Bookshop.org, the ethical alternative to Amazon, has launched a buy-back scheme for used books called Bookloop. Customers can trade their books for credit on the website and the books will be sold on other online marketplaces by Zeercle, with royalties going back to authors. The scheme is part of Bookshop.org’s mission to support independent bookshops.
The valuation system currently shows the value of different books, such as Paul Lynch’s Prophet Song and Prince Harry’s memoir Spare. Some titles, like Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club, are rejected if their value is too low on the second-hand market. Bookshop.org aims to create a positive cycle of economic activity and support a vibrant reading culture with independent bookshops at its core.
However, some secondhand booksellers have expressed doubts about the scheme, with concerns about the quality and relevance of the books being traded. Despite this, Bookshop.org is confident in Zeercle’s ability to handle the process responsibly and to ensure that books find their way back to readers.
Ultimately, Bookloop is part of Bookshop.org’s efforts to find new ways to support the book industry in the digital age. By offering a buy-back scheme for used books, the company hopes to encourage readers to recycle their books in a sustainable and responsible manner while also supporting authors and independent bookshops.
Source
Photo credit www.theguardian.com
