Book Wars: Amazon vs Independent

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Bookshops, charity shops and kindle stores. There are so many different places to buy your books nowadays that it can get a little overwhelming. And with the increase in sellers, there ultimately always comes an increase in competition and huge variation in prices*. But lately, the simple task of buying a book has been called into ethical questioning, and it seems more important than ever that we are purchasing from the right people. 

In a recent poll on Instagram's Bookstagram, over half of the participants said that their current go-to book seller is Amazon, the American multinational technology company. On average, their book prices are far below that of the standard RRP even with delivery costs taken into account. And each week, Amazon also drops the prices of a number of its books for a day or two, meaning the final price you pay as a consumer is normally very little. It is no surprise then, that so many choose them as their preferred seller. Yet, when asked where they would buy their books if we lived in an ideal world, 53% of people actually said that they would rather shop at an independent bookshop (as opposed to the mere 8% who claimed that they shop there as their regular). Do these figures not scream imbalance somewhere in the book world?

Bookstagrammer, Hollie, explained:

"I try to boycott Amazon as much as I can as Jeff [Bezo, CEO of Amazon]'s wealth I can't even comprehend. I want to shop more independent but at the same time, I can't justify their prices. That's why I go to Amazon! But I guess [independent bookshops] don't have buying power like Amazon do, so it's really hard".

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In fact, 92% of people surveyed believe that independent bookshops are more expensive than places like Amazon, so it is no wonder that book-lovers are trying to save themselves a pretty penny. But when the presence of independent book-sellers is dwindling more than ever, surely turning instead to Amazon means we are turning our backs on them. As the independent bookshops lose more and more trade, they must compensate by putting the prices up. Not to mention the private fees they have to pay to cover the independent costs. This is where the main problem of todays book market lies. The conundrum of whether to save some cash or support your local seller. After all, how can independent booksellers compete with such low prices (even those of places like Waterstones and The Works, who often run deals on their books) and still make enough profit to stay open?

One bookstagrammer, Taylor, even admitted that she sometimes judges herself for choosing Amazon instead of buying from a physical book shop, even if that book shop is a chain like Waterstones. So it is clear that at least some people are aware of the damaging effects it may have.

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Nowadays, we also have to think of the ethical implications that buying a book on the cheap can bring about (not including second-hand purchasing, of course). Book lover, Lizzie, clarifies further:

"I am put off buying things from places that sell books really cheap because of the ethical implications of undercutting author profit/damaging the publishing and bookselling industries, which is why I prefer shopping independent/second-hand - or places like Waterstones or Blackwells for books that are harder to come by"

If we continue to buy cheap, surely we are risking the security of some publishing companies and damaging the author's hard-earned profit?

Of course, it has to be noted that some people simply cannot afford to spend any more on their books, and we must accept this with grace. In fact, 64% of people surveyed said that cheaper prices was the number one reason for buying from certain sellers, so it is fair to say that money is on most people's minds. In some ways, being able to buy books in itself is a luxury that we shouldn't take for granted.

Interestingly (and perhaps much to do with the cost benefit), figures revealed that charity shops are equally likely to be bought from in an ideal world as they are at present. Perhaps this demonstrates that although price is important, it is still equally important that people continue to support charities, even if it through the simple purchase of a £1 book or two.

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While there is no quick fix to this mind-numbing issue, perhaps you will think twice about where you buy your books from in future, and give a little nod to the independents, authors and publishers. If we try to balance spending a little more, purchasing cheaper paperbacks at independent stores and usually more expensive ones on Amazon for example, then theoretically we might be able to achieve balance, while still keeping our pockets suitably full. 

*For a quick price comparison, as of 30th August 2020 the price of Beth O'Leary's novel, The Flatshare, is priced as follows at the different retailers:

Waterstones - £8.99

WHSmiths - £5.59

Amazon - £4.50

The Works - £2.00 / part of the 3 books for £5 deal