Amazon vs. Bookshop: A Two-Sided Discussion on Book Buying and Affiliate Links
There are plenty of reasons to love Amazon. They have nearly everything, from my favorite bamboo toothbrushes to these great shorts that have become my new summertime go-to (no matter the occasion). Amazon is affordable and ships quickly. However, recently, some people have wanted to steer away from this online powerhouse. They’d rather spend their money with small businesses and support local companies. And quite honestly, I see both sides.
As an author who uses KDP (Kindle Direct Press) to self-publish my books, I do not have qualms about using Amazon Affiliate links on my website and social media. It is through their platform that I am able to be an author and run my small business despite my small budget. And so, I don’t feel bad returning business to them. However, I also love buying books in person. Ever since I could drive, I have chosen to meet friends at bookstores to hang out. Whether we buy anything or not (okay, let’s be honest, I usually do) I enjoy the atmosphere, proximity to caffeine and access to thousands of adventures at my fingertips. There are two sides to this book-buying coin.
In the book world, this debate has taken the spotlight. With the additional of the health crisis that is COVID-19, independent bookstores are struggling more than ever. There’s something special about a bookstore with character, with curated collections, with personal connections. For readers, it’s kind of like going to that bar Cheers from the 19080’s TV show. Publishers, authors and book buyers alike love these stores and desperately want to do what they can do keep them in business.
One new way that readers can show their financial support, even in these stay-at-home times, is through an online shopping platform called Bookshop.
“Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. We believe that bookstores are essential to a healthy culture. They’re where authors can connect with readers, where we discover new writers, where children get hooked on the thrill of reading that can last a lifetime. They’re also anchors for our downtowns and communities. As more and more people buy their books online, we wanted to create an easy, convenient way for you to get your books and support local bookstores at the same time.”
Bookshop lives out this mission by donating 10% of every purchase to an indie bookstore and also 10% of the purchase back to the individual/group/organization that shared the link via an affiliate program. (Side note: If you are a literary organization/book club or authorpreneur, like me, you can sign up to become an affiliate and earn your own 10% of sales as a fundraiser or passive income stream.) Another bonus is that Bookstop provides “about the author” information for each title it sells, and since learning about the people behind the story is another one of my favorite past times, it makes this site even more valuable.
And so, in light of all of these thoughts and pieces of information, I have made the switch to using Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website and social media, instead of Amazon links. I will likely still use Amazon links when I’d like to recommend Full Face Snorkel/Googles and Magic Trax and anything else that keeps my sons occupied, but I promise from here on out, that if I can find a title on Bookshop, I will choose to support indie bookstores and authors through that channel.
To put my money where my mouth is, I’d like to give it try right here and now.
I love reading books about books, and so I wrote one. My book, Close Quarters, is about four cousins who open a bookstore in honor of their grandmother. Sprinkled throughout the story are books that have impacted me in some way and also fit neatly into the plot. At the end of the book I provide a list of these titles. Today, I am sharing that list here again, accompanied by the Bookshop.org links. If one of them catches your eye or has been on your to-read list for a while, go ahead and purchase it. You can also feel good knowing that your dollars are not only supporting me as an author, but also an indie bookstore.
Chapter 3
Girl Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis
Chapter 8
Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling
The Baby-sitters Club (series) by Ann M. Martin
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
Nancy Drew (series) by Carolyn Keene
The Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Chapter 9
The Knight and the Dragon by Tomie DePaola
Chapter 10
Sam and the Firefly by P.D. Eastman
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Chapter 11
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by John Sceiszka
Chapter 12
Ten Pennies for Candy by Henry Ritchet (1963, out of print)
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
The Berenstain Bears by Mike, Stan and Jan Berenstain
Chapter 14
The Ta Da Journal by Design Works Ink (Not available on Bookshop, but you can purchase it here via this Amazon link)
I Can Read with My Eyes Shut by Dr. Seuss
Chapter 16
Kick the Ball Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz
Brown Bear Brown Bear by Bill Martin Jr.
Chapter 18
I Was So Mad by Mercer Mayer
Chapter 20
The Martha Manual by Martha Stewart
The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Davide Wyss
Chapter 23
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
Little Blue Truck's Halloween by Alice Schertle
Perfect Pumpkin Pie by Denys Cazet
The Ugly Pumpkin by Dave Horowitz
Brooms are for Flying by Adam Rex
Dork Diaries by Rachel Renee Russell
I am currently in the process of writing the sequel to Close Quarters. I plan to include book titles throughout this story as well. I’ve got a few already worked in but would love to hear some of your suggestions. What books have a special place in your heart? What books make you smile, helped you through a tough time, impacted your life in a meaningful of just plain enjoyable way? To enter this week’s WIN IT WEDNESDAY, leave your response in the comments below, on the corresponding Facebook post or send them via a message/email! One lucky winner will be chosen at random.
P.S. Please know that to re-link every book on my website and blog posts would take quite awhile. I am working to update things, but if you still find an Amazon link here or there, please don’t send me nasty messages. As I’ve stated before, there are pros and cons to each… and I believe use of both is acceptable, but I will focus, from here on out to do my best to support indie and local book suppliers. For those of you who are visual learners (like me!) I’ll leave this brief recap here.
If you liked what you read on my blog today (or are in search of weekly word nerd goodness) and would like to have it delivered to your inbox every Wednesday morning, you can sign up HERE. If you are interested in any of my email lists (with free goodies/downloads!) click the audience that best describes you: Writer. Teacher. Reader. As always, feel free to share this post with others you think might be interested via email, Facebook or Pinterest.
Finally, affiliate marketing is promoting a product or service in return for a commission. When you purchase a product or service through one of my links, I earn a small part of the sale. There is NEVER any extra cost to you. If you looked up the same product on the same site through another source besides my website, the price will still be exactly the same. 100% of the time.
I also NEVER link to products or services that I don't 100% believe in. I will never tout a company or their goods if they are disreputable or if I don't believe them to be worthy of your hard-earned money. In no way are my affiliate links a scam. (Language borrowed with permission from Kristen Kieffer on Well-Storied.com)