As Amazon kicks off its annual Prime Day sale, when the online retailer offers discounted merchandise including books, several independent booksellers are offering their own deals to counter the promotion, which runs July 8–11.
Bookshop.org is offering free shipping as part of its "anti-Prime" sale, and Libro.fm is offering the promotional code "SWITCH" to give new members three audiobook credits for the price of one. The audiobook platform has also produced downloadable graphics for booksellers to post that highlight the differences between Libro.fm and the Amazon-owned Audible.
The American Booksellers Association has also launched a "Counter Prime Days" campaign which encourages customers to "Shop Indie" and "Be a part of our community, not just a data point." The promotional copy emphasizes that real people are behind independent bookstores and that purchases made there are not processed by algorithms.
The ABA has designed a number of graphics for use on social media, in newsletters, and in-store, as well as suggested copy for promotional posts. "When you shop at indie bookstores, your reading choices are yours alone," reads one offering. "No trackers, no creepy ads. Just thoughtful recommendations from people who love books as much as you do."
