Showing posts with label booksellers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label booksellers. Show all posts

Thursday, July 4, 2024

The demise of Booktopia

Yesterday (Wednesday), it was announced that Booktopia would enter voluntary administration. The company cited unprofitability in recent years and an inability to obtain funding to keep the business afloat.

The demise of Booktopia will have its consequences if it does go into liquidation (stops trading). School libraries such as mine do order through Booktopia because of the competitive prices relative to other booksellers, either bricks or mortar or online. This means that the cost of purchasing books will increase. It will limit the ability of school libraries to stretch their funds further, given the budgetary pressures that school libraries are accustomed to. 

While Booktopia is still trading, I would recommend that school libraries not purchase from Booktopia until its future is known because if an order is placed, there is no guarantee it will be fulfilled, especially if it's a pre-order or there is a long time frame for delivery. If Booktopia enters liquidation, you may not receive your items and/or be entitled to a refund. 

Even before entering voluntary administration, there were already concerns about the fulfilment of orders, with some yet to receive orders.

Friday, August 11, 2023

Is BooksDirect a good alternative to Booktopia?

I have been doing book orders for school and was amazed by the real discounts that BooksDirect offered. Even if Booktopia offers an additional 5% discount to school libraries, BooksDirect still undercuts them. Many of their titles are offered at a standard 20% off retail prices with free shipping if the order exceeds $300.

Not every book on sale on BooksDirect will undercut Booktopia, but it could be as many as half the books being offered below the prices listed on Booktopia.

Like any online bookstore, some titles may not be available on either site, but it has made a difference, and allowed to stretch the pennies a little further.

Have you used BooksDirect? What do you think of them?