Bookshop.org launches new e-book platform that exclusively supports local bookstores

E-books are immensely popular, with millions sold on platforms such as Amazon Kindle and Apple Books. However, independent bookstores have struggled to capture a share of this market, a challenge that the new e-book platform from Bookshop.org aims to address. Launched in 2020 to connect readers with local bookstores, Bookshop.org's latest initiative promises that 100% of the profits from e-book sales will benefit indie sellers.

According to Bookshop.org's founder and CEO, Andy Hunter, independent bookstores have faced significant barriers in entering the e-book market. The introduction of digital rights management in 2009 by publishers, aimed at preventing piracy, has led to complex technical requirements that are often too demanding for individual bookstores to manage. This has historically hindered their ability to sell e-books effectively.

The new Bookshop.org platform allows users to purchase and download e-books directly from local bookstores or through Bookshop itself, accessible via its website or mobile apps. Once an order is placed, purchased books can be read from a user's digital library in-app or through a browser, thus integrating the e-book experience with local retail.

Bookstore owners have expressed enthusiasm about this development. Pete Mulvihill from Green Apple Books in San Francisco emphasized that each purchase helps shape the future of the community and provides a meaningful additional revenue stream for indie stores. Similarly, Tiffany Phillips of Wild Geese Bookshop in Franklin, Ind., highlighted the accessibility benefits e-books can provide to readers with disabilities.

Both Hunter and Phillips affirm that offering e-books does not diminish the importance of in-person engagement in bookstores. Instead, it positions local shops as vital players in the evolving landscape that accommodates both digital and physical books, enhancing the reading experience for a diverse audience.