How to Start an Online Bookstore (2026)

Book lovers know that there’s nothing like curling up with a good read. But have you ever imagined a life where you could be surrounded by books every day, delivering your love of reading to the masses?

Though big players dominate the space, clever founders who fill a gap in the market can find success in the book industry. There’s plenty of room for newcomers and niche bookstores: In 2025 alone, Circana BookScan tracked more than 762 million printed books sold across the year. And major bookseller Barnes and Noble is planning to open 60 new brick-and-mortar bookstores in 2026. 

The global online book market is growing, too. Estimates put it at $26 billion in 2025, with a predicted increase to more than $48 billion by 2034. Even with ebooks and audiobooks in the mix, physical books aren’t relics of another era, and starting an online bookstore can still be a lucrative business idea in 2026. 

This guide covers everything from how to source books to where to sell them online, all supported by expert advice from successful online booksellers. 

How to open a bookstore: First steps for booksellers

This guide focuses primarily on opening an online bookstore, because that’s where most new booksellers start today. You’ll learn how to sell books through different online business models, from vintage resale and curated drops to subscription boxes and direct-to-reader sales. 

That said, this isn’t online-only advice. If you’re an author looking to self-publish, or you’re testing the waters before opening a physical store, the fundamentals still apply.

“My learning curve was everything,” says Dominique Lenaye, former owner of Wisconsin’s Itty Bitty Bookstore. She knew how to connect with people and build community, but the mechanics of running a bookstore were unfamiliar. “I had no idea how to open a bookstore.”

Like most founders, Dominique learned by researching what worked for others and figuring things out as she went. You don’t have to start from scratch.

Opening a bookstore starts with three decisions: 

• Your niche. What types of books you’ll sell to your target audience
• Your business model. How you’ll sell those books
• What makes you different. Why customers should choose you over other bookstores

Once you’ve established these basics, you can move into sourcing inventory, setting up your store, and building your marketing plan.

Business ideas for booksellers

Beyond the traditional bookstore model that carries a wide range of genres, there are many other ways to launch a business in the book space. 

Here are a few ideas: 

• Write and self-publish your own book, selling to your fans directly.
• Sell used, vintage, rare, or out-of-print books online.
• Offer a specific type of books (e.g., textbooks, comic books, coloring books).
• Build a business around a specific theme (e.g., food, sea life, outdoor living).
• Sell ebooks or audiobooks online as digital products.
• Cater to a niche target audience (e.g., children, LGBTQ+, Black women).
• Focus on a niche genre (e.g., romance novels, Afrofuturism, nonfiction, children’s books).
• Start a book-themed subscription box or bundle.
• Consider a book-adjacent business (e.g., book tote bags, library themed fragrances).

Kerrie Hansler, who founded a subscription book brand called Sweet Reads Box, carved out a niche by focusing on Canadian-made items and handpicking the box contents to match the theme of the book—something she says other subscriptions boxes don’t do as consistently.

Dominique chose to focus on books by and about underrepresented people. “I am continually on the hunt for new books, new authors, new series, and new characters that bring joy into the Black and brown communities,” she says. In staying true to this niche, she’s built a loyal customer base of those looking for a curated experience.

Similarly, mothers Sadaf Siddique and Gauri Manglik launched their own online bookstore, KitaabWorld, when they noticed a lack of representation of South Asian characters and authors in the US market.

“Amazon is a jungle,” says Gauri. “Until you know something exists, it’s not always that easy to find it.” The women would later become ambassadors for book diversity, working to bring South Asian stories to libraries and classrooms and eventually publishing books of their own.

Competing with massive booksellers

“I don’t want my books to come with my toothpaste,” says Kerrie. Amazon started as a bookseller, and today it’s a convenient solution for consumers who want a one-stop shop for books and pretty much everything else. 

While it’s tough for small businesses to compete on price and shipping speed, those who want to succeed in the market need to stop considering massive retailers as direct competition. “Honestly, I pay them no mind,” says Dominique of Amazon.

