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For years now, Amazon has been the one-stop-shop for everyday shopping essentials, with its free and next-day delivery making it near impossible for other retailers to compete for customers. It’s particularly become a leader in the publishing space, with its thousands of book offerings all but making brick-and-mortar bookstores and smaller online shops obsolete.
But for those looking to get their hands on their favorite titles without giving their money to the Bezos behemoth is Bookshop.org, which this week is offering free shipping as a Prime Day alternative. Their Anti Prime Day sale, as they’ve dubbed it, runs from July 8-11 — the same days as this year’s Prime Day.
The Brooklyn-based retailer has quickly become a go-to destination for readers who want to support independent bookstores without sacrificing the convenience of online shopping. Launched in 2020, the platform was created as a direct response to Amazon’s domination of the book market, offering an ethical alternative that helps keep local bookshops afloat.
Every purchase made on Bookshop.org directly benefits independent stores — either by allowing customers to choose a specific shop to support, or by contributing to a shared profit pool that’s distributed among participating bookstores. Since its launch, the site has raised millions for small booksellers who often operate on razor-thin margins. Since launching, they’ve raised nearly $40 million for local bookstores.
Beyond its mission-driven model, Bookshop.org offers a curated, community-oriented experience. Its homepage is filled with thoughtful staff picks, themed lists from authors and bookstores, and links to recommendations by literary magazines and bloggers, making it feel more like browsing a cozy indie shop than scrolling through an algorithm.
Shop Bookshop.org here, and check out a few of their buzziest offerings below:
On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
Not my Type by E. Jean Carroll
Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents Ebook Box Set