An Easy Way to Support Independent Bookstores.

Support Independent Bookstores

A week or two ago, my friend Victoria told me about Bookshop.org and I was so excited to see that there is FINALLY a way to easily support local bookstores while conveniently shopping online. As a content creator this is something I’ve always struggled with. I need to be able to easily link to the books I recommend. Most local bookstores have small teams and don’t have the bandwidth to create comprehensive, easy to shop from websites!  And now that Amazon has declared books to be “non-essential” (and rightly so!) shipping can take forever.

How to Support Independent Bookstores

Enter Bookshop.org. You can bookmark my storefront if you’d like (the actual URL is: bookshop.org/shop/graceatwood), it’s also linked in the nav of my site under SHOP! As of today, Bookshop.org has raised over $1 million for independent booksellers.

I honestly can’t believe this hasn’t already been done. Bookshop.org is an online website where you can easily order all of your books (like Amazon) while supporting bookstores at the same time. I love that you can find your favorite local bookstore using their map, and they’ll receive the full profit from your order. If you don’t do that, the profit from your order will go into an earnings pool which will be evenly distributed among independent bookstores.

Support Independent Bookstores

At the top of my storefront I have my current reading list for the month. It’s kind of a sneak peek into the next month’s reading list (May’s list will be out 5/6!) I’m going to make a new list every month.

I also made a little list of quarantine reads. These are my favorite “distraction reads.” Mostly lighthearted, fun books… but also a couple thrillers and tear jerkers. Basically, to make this list, a book has to make me stop thinking about everything else and just want to read.

Bookshop.org

And of course, there’s a list of Bad on Paper book club picks! (We’ll be announcing our May pick on Wednesday!!!)

Bookshop.org

Last but not least, a list of thrillers! I’m always getting asked for my all time favorites so here they are. This is just the short list of my all time FAVS.

*Disclosure: If you make a purchase via my Bookshop.org storefront, I will earn a small commission.

Leave a Comment

Leave a Comment

27 Comments

  1. Val Illg:

    Thanks Grace! I just pre-ordered Big Summer via your site! Love supporting small businesses 🙂

    4.27.20 Reply
    • grace at the stripe:

      Aw, good! And GREAT CHOICE – I loved the book!

      4.27.20 Reply
  2. Anne T:

    This is great! I have been trying to support your great work, but even though I love reading your website, we don’t have the same tastes in many things. We do share taste in books but I really don’t like supporting Amazon. I’m so happy to support you, and my local bookstore. Thanks for the rec and for finding lots of ways to keep the content coming. All my good thoughts and best to you to stay healthy, safe and happy.

    4.27.20 Reply
    • grace at the stripe:

      Aw good!!!! I am so happy to have found this platform; it’s really amazing.

      4.27.20 Reply
  3. Shana:

    Love this! Our local store has books and puzzles available 🙂 thanks for sharing!

    4.27.20 Reply
    • grace at the stripe:

      Love that!

      4.27.20 Reply
  4. Cassidi:

    Just found out about this too! Our local bookstore doesn’t have a website for purchasing, but links to this page. Great find!

    4.27.20 Reply
    • grace at the stripe:

      Makes me SO happy!

      4.27.20 Reply
  5. Jane:

    So, so happy you did this! This is a game-changer.

    4.27.20 Reply
    • grace at the stripe:

      The best! So happy someone finally did this!!!

      4.27.20 Reply
  6. Kayla:

    I just started using BookShop.org and I’m SO excited to have a way to support small bookstores again. During “normal” times I always try to do my book shopping at The Strand (which now has a digital shop too finally!) and I’ve hated that I’ve had to order from Amazon instead lately.

    4.27.20 Reply
    • grace at the stripe:

      AW I MISS THE STRAND! Feel the same way about my local spot, McNally Jackson in Williamsburg! xo

      4.28.20 Reply
  7. Stephanie:

    Thanks for this Grace. I wanted to still support small bookstores but I wasn’t sure if that was still possible. I guess I’ll be buying all the books on my list from here.

    Stephanie | SPV Living

    4.27.20 Reply
    • grace at the stripe:

      This is a great way to do that!

      4.28.20 Reply
  8. Marie Lamensch:

    Bookstore.org is indeed a lifesaver in these times but I also read this tweet about it today and it’s something that we also need to just be aware of
    https://twitter.com/eveewing/status/1254922876408528896?s=11

    4.27.20 Reply
    • grace at the stripe:

      Thanks for sharing! Overall, the thread seems pretty positive if you keep reading the chain?? I have spent a LOT of time researching this, reading countless articles as I had to put a lot of time into creating a new storefront + slowly shifting my links from Amazon to this.

      30% seems pretty amazing to me when the bookstores don’t have to do any of the fulfillment or stock the inventory.

      4.27.20 Reply
  9. Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog:

    Such a great initiative! I wonder if there’s something similar in Hong Kong! ❤️✨

    Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog

    4.28.20 Reply
  10. E:

    I placed an order with them a few weeks ago and my order arrived super quickly! and I loved being able to support local! Thanks for amplifying this!

    4.28.20 Reply
    • grace at the stripe:

      Ah that’s so great!!!! So obsessed with the company!

      4.28.20 Reply
  11. Melissa:

    Hi Grace, how does the affiliate link work? Do you only get credit on books purchased through your storefront or any book we order as long as we go through the link? I want to order a book that isn’t in your storefront but also want to help support your work. Thanks!

    4.28.20 Reply
    • grace at the stripe:

      Hey Melissa,
      That’s so sweet of you to check. I’m honestly not sure as I haven’t played with it for very long but I think it’s for all books. Don’t worry about it though I only receive like maybe a dollar or two per book! XO

      4.28.20 Reply
  12. Jessica:

    Great recommendation! I love being able to support local businesses rather than Jeff Bezos. I also recommend Libro.fm, which is like bookshop.org, but for audiobooks. The profit goes to the local bookstore of your choice, and the prices are only a tiny bit higher than Audible. Totally worth it in my book (pun intended).

    4.28.20 Reply
    • grace at the stripe:

      Oh that’s so great! Not really an audiobook person but I’m sure others will appreciate that rec!

      4.29.20 Reply
  13. Emily:

    Hi Grace! I am so glad you posted this. I want to support small and local business with the convenience of online shopping so this is a win, win! It is also nice to know that this website is vouched by you; I always get nervous ordering from new websites, so it’s good to know someone has already tested the waters! Thank you!

    4.28.20 Reply
    • grace at the stripe:

      YES! I’ve ordered a few books and am happy with them! xo

      4.29.20 Reply
  14. Virginia:

    Hi! I love this 🙂
    Do you know if purchasing the ebook or audio book gives the same benefit to the local store? It shows as an option and takes me to a storefront that looks to still be connected to bookshop.org but I wasn’t sure. I’d love to support local but I prefer reading on kindle, usually.

    5.20.20 Reply
    • grace at the stripe:

      I think it does! The way that it works is they give a percentage of the sales to the local stores – the store isn’t actually doing any work or fulfillment!

      5.20.20 Reply