Like Dominique, lean into what makes your idea unique—especially if it’s something the massive retailers could never achieve:

• Differentiate your brand. Work on having a solid brand story, mission, and set of clear values that attract customers looking to support businesses that care about the same things. Consumer trends during the pandemic saw a shift in favor of brands with a social mission.
• Be hyper-focused. A bookstore that tries to offer everything for everyone often lacks depth on one particular genre or theme. By sourcing rare and independent titles and staying in your lane, you can build customer loyalty.
• Offer a curated experience. For online businesses, this may include niche book collections that go beyond genre, quizzes or tools to help recommend books based on interests, or one-on-one virtual shopping consultations. Physical bookstores can offer a warm experience with community-focused spaces and events.
• Focus on customer service and relationships. Small businesses benefit from having a small pool of loyal customers with whom they can build relationships. Offer loyalty perks like exclusive events and invest care in a customer service strategy.
• Build community. Connect with your biggest fans by building online communities, running in-store events, and hosting virtual book clubs.

“I choose every day to focus on my shop, my community, my employees, and my readers’ experience, without comparison,” says Dominique. “I strive to curate the best collection I can, and I stay humbly honest about what our store provides and stands for.”

What’s an ISBN? (and other publishing terms you should know)

An International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a numerical code used to identify a book. Publishers, retailers, libraries, and other businesses along the book supply chain use this unique number for inventory management and ordering. Books published up to the end of 2006 have a 10-digit ISBN, while books from 2007 and on have a 13-digit ISBN.

Here are some other trade terms that you should become familiar with as you embark on your bookselling journey.

• Advanced reading copy (ARC). This is a copy of a book printed before the first official publication. It may be incomplete, lack final cover art, or still be awaiting a final proofread. ARCs are circulated to book buyers, critics, and press in advance of a book’s official release.
• Antiquarian books. A term to differentiate collectible books from used books. Vintage, antique, rare, and out-of-print books may fall under this category.
• Backlist. A publisher’s list of books released prior to the current year or season that are still in print.
• Book distributor. A business that warehouses and sells books directly to retail stores, libraries, and sometimes wholesalers on behalf of publishers.
• Book wholesaler. A company that buys large quantities of books from publishers and sells them to bookstores, institutions, and libraries. Wholesalers usually get volume discounts from publishers and can pass on a portion of that savings to their customers.
• First edition. Any copy of a book printed in the first print run of that particular title.
• List price. The cover or retail price of a book, generally printed on the back cover or sleeve.
• Out of print (OP). A book title that is no longer being printed or distributed from the publisher.
• Print on demand (POD). A term to describe a product being printed upon order. There is no inventory of the product, but it will be printed and shipped to each customer after the purchase is made. Many self-published books are distributed via print on demand.
• Trade bookseller. Another term for a retail bookstore or retail bookseller. Trade booksellers sell to the general public and include independent bookstores, large retail chains, and ecommerce stores.

Launch timeline for new booksellers

Opening an online bookstore can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on how deep you go on custom design and testing.

Below is a practical phased framework with a rough timeline you can use to plan backward from your chosen launch week.

1. Six months before launch. Start early planning and market research to reduce risk before you invest heavily. Focus on:

• Defining your niche and audience
• Sketching your business model (online resale, new books, subscriptions, hybrid)
• Talking to potential customers or peers
• Drafting a simple business plan that explains what you intend to do and how you intend to make it work

Three months before launch. Once the big picture feels solid, start making choices that let you get ready to announce your online bookstore. Focus on:

• Securing inventory or establishing sourcing agreements
• Choosing your ecommerce platform and setting up basic shop pages
• Registering your business, domain, and essential policies
• Starting to capture interest (a signup form, a Coming Soon page, maybe even early social content)

One month before launch. This phase is about getting ready for real customers. Focus on:

• Uploading your full catalog or curated collections
• Testing checkout, payments, and shipping
• Finalizing branding and content that speaks to your readers
• Planning launch content (emails, social media posts, early promotions)

Launch week. Once you open, your work shifts from build to observe and iterate. Focus on:

• Announcing your launch across digital marketing channels
• Monitoring customer behavior and fixing friction fast
• Engaging personally with first customers

💡Pro tip: Use Shopify’s online store builder to create a branded bookstore, organize collections, and publish pages without needing a developer. Manage physical books, digital products, and bundles from one dashboard and sell through your website, social channels, and marketplaces.

