They’re busier than ever, but “as Black bookstore owners race to meet their demands, many are dealing with complicated, sometimes painful feelings about what the new business means,” and why people are suddenly interested in books on anti-racist work. – NPR
“As Americans grapple with the country’s history of racism, many of them have turned to books, propelling titles like How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi and So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo to the best-seller lists. … All that demand, however, is becoming a challenge for some Black-owned … Continue reading “Black-Owned Bookstores Are Suddenly Getting More Business Than They Ever Planned For”
Some wonder whether Bookshop will remain a viable player in the online retail ecosystem as stores begin to reopen, and customers who turned to the site during the shutdown revert to in-store and curbside shopping. Meanwhile, Amazon, which accounts for some 70 percent of online book sales, has strengthened its position as the world’s largest … Continue reading “A New Indie Online Bookstore Has Soared During Lockdown. Can It Continue?”
The Book Industry Charitable Foundation (called “Binc”) is a nonprofit created to help booksellers. “Since the pandemic started, Binc has seen requests for assistance increase by 321%. And [communications coordinator] Weiss says she fully expects that number to grow.” – LitHub
“Booksellers around the country say they’re experiencing ‘Christmas’ levels of demand post-lockdown, as many readers have sworn off shopping offshore following the Covid-19 crisis, which claimed 21 lives in New Zealand.” – The Guardian
As some states allow a handful of businesses to reopen and other regions charge ahead full throttle, it is an experiment for bookstore owners and other retailers attempting to strike a balance between staying afloat and keeping workers and customers safe. – The New York Times
Will publishers finally use their data to sell books themselves instead of relying on the fragile chain that is Amazon? Will indies survive? Will they survive if they combine forces? It’s all a mess, but: “This time of seclusion has put the book centre stage once again; it has not seemed so alive, or so … Continue reading “Bookstores And Publishers Are Going Through Hell, But The Lockdown Might Drag Some Into The 21st Century”
“Bookshop launched in January with the intention of offering independent bookstores an improved online commerce hub that will help them woo customers away from Amazon. … The site has seen a 2,000% increase in sales in the past month compared to the month before and has become a lifeline for many stores that have been … Continue reading “New Online Sales Hub For Indie Bookstores Is Doing Great Business, But Not All Is Well”
The fundraiser got the anonymous donation, organized to help out struggling book sellers, after raising £100,000. Book shop owners are feeling a bit conflicted. – The Guardian
What’s clear to everyone is that the much celebrated “independent bookstore renaissance,” which coincided with the post–Great Recession economic expansion, is over. Hundreds of stores may never reopen again. The future of independent bookselling, a tenuous, low-margin business in the best of times, has never been gloomier. – The New Republic
