Have You Heard About – Bookshop.org?

Believe it or not, this is not an ad. Just something I feel strongly about.

Although I use Amazon almost weekly, like many of you, I feel conflicted about it. It can only be bad for society for an ever-growing everything company to have a monopoly on an increasing number of markets. Don’t take my word for it. The US Federal Trade Commission finds that Amazon “…engages in a course of exclusionary conduct that prevents current competitors from growing and new competitors from emerging. By stifling competition on price, product selection, quality, and by preventing its current or future rivals from attracting a critical mass of shoppers and sellers, Amazon ensures that no current or future rival can threaten its dominance.“

Not cool, Amazon. Not cool.

This pattern of behavior is tempting and, frankly, easy when you are both a major seller AND the most popular marketplace. Seems like a glaring conflict of interest, huh?

The winter holidays are coming up, and that means you’re in the market for gifts. If you’re on this blog, I bet many of your purchases will be of the bookish persuasion. If you’re anti-monopoly, you might be inclined to bundle up, brave the weather, hop in your car, and patronize your local bookshop. You know the one – with the coffee shop next door, the knowledgable staff, and cozy atmosphere. You love going there, don’t you? Of course you do! You want them to stay in business.

… and yet…

… shopping online is so convenient, isn’t it?

If you are interested in the best of both worlds, may I humbly point you towards bookshop.org.

Their business model is simple – you shop online and have access to the pooled resources of a network of local bookstores. If you like, you can select a specific store to receive the profits from your purchase, otherwise all undesignated proceeds enter a shared pool divided evenly between all participating stores.

That’s it. The choice is yours.

Happy shopping and happy holidays, fellow readers.

(By the way, follow the “HYHA” tag for more reviews of resouces and helpful things.”)

_____________________________________

Get Murray’s Bookshelf in your inbox whenever there’s a new post.

Connect with us: Facebook: MurraysBookshelf