Developing your bookstore brand

Establishing a clear message, story, and visual treatment of your brand is important in any industry. Your bookstore brand should take a unique perspective that answers the question: Why should customers buy from you?

Once you’ve honed in on your business model and your niche, go through the exercise of writing your brand story. This should include your personal journey to entrepreneurship, your “why” for starting your business, the values that guide you, your mission statement, and the impact you want to have on the industry and your customers.

Also consider bringing your ideal customer profile (ICP) into sharp focus. Homing in on what makes your potential customers tick helps you build your brand around their needs. This also connects your personal “why” to a real audience, helping you translate your brand in a way that resonates with others. When your values match that of your ideal customer, it’s a win-win.

Your brand “bible” will be developed through this exercise and should include clear guidelines around voice and tone, marketing strategy, hiring practices, and a visual system for your branding.

Branding comes next. This is where you’ll develop a logo, design packaging, produce visual assets, and establish the elements like fonts and colors that will be consistent across websites, social media, and anywhere your brand is visible.

What does it cost to open an independent bookstore?

The cost of starting a book business will vary considerably depending on your business model. 

At one end of the spectrum, you have low-overhead models like self-publishing or print-on-demand. At the other, you have full brick-and-mortar stores with rent, staff, and inventory to manage. Most new booksellers land somewhere in between.

Startup costs for self-publishers

For authors starting their own book business, upfront costs tend to center on production and promotion rather than inventory.

“Costs depend on the experience of the author, as well as the genre and length of the book,” says bestselling author and entrepreneur Joanna Penn. Shorter nonfiction books might cost around $1,000 for editing and cover design, while longer fiction titles often require multiple rounds of editing—pushing total costs into the several-thousand-dollar range.

Beyond the book itself, you’ll also want to budget for a website or online store, advertising, launch promotions, and ongoing visibility.

📚Read: How to Self-Publish a Book: Complete Guide + Costs (2026)

Startup costs for online bookstores

If you’re selling books by other authors, inventory becomes your biggest variable cost. Many publishers and distributors don’t require large minimum orders. That makes it possible to start with a small, curated selection and scale as demand grows.

Typical early costs include:

• Website and platform fees
• Initial inventory purchases
• Shipping supplies
• Marketing and customer acquisition
• Ongoing operating costs like software, payment processing, and fulfillment

This model gives you flexibility. You don’t need to bet everything on day one, but you do need enough runway to learn what sells and allow time to restock.

Startup costs for physical bookstores

Brick-and-mortar stores come with the highest upfront costs—and the highest stakes.

“Itty Bitty Bookstore started small in a 120-square-foot office space that I turned into a bookstore,” says Dominique. That modest beginning kept costs manageable. But she’s clear about the reality of going bigger. “If you’re looking to go all in right away, you should set aside $20,000 to $30,000.”

That budget typically covers:

• Rent and deposits
• Store fixtures and signage
• Initial inventory
• Licenses, insurance, and utilities
• Staffing and operating expenses

It’s a bigger commitment, but for some booksellers, the physical space is central to the experience they want to create.

Is an online bookstore profitable?

Yes, it can be, but margins tend to be modest unless you carve out a niche or diversify revenue streams.

Some small online booksellers report annual mid-range incomes once they scale a bit, with common figures cited between $60,000 and $150,000 or more per year depending on traffic, pricing, and operational costs.

In the US alone, online book retail revenue was about $10.2 billion in 2025. The online segment has grown steadily at roughly a 4.6% annual pace over the past several years.

Books as a product typically have lower profit margins compared with many other retail categories, because publishers often sell to retailers at significant discounts, and pricing tends to be competitive.

Selling ebooks or digital bundles often yields higher net margins than physical books, though it usually requires stronger marketing and visibility strategies. 

Funding options and bookstore business plans

How you decide to fund your business will depend on your budget and needs. Consider bank loans, VC funding, grants, or crowdfunding. “Kickstarter and other crowdfunding platforms allow for special fan-funded print runs,” Joanna says of self-publishing. You may also qualify for Shopify Capital after you launch your online business, to help you with ongoing costs.

