New book purchase service Book Loop Will UK customers be able to exchange their second-hand books for store credit towards future purchases? Bookshop.org This is my first purchase.
Independent UK bookshops will now have access to an online circular economy marketplace, with the opportunity to benefit directly from customers who spend credits they receive through Bookshop.org on new books.
Easy to use scan and collect service is powered by ZeakleThe company already has partnerships in high street locations in France, Germany and the UK through bookshop chain WHSmith.
commission
Authors will also benefit from this new initiative: Zeercle will pay authors a percentage of sales from used book sales through “Bookloop by Bookshop.org for Authors,” an arrangement with the American Guild of Authors and the American Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS).
Under the plan, accumulated royalties will initially be distributed through an authors’ shared fund, to be reviewed from March next year, so that authors and independent bookstores can benefit from secondhand book sales from the very start of publication.
Bookshop.org will continue to carry only new books, while Zeercle will sell traded books through its online marketplace, which as part of the new agreement will explicitly exclude Amazon-owned and operated websites.
Nicole Vanderbilt, managing director of Bookshop.org UK, said: “We want to give customers the opportunity to exchange their second-hand books for credits to spend on our website.”
“But it still benefits independent bookstores, who get extra commission from increased sales, and it benefits authors through arrangements with the ALCS and the Authors Guild. At the same time, it keeps used books from ending up on Amazon.”
Connection
Eric Gagnaire, co-founder and CEO of Zeercle, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Bookshop.org to launch the Bookloop service in the UK. Our mission is to promote sustainability in retail and this service aligns perfectly with our goals.”
“By giving books a second life, we not only reduce waste, but we also foster a community of readers who care about sustainability and support independent bookstores – a win-win for both the environment and local economies.”
Anna Ganley, chief executive of the Society of Authors, said: “It’s great to see Zeercle and Bookshop.org thoughtfully adopting a win-win approach to the used book market.
“At a time when authors, as well as independent bookstores, are under immense pressure from technology and changes in the way books are bought and sold, we’re excited to see how authors will benefit and hopefully strengthen the connection between authors and bookstores.”
Round
Amber Harrison, co-founder of independent bookshop FOLDE, based in Dorset, said: “Independent bookshops have long been leading the retail industry when it comes to sustainability, from greater environmental responsibility to reducing waste.”
“Completing the cycle of bringing used books to new readers while benefiting both booksellers and authors is a really positive thing. It’s a really sustainable way to get books into more people’s hands without cost being a barrier.”
Sustainability is Bookshop.orgThe company has previously worked to offset emissions from its shipping and achieved B Corp Best for the World status in 2022.
Bookshop.org is now helping independent booksellers benefit from the burgeoning online second-hand book retailing industry and join the wider consumer transition to second-hand consumer goods and the circular economy.
This author
Brendan Montague is Ecologist.
