things for book stores and authors alike.
How it Works
When visiting Bookshop.org readers can shop just as they would on any other commerce platform. It’s organized for book lovers too. There are best sellers lists and pre-order lists, and recommendations are from real people, not an algorithm! That’s refreshing.
Users can browse lists, search for books by author, title or ISBN, just like at the Library.
When you buy on Bookshop, you can purchase from your favorite bookstore. The book store then keeps the profit without having to deal with the packing and shipping. That’s because the order goes directly to Ingram(their distributor) and is shipped from there.
Another fabulous detail is being able to see the exact amount of money a particular book store or independent stores in general are earning with your purchase. That’s a nice touch, right?
What Bookshop Can Do for Authors
It’s not just independent book stores that are reaping the benefits of Bookshop. Because they have an affiliate program that includes publishers, websites, individuals and authors. All of which can earn 10% of any sale amount via referral.
This means as an author you’re earning 10% commission on your book sales through Bookshop. That’s more than double what Amazon offers. And just like with Amazon, a customer simply orders your book then the order is fulfilled and sent directly to the them.
The only downside is that books may not arrive on your doorstep in 48 hours or less like we’ve grown used to with Amazon. But I think it’s worth that small sacrifice.
Like Social Media Plus Commerce!
An author affiliate page is much like Goodreads and other social media platforms. Authors can have a profile, including an author photo, a banner image and a custom URL. You can also add your other social media links and recommend books much like on Goodreads.
But unlike Goodreads you can sell your books directly from your profile. How cool is that?!
As an affiliate author you can have a lot of fun with your profile, like creating lists of your favorite books and authors too.
Bonus! You can link to Bookshop on your website’s book page.
You can probably tell that Bookshop really impressed me. I like the idea that there are options out there besides Amazon for buyers, sellers and authors. It makes me happy to know that others care about small book stores and book lovers, and I feel hopeful that we can all keep the industry thriving in a sustainable way.
Find out more about Bookshop and their affiliate programs by visiting Bookshop.org. Maybe create an account while you’re there. I’d love to know what you think!