A business plan helps you by forcing decisions that will dictate your budget. It makes you answer questions you can otherwise dodge for months, like: Who are you selling to? What does success look like in year one? How much cash do you actually need, and where will it come from?

According to a Shopify merchant survey* conducted in November 2025, 79% of established merchants fund growth with their profits, but 62% also tap additional funding sources.

The same survey found that only 34% of established merchants wrote a business plan before starting. Of those who didn’t have a formal plan, 46% said they skipped it because the business began as a side project and grew over time. That’s common. It’s also why many founders circle back to planning later, once the stakes are higher.

You don’t need a 40-page document, but you do need a plan that helps you think clearly about:

• Your niche and customers
• Your business model (online, physical, hybrid, resale, subscriptions)
• Startup and operating costs
• How you’ll price books and reach readers
• When, and how, you’ll break even

If you’re seeking funding, lenders and partners will expect to see a business plan. And even if you’re self-funding, you’ll still benefit from seeing the numbers on paper.

You don’t have to pay a consultant to get started:

• The US Small Business Administration (SBA) offers free business plan templates, financial forecasting tools, and guidance tailored to first-time founders.
• SCORE, a nonprofit supported by the SBA, provides free one-on-one mentoring, workshops, and planning templates from experienced business owners.

Pricing books

Generally, new books bought from a publisher will have a set list price (or retail price). Your profit margin will depend on how much you paid for the book—and this number can vary. Large retailers and chains can offer lower prices because they enjoy volume discounts. 

A small business shouldn’t try to compete on the best price. Big-box stores often offer discounts on bestsellers and new releases—sometimes resulting in retail prices lower than a small business’s cost for the same book.

“I tend to shy away from trendy or most-popular lists, so I don’t usually have the same books that people see in Barnes & Noble,” says Dominique. If she does carry a widely in-demand book, she reads it herself so she can provide knowledgeable service. “That experience alone makes my customers willing to pay to purchase from me rather than a big-box store.”

When pricing used or vintage books, list price is no longer a factor. Your retail price may be much higher or lower than the list, depending on a number of things: age of the book, condition, demand, rarity, out-of-print status, and cultural relevance.

Bookselling business models explained

While there are a number of ways to open a bookstore or sell books, this section focuses on specific advice for two options: self-publishing to sell your own books, and selling used and vintage books.

Self-publishing and selling your own books online

“The independent creator community is increasingly empowered, as more opportunities emerge to reach readers and make an income,” says Joanna.

When you self-publish a book, you keep a much larger share of each sale, compared to traditional publishing. Instead of earning a small royalty percentage, you control pricing, distribution, and margins. That means every sale contributes more meaningfully to revenue, especially when you sell directly to readers through your own site.

Just as important: You own the relationship. Selling your own books online lets you decide how readers discover your work, how you communicate with them, and what happens after the first purchase. 

Many independent authors also use self-publishing as a testing ground. You can launch one title, learn what resonates, and refine your positioning without waiting on gatekeepers or long production cycles.

✨Real-life example: Take HexComix. Self-publishing allowed the comic creator trio of Lynly Forrest, Lisa K. Weber, and Kelly Sue Milano to make their own rules and maintain creative control over HexComix. It was also an inroad into a male-dominated industry.

The women launched cautiously, with a 150-copy print run of their first issue—and sold out by the second day of their first comic convention. “The power has come back into the hands of the creator,” says Lisa. “It creates more opportunities for everyone.”

Some self-published authors go a step further by building subscription-based offerings alongside book sales.

This can look like:

• Monthly or quarterly book deliveries
• Early access to new releases or drafts
• Exclusive essays, bonus chapters, or behind-the-scenes content
• Signed copies or limited editions for members

Selling used and vintage books

Thrift businesses have increased in popularity as more consumers become conscious of waste and sustainability. Though audio and ebooks have emerged to address some of this issue of consumption, many people still prefer the feel of a paper book.

