With Jeff Bezos casually taking over most of the high street and seemingly catering to every possible need with delivery within 0.2 seconds of ordering, Amazon is a temptingly cheap and speedy option for buying books. Especially over the last two years with the rise of internet shopping and the ease of clicking to order something and it arriving at your door the next day. It's so easy to forget the real impact this has on our independent bookshops.
So how do we keep bookshops alive? We’ve compiled a list of the best ways to support independent bookshops without breaking the bank:
Bookshop.org is a go-to for new books from independent bookstores around the country. If you search for a particular title, they’ll offer it from a range of different bookshops, or if there’s a specific store you have in mind you can buy directly through them within the website. To date, they have generated over £2 million for local bookshops around the country.
WOB.com is my favourite site for second-hand books, or when I’m on a tight budget. They source their books from charity shops around the country, buying up stock that the charity shops either don’t want or don’t have the space for. Wob has a range of books rivalling Amazon, and with their free delivery they really are a student’s best bet.
Obviously, I can’t forget our high street shops – there’s nothing more comforting than walking around Blackwells on a rainy day. These bookshops will also order in books for you, so don’t worry if you can’t find what you need on the shelves!
Post-pandemic, it’s never been more important to try and support these independent bookshops to make sure we don’t lose them!
