Want a Book-Buying Alternative to Amazon?

So, I have been really frustrated with the chokehold Amazon seems to have on the book-buying culture, and how, even though I dislike the company immensely, and really hate that in order to make a living with my writing, I have to use Amazon or starve in the giant pile of non-discovery. I also don't want to buy my books from Amazon. I would rather not have my money support them.

I don't like their politics. I don't like how they treat their workers. I don't like how they go about busting unions, up to an including ceasing operations in places where unions did manage to get up and going (looking specifically at Quebec). They're awful. I want the option to vote with my wallet.

Unfortunately, Amazon has had such a hold, it has become something like a black hole. You just cannot escape the immense gravitational pull of this massive, all-consuming maleficence in the book world.

Unless we put our collective foot down.

And I might have something the may send the right message... sort of. It doesn't have all the functionality of Amazon, BUT it does present a great alternative both for book sellers and book buyers. Let me introduce you to books.by.

I saw ads on Facebook for this literally the day I called my mother (also a writer), who mentioned it to me. It is a print on demand publisher with a different model than Amazon (and others). Essentially, books sellers pay a yearly subscription (it is currently US$99.00 for the first year, which will increase to US$200-ish in subsequent years). And that's it. books.by will take no further monies from their sellers (save the costs of printing the books, obviously). It's the subscription, and the cost of each printing. The book sellers then get to keep 100% of the profits from each book sale.

For those of us that don't have many books or don't make many sales, you will be operating at a loss until/unless your sales increase. This is something to keep in mind if you're thinking of switching over.

Now, if you happen to be one of the many of us who have taken great offence at the recent comments by the regime in America noting the intent of annexing Canada and making it the 51st state (sorry Puerto Rico, I guess), and are currently participating in the boycott of US businesses as a result, I have further good new for you.

Books.by is not an US company. It is Australian, with it's office in Victoria (a state in Australia, for those who don't know). So that money you're spending? It's not going to the United States. It is boycott safe.

As someone trying to participate in this boycott (I live in Canada. I love Canada (though there are MANY improvements we could be making). I do not appreciate the threats from our southern neighbour), this was the most welcome news of all. Not only to I get to have a way for myself and my ethical buyers to circumvent Amazon, but it's also safe for those of us who are refusing to give the US our money until or unless the threats are revoked.

They have print on demand facilities in Australia, North America, Europe and the UK, making printing and shipping pretty quick, actually.

Now to the downside.

As of right now, they don't have a search function for potential buyers. You can't go to books.by and search for your favourite book or author/publisher. Right now the site takes you immediately to what would be the sign-in for the backend for book sellers. Buyers would have to know the exact URL for their favourite authors/publishers in order to access their catalogue of books.

Granted those are fairly straightforward (and pretty clever). It's essentially books.by/[author/publisher name]. But even still, the lack of a search/buyer-facing landing page is not ideal; and the only thing that I think Amazon and the other POD options have currently.

Of course, I signed up. My imprint now has a books.by store. You can find me on books.by/overdue-books So far, only The Dying & Other Stories is listed up there. But all of my books will eventually go up.

I am absolutely certain that I will never sell $100 worth of The Dying God & Other Stories, let alone double that, it is my hope that I will eventually sell enough with all my titles combined to justify this books store. I will also be directing all potential buyers to buy from there or my Ko-Fi shop, rather than Amazon; because of principles.

I still have Amazon as an option for those who, for whatever reason, cannot go elsewhere. But I would much rather everyone buys from my books.by or ko-fi shops.

I'm really stoked to have this opportunity for myself, and others who want to spend our money with humanity in mind. I'm hoping that this kind of thing takes off, and we can collectively send a message that unethical business practices and treatment of workers matters to us as buyers. Because it matters to me.

Right, I'm off. Have yourselves a lovely week.

Slán go foill!