Used and vintage booksellers will need to contend with a very high number of stock keeping units (SKUs) and product listings, as each item will be one of a kind. Online booksellers, therefore, may choose to hone in on a specific corner of the market and seek out rare or unique titles within a genre or time period.

Used and vintage books can be found through a number of sources, including:

• Thrift stores
• Library clearout sales
• Garage sales or estate sales
• Local buy-and-sell listings
• Other used bookstores
• Online marketplaces

Unless the used book is rare, vintage, antique, or out of print, it would generally retail for less than the listed price on the book. That means you’ll want to be selective about the used books you carry, especially if you’re selling online. 

Consider the effort required to list the book (a one-of-a-kind item) on your website and storage. If the book is easy to find elsewhere or doesn’t have much demand, your retail price may be too low to justify carrying it.

💡Pro tip: Books should be stored away from high humidity, out of sunlight, and in a manner that prevents them from warping or bending. When listing used or vintage books for sale, be sure to include additional information about the edition, including print date, condition, and any damage.

Sourcing books from publishers, distributors, or wholesalers

If you’re planning to sell new books, you’ll need to find a supplier. You may choose to work directly with a number of publishers or buy books from a wholesaler or distributor. In some cases you may even get better prices on books, and you’ll save the hassle of managing multiple relationships.

As a newcomer, you may find that it’s easier to work with one wholesaler. In Canada, however, Kerrie found that it was simple to set up accounts with publishers directly. “I literally just called them and asked who their sales reps were in the area and then connected,” she says.

Managing publisher relationships

As you build relationships with publishers, you will begin to get more flexibility. As Kerrie’s business grew and she proved herself a valuable client, the publishers would send ARCs earlier and earlier.

While some publishers may have minimum order quantities (MOQs), many do not. “I think it would be really common for a small, independent bookstore to only order five copies of a book,” says Kerrie. She adds that it’s possible to order as little as one copy of a book, say, in the event that you get a customer request.

Quantities and terms of the order will affect your costs. For example, if you request for the copies of the book to be returnable to the publisher, you’ll pay a higher cost for each book. 

There can be some flexibility, though, says Kerrie. “We buy them as non-returnable to get the bigger discount, but then we’ve been able to return some with special permission.”

Publishers may also provide you with little extras, like signed bookplates and letters from authors, as your relationship grows. “Through the publisher, authors will write a custom letter to our readers,” says Kerrie. “They wouldn’t offer that up as a new client, but we’ve built relationships over the last four years.”

Advanced inventory tips

Once your supplier accounts are set up, it’s time to understand how ordering affects your profits. Not over-ordering can keep your costs down, but it can lead to stockouts. It’s important to find the right inventory balance.

• Batch your orders to save on freight. Check if your publishers or wholesalers offer a “free freight” threshold, like orders of 50 units or more. Queue up your orders until you hit the minimum to ship for free.
• Use Edelweiss to view digital catalogs. This tool lets you track releases and place orders across multiple publishers. Basic access is free for booksellers and is essential for seeing what is coming down the pipeline. 
• Balance your sources. Use direct publisher accounts for your stock-up orders to get the best discounts and terms. Then use wholesalers like Ingram for quick, mid-week restocks where speed is more important than maximizing your margin. 

Setting up your store and selling books online

Social sales channels, print-on-demand tools, and ecommerce platforms like Shopify help you get set up in minutes.

Set up your online store

Now that you’ve done your branding exercise and honed in on your business model, you can set up an online store even before you’ve bought inventory.

There are a number of benefits to getting a website and social pages live before you launch. You can build excitement for your brand, get early feedback, and grow your audience and email marketing list so you have eager customers waiting once you officially open for business.

Plug your logo, visual assets, and copy into a website theme that complements your brand. Many are fully customizable, allowing you to update colors and page elements to suit your layout.

Here are some preset bookseller themes available from Shopify:

• Foodie theme in “Grind” ($$)
• Icon theme in “Christian” ($$)
• Leafin theme ($)
• Publisher theme (free)

Alternatively, use Shopify’s user-friendly AI store builder to create a free store design in minutes. Enter a quick description of your bookselling business to generate custom themes with a unique look tailored for the industry. If your needs are more advanced, you can hire a Shopify Partner to help you build additional customizations.

