The online platform Bookshop.org is set to introduce a new service that allows independent bookstores in the UK to offer e-books, presenting a viable alternative to Amazon’s Kindle offerings.
These independent bookstores retain 100% of the profits from their e-book sales, with pricing matching that of Amazon.
Nicole Vanderbilt, Managing Director of Bookshop.org UK, remarked: “Digital readers are no longer constrained by Amazon’s monopoly, enabling them to purchase e-books at comparable prices on bookshop.org.”
Bookshop.org launched in November 2020 as a platform for independent bookstores to sell physical books within the UK, allowing them to retain 30% of the cover price from each sale. The UK site has successfully generated £4.5 million for independent bookstores to date.
Customers will have the option to buy e-books through their chosen bookstores. Profits from orders that are not associated with a specific bookstore will contribute to a communal pool, which will then be redistributed to all participating stores on the platform.
“We may have a passion for print, but e-books play a vital role in the lives of countless readers,” stated Nic Bottomley, co-owner of B’s Baths In Baths Reading Emporium.
Erin Kelly, the author of Poison Tree, expressed her enthusiasm for the e-book revolution, emphasizing its capability to connect with readers who lack access to traditional formats. She is thrilled that the “ultimate comprehensive format” will soon be available on bookshop.org, which also plans to introduce audiobooks in 2026.
A YouGov poll from earlier this year indicates that nearly 25% of the British population favors e-books over other formats.
The new platform will feature a catalog of over 1 million e-books from major publishers and can be accessed through the BookShop.org app on both Apple and Android devices.
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“Due to Amazon’s specific digital rights management (DRM) requirements, it is currently impossible to acquire DRM-protected e-books from Bookshop.org or local bookstores for reading on Kindle,” stated Bookshop.org. However, they plan to partner with e-reader company Kobo to support Kobo devices by the end of the year, with long-term plans to provide their own E Ink devices.
Source: www.theguardian.com
