Bookshop.org Takes on Amazon with New Ebook Store

Bookshop.org, the online bookstore that supports independent booksellers, is expanding its offerings to include ebooks.
Launched in 2020, Bookshop.org quickly became a vital resource for local bookstores struggling to compete with online giants like Amazon. Its model is simple: customers choose a local bookstore to support, and that store receives the profits from any book purchase made through the site. This allows independent bookstores to have an online presence and curate their selections, preserving the unique character of local bookselling.

Now, Bookshop.org is venturing into the digital realm with its own ebook store and reader app for Android, iOS, and web browsers. The same principle applies: customers select a bookstore to support, and that store earns the profit from ebook sales. “Part of surviving the digital age is selling digital products,” says Bookshop.org founder and CEO Andy Hunter.

“If Amazon can do it, your local bookstore should be able to do it, period.”

The app’s design is similar to other ebook readers, featuring a library of book covers and personalized recommendations. However, it also introduces a novel social feature. Users can share quotes from any ebook to social media, with links that allow others to purchase and start reading the book immediately. Hunter believes this feature could help books go viral.

Hunter criticizes Amazon’s dominance in the ebook market, which he believes has stifled innovation. He points to the deals Amazon struck with publishers over a decade ago, promising to protect ebooks from piracy using Digital Rights Management (DRM). While this strategy was successful in preventing widespread piracy, it also solidified Amazon’s control over the market and limited the development of new ebook features.

Hunter’s previous startup, Electric Literature, which created digital apps for publishers, faced obstacles due to Amazon’s “most-favored-nation” agreements, which restricted ebook innovation. This experience gives Hunter a deep understanding of the challenges facing the ebook industry.

Bookshop.org has partnered with all major publishers and most major independent publishers, launching approximately one million titles, with more on the way. Support for self-publishing authors is planned for the coming months. Developing the app to meet publishers’ security and DRM requirements was a complex and time-consuming process.

Competing with Amazon will be difficult, but the ebook market may offer a more level playing field. Publishers generally maintain consistent prices across different retailers, preventing Amazon from using aggressive discounting tactics. Additionally, Amazon’s logistical advantages in shipping don’t apply to digital downloads. “There’s really no reason not to do it,” Hunter says. “Why would you give your money to a billionaire who is trying to be in a space race with Elon Musk, who is kissing Trump’s ring? Why give money to a billionaire when you can give money to your local business?”

Bookshop.org’s revenue share for ebooks is the same as for physical books: the chosen bookstore receives 30 percent of the list price, a potentially higher profit margin than for physical books.

Hunter’s motivation appears to stem from a desire to challenge Amazon’s power. He argues that Amazon’s ownership of the Kindle hardware gives them an unfair advantage. “Because you own the hardware, you shouldn’t be forcing everyone to buy everything for that hardware from you, so I don’t think they can support that in the future. And publishers should not be supporting that — people should be able to buy an ebook from any local bookstore and read it on their Kindle.”

Bookshop.org’s initial strategy is to request Amazon’s support for Bookshop.org ebooks on Kindle devices. Hunter acknowledges this is unlikely to succeed. His long-term plan involves potential legal action to challenge Amazon’s practices. He draws an analogy to music purchases on iPhones, arguing that consumers should be able to buy ebooks from any retailer and read them on their preferred device.

While exploring other ebook readers like Kobo, Hunter also expresses interest in developing a Kindle competitor. However, his immediate focus is on the app launch and building a community of ebook readers. “We’re not going to be changing the world right when we start,” he says. “Once we have a community of ebook readers, and writers that can engage with those readers, then we can start innovating, And the first place to innovate is to take ebooks out of the walled garden.”