💡Pro tip: Need help picking the right template for your store? Take Shopify’s theme-picker quiz.

You can also power up your online bookstore with apps that integrate seamlessly with your online platform. Here are a few Shopify apps designed for online booksellers:

• Lulu Direct is a print-on-demand service for books.
• Kodbar: Barcodes & Labels will generate barcodes for products and is compatible with ISBNs.
• Crowdfunder lets you run a pre-order crowdfunding campaign to self-publish your book.
• Easy Digital Products is perfect for those looking to sell digital book formats like ebooks, PDFs, and audio books.

Other bookselling sales channels

Alongside your own website, you should consider additional sales channels to expand your reach to more customers. Depending on your niche and genre, there are multiple options:

• Online vintage marketplaces (for vintage booksellers). Handmade marketplace Etsy also supports vintage resellers. If you sell vintage or antique books, this channel has a built-in audience looking for this type of item.
• Bulk sales (for self-publishers). “This can be a profitable model for entrepreneurs and nonfiction writers, where books are sold in bulk to companies and sometimes specifically branded for the client,’” says Joanna. “A good example of this is Honoree Corder, who sold her books to lawyers.”
• Crowdfunding sites (for self-publishers). “A lot of authors are selling print books directly from Kickstarter now—basically raising the money to do a print run,” says Joanna. “Many also include ebooks and audiobooks as part of that bundle.”
• Bookshop.org. “Bookshop is a nonprofit that supports indie bookstores by paying us a commission of book sales on their site,” says Dominique. “This gives bookstores the ability to stick to our niche and curate our collections around a store’s mission, but serves as a way for our customers to order books that we do not currently carry in-store.”
• Pop-ups, markets, and retail. If you operate online only, there are ways to dabble in retail to see if in-person selling is worth it for your business. Pop-up shops and applying for a table at a local market are low-cost and low-commitment options. 

💡Pro tip: You can use a pop-up as a great grand opening idea for your online store launch, too.

Marketing for online bookstores

The November 2025 Shopify merchant survey* found 53% of established merchants said word of mouth was their primary growth driver in their first year. Another 35% grew mainly by building a social media presence. Both are zero-cost strategies, and both reward consistency.

Start with a marketing plan that employs organic marketing tricks to help you build buzz and an audience for your business:

Master #BookTok and social discovery

Social media is now one of the most powerful discovery engines in the industry. #BookTok is a massive community of book lovers who create TikTok videos that share reviews and recommendations. Approximately 59 million print book sales in 2024 were tied to #BookTok-related influencer content. 

Here’s how to approach #BookTok:

• Aim for three to five posts per week. Posting twice a week for three months works better than posting daily for one week.
• Use proven content formats. Some options to try:
• “If you liked ___, read this” comparisons
• Behind-the-scenes clips: packing orders, sourcing books, annotating
• First impressions: covers, first pages, opening lines
• Lead with a hook. The first two or three seconds decide whether someone keeps watching; start with the opinion or emotion.
• Use three to five hashtags per post. Hashtags help TikTok understand who to show the video to. Mix:
• One broad tag (#BookTok)
• One or two niche tags (#IndieBooks, #QueerReads, #FantasyBooks)
• One contextual tag (#OnlineBookstore, #BookshopOwner)

And here’s how to approach #BookTok’s Instagram counterpart, #bookstagram, which has 124 million tagged posts as of writing: 

• Three to four posts per week is enough. Prioritize Reels for reach and Stories for connection.
• Use content formats proven to convert. Some options include:
• Reels. Stack reveals, themed lists, quick flips through pages
• Carousels. “Three books for when you feel ___”
• Static posts. Recommendations with thoughtful captions
• Stories. Polls, Q&As, unboxings, daily shop moments
• Use five to 10 relevant hashtags. Focus on specificity over popularity, and rotate sets to avoid looking repetitive or spammy.

Create content readers actually search for

Readers often come to social media to discover the answer to “What should I read next?” 

Creating content that answers that question does two things at once: It drives organic search traffic over time, and it positions your bookstore as a trusted reading adviser. The latter is something Amazon’s algorithm simply can’t replicate.

