The necessity to help unbiased bookstores has turn into clearer than ever this yr. Indie bookstores are really struggling. Beloved bookstores like The Strand and Powell’s underwent huge layoffs within the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s not all unhealthy, after all. Although it’s a really unsure time for small companies all over the place, independent book sellers and their communities continue to fight laborious for his or her existence. Indies are pushing again in opposition to the large field shops too. The #BoxedOut campaign encourages folks to “purchase books from individuals who wish to promote books, not colonize the moon.” And, you’ve received to confess, that’s a extremely compelling level.
Supporting small companies, unbiased sellers, and used ebook retailers is simpler than ever with an rising variety of choices to purchase on-line (particularly vital proper now) in addition to in-store. So do your self, the world, and your pockets some good by procuring with these six locations to purchase books on-line that aren’t Amazon. Your bookshelves will thanks!
When you’re in search of good offers on books, look no additional! Thrift Books provides an enormous number of second-hand books at wonderful reductions. They usually’re large on social duty, too. Their web site notes that they “save tens of millions of books yearly from being destroyed” and donate books to prisons, faculties, and different literacy packages. I really like supporting a ebook store that can also be targeted on doing good!

Wish to help particular native bookshops? That’s Bookshop.org’s mission. By creating a simple means to buy books on-line whereas supporting unbiased bookstores, they purpose to maintain native ebook vendor’s flourishing. You’ll be able to choose a particular bookshop to help, or just purchase a ebook with the cash going towards a pool that might be evenly distributed amongst unbiased booksellers.
As of the writing of this publish, Bookshop.org has raised over 7 million {dollars} for native bookstores. How cool is that?

Like plenty of ebook sellers on this listing, Higher World Books was created with the objective of creating a optimistic influence on the world. Along with boasting nice costs, Higher World Books helps literacy and the surroundings. Previous library books that may in any other case be thrown out discover new houses by Higher World Books. This manner, new readers can discover the books they’re in search of in addition to stopping these books from ending up in landfills. Is there something higher than shopping for a ebook and realizing you’re doing good by doing so?
Blackwell’s has a really particular place in my coronary heart due to my timeless love of Oxford. Along with tons of nice books, and the flexibility to snag beautiful UK editions, Blackwell’s additionally provides all kinds of bookish goodies to enhance your order. With free delivery within the UK and delivery prices included within the worth of order for all over the place else, Blackwell’s makes it tremendous simple to put an order anyplace on this planet with out worrying about further delivery charges.
Indie Commerce is a platform that enables indie bookshops to promote their books on-line by their web site platform, Indie Lite. Created by the American Bookseller’s Affiliation, Indie Commerce/Lite was particularly created for unbiased bookshops to supply them a simple and cheap technique to preserve a presence on-line. You’ll be able to peruse a list of the bookstores utilizing this platform OR should you don’t have a most popular native bookshop, might I like to recommend two of my favorites: Parnassus and Two Friends Books.
When you’re in search of an indie different for audiobooks (aside from utilizing your native library, which is at all times an ideal choice), Libro.fm is the best way to go. I really like that you could choose a particular bookstore to help and all the nice audiobook choices. Plus your membership will get your an audiobook each month so that you’ll be capable to chip away at your TBR one month at a time.
If these six bookshops simply aren’t sufficient for you and also you need extra locations to purchase books on-line that aren’t Amazon, take a look at this listing of independent bookstores to shop at, some of our favorite independent bookstores, 50 Black-owned bookstores to support, and where to find free books online.