Bookety Book Books’ Mandy Myles to close online store, pivot to new venture
Mandy Myles, the founder of the online-only independent bookstore Bookety Book Books, has announced a strategic pivot away from the retail sector. Established in 2020, the business is shifting its focus toward community growth and connecting readers with content and one another.
The decision comes as a response to a “highly competitive” industry where small, independent operations struggle to compete with larger entities. Myles noted that the current economic climate makes it an incredibly difficult choice for consumers to decide which businesses to support.
The Pressure of Aggressive Discounting
According to Myles, the book industry has seen a normalization of “aggressive discounting,” a trend driven by competitors such as Amazon. This shift has fundamentally altered reader expectations, making it difficult for independent sellers to maintain viable margins.
The challenge is further compounded for a one-woman business attempting to keep pace with the rise of e-books and audiobooks. Myles highlighted that these formats have provided great open access to literature but created operational hurdles for small-scale retailers.
Retail Challenges in a Digital Marketplace
Myles observed that online-only bookselling lacks several critical advantages inherent to bricks-and-mortar stores. These include consistent foot traffic, convenience, customer loyalty, physical space, and the opportunity for impulse purchasing.
digital advertising has created a pricing paradox for independent sellers. Myles stated that searches for her store alongside a book title often trigger advertisements for the same book at prices close to, or even below, her own acquisition cost from publishers.
The Path Toward Community Engagement
The next phase for Bookety Book Books involves expanding beyond Instagram to a dedicated website with enhanced functionality. This platform is intended to champion authors, bookstores, reviews, and events.
By focusing on a community-driven approach, Myles aims to keep reading accessible, fun, and joyful. This transition may allow the business to foster deeper connections between like-minded readers without the pressures of retail price wars.
Future developments could include increased opportunities for readers to connect and a more robust system for highlighting literary content. Such a shift is likely to prioritize engagement over transactional sales.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Bookety Book Books moving away from retail?
The pivot is due to a highly competitive industry, the normalization of aggressive discounting by competitors like Amazon, and the difficulty of a one-woman business keeping pace with e-books and audiobooks.
What disadvantages does Myles associate with online-only bookselling?
Online-only selling lacks the advantages of bricks-and-mortar stores, specifically foot traffic, convenience, customer loyalty, impulse purchasing, and physical space.
What will the new website focus on?
The dedicated website will focus on championing authors, bookstores, books, reviews, and events, while creating more opportunities for readers to connect with each other.
How do you think the rise of digital discounting affects your choice to support independent bookstores?