Amazon is good at showing what’s popular, but not at explaining why a book might matter to a specific reader, in a specific moment. Search content lets you do exactly that.

Here are some examples:

• “What to read if you loved ____ but want something shorter”
• “Best books for readers getting back into fiction”
• “Underrated debut authors we keep recommending”
• “Books that feel like a long walk”

Drive revenue with specific email campaigns

Email marketing is your most profitable channel because you own the audience. Align your emails with the book industry’s natural rhythm:

• Pre-order campaigns. Build hype for upcoming releases months in advance to secure early sales.
• “New Release Tuesday.” Tuesdays are the standard release day for new books. Send a weekly roundup of what just hit your shelves.
• Seasonal gift guides. Books are top-tier gifts. Create guides for specific readers tied to holidays or seasons, like “Dads,” “Grads,” or “Romantasy Lovers.”

Build community offline and online

Your biggest advantage over retailers like Amazon is the ability to create genuine connections. Turn your store into a hub for readers gather and socialize:

• Virtual book clubs. Host Zoom discussions or Discord servers where customers can discuss a monthly pick.
• Events. If you are online-only, host virtual author Q&As. If you have a pop-up or physical space, host children’s story times or launch parties.
• Loyalty programs. Offer points for reviews or referrals, turning your best customers into brand ambassadors.

Back office for booksellers

The logistics of opening and running your own bookstore will vary depending on what you sell and how you sell it. 

A common challenge among booksellers, though, is inventory. Book businesses (unless you are self-publishing one book and printing on demand) generally carry a large number of SKUs and have a ton of inventory to contend with. “Without a solid grasp on inventory,” says Dominique, “things can get out of control quickly.”

We went from packing boxes in our basement to our living room to a friend’s basement and then to a warehouse in town. We’ve now moved to a 3PL for packing.

Shopify allows you to sync your inventory across sales channels, and there are several inventory management apps that integrate with your store to optimize your operations. A good inventory system is critical when dealing with thousands of SKUs because it lets you:

• Keep track of your books. Your point-of-sale (POS) and inventory systems work together to scan and track ISBNs without error.
• Unify your inventory. If you sell online and at pop-up markets or book fairs, a system like Shopify POS syncs your inventory in real-time. You won’t have the nightmare scenario of receiving an online order for a rare book that you just sold to a customer in person.
• Automate forecasting. Use your sales data to identify which books are on shelves too long and which bestsellers need reordering. 

As you scale, consider outsourcing warehousing, packing, and shipping to a third-party logistics (3PL) company. “We went from packing boxes in our basement to our living room to a friend’s basement and then to a warehouse in town. We’ve now moved to a 3PL for packing,” says Kerrie. That move also helped Sweet Reads Box enter the US market. “We can get help with the customs clearance because they can clear a whole shipment.”

Sweet Reads Box also brought on more help to manage the back end of the business so Kerrie could stay connected to sourcing the products. Kerrie’s cofounder’s daughter was the first employee. “We’ve since hired employees that help us manage customer service emails, ordering, shipping, and the behind the scenes,” she says.

Start a new chapter in the story of your life

To aspiring booksellers, both Dominique and Kerrie suggest sticking to your plan. “It is so easy to get sidetracked without a business plan and mission,” says Dominique. Your business plan and brand exercise will become the basis for how you move forward.

If you build your business on a unique niche or format, that’s what’s going to win you loyal customers and help you stand out. “Be true to what you love,” says Kerrie. “I’m not a sci-fi reader. We could do sci-fi boxes, but I wouldn’t know what to put in it.” Both women built businesses that resonate with customers looking to cut through the noise of massive retailers with millions of books.

With new tools emerging every day, there’s never been an easier time to be an online independent bookseller. Find your niche, wield the power of storytelling, and build a future by spreading the magic of reading.

*Based on a 2025 survey of 500 Shopify merchants conducted in English across Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United States. Respondents were established merchants with more than two years on the platform. Results reflect the experiences of this specific sample and may not be representative of all merchants.

This article originally appeared on Shopify and is available here for further discovery.