Set Your Calendars and Contacts Free
From Amazon to the Local Bookstore
Illustration by Florian Biege
Amazon is destroying local businesses and often uses its market power against publishers and employees. But local bookstores can get almost any book to you by the next day – often faster than “Prime” shipping! And book signings and author events only happen at the store down the street anyway. So if you'd like to buy your books there in the future – let's go:
Different ways to cook
Our digital switch recipes provide an easy, simple way to give Big Tech the push, but there are other options available. We have tried to make it easy by focusing on a single approach and a small number of options, but there are other alternatives that are just as good. After all, what we mean by ‘good’, ‘not so good’ and ‘bad’ is open to debate: DI.DAY is about easy ways to give Big Tech the push (without getting into purism or being preachy). Our decisions are based on advice from our advisory panel.
An overview of the alternatives is available on the next page:
Ingredients
The title of a book
A bookstore or an online platform
You know your local bookstore, right? If not: A platform like buchkatalog.de or geniallokal.de can help you find one. However, both sites only list a selection of independent bookstores in Germany. Major German online retailers also offer good service – the two largest ones are Thalia and Hugendubel.
Preparation
1 Start a search
Go to buchkatalog.de or genialokal.de. Wholesaler Libri also lets you search for your favourite bookstore.
2 Enter your book and zip code
3 Check inventory
The sites show you which bookstores near you have the book in stock or can order it by tomorrow.
4 Order it online (“Click & Collect” or “For Pick Up”)
or have the bookstore send it to you (many offer free shipping!).
5 Or if you want to be really revolutionary…
Why don't you visit the bookstore! No algorithm will ever replace the advice of a real human being!
Dessert
You can also gift books from independent bookstores as presents using buecherscheck. The online retailer buch7.de donates 75 percent of its profits. Autorenwelt gives authors 7 percent of the sales revenue from their books.
Delete the Amazon app from your home screen to avoid spontaneous purchases. Discover that bookstores often serve coffee and are wonderful places to meet people!
Enjoy your meal! You have just taken a big step towards a more independent digital existence.
Once you #DIDit – share our post about the digital switch and inspire others to take control of their own digital lives!
Topping
You are supporting your local economy and paying taxes in your own community instead of funding Jeff Bezos' next space trip. German Books are subject to fixed pricing – so on Amazon they are not a cent cheaper than in the bookstore!
