Amazon Under Fire for Timing of Big Book Sale During Independent Bookstore Day
Amazon is facing criticism for the timing of its annual big book sale for 2025, which coincides with Independent Bookstore Day. The sale, running from April 23 to 28, directly competes with the nationwide celebration of independent bookstores.
Independent Bookstore Day is an event organized by the American Booksellers Association (ABA) that features special events, guest appearances, and exclusive merchandise at 1,600 participating bookstores. This year, the event falls on April 26.
Writer Maris Kreisman emphasized the importance of supporting indie bookstores, urging readers to visit their local bookstore if possible. Despite the challenges indie bookstores face, recent numbers from the ABA show a positive trend in their financials and membership.
Amazon’s dominance in the book market is well-known, with the company controlling over 50% of the total online and offline print book market. The timing of their big book sale during Independent Bookstore Day has raised concerns about their impact on small businesses.
Bookshop.org, a competitor of Amazon that partners with indie bookstores, condemned the timing of Amazon’s sale as a deliberate move to undermine independent bookstores. CEO Andy Hunter described Amazon’s actions as calculated and detrimental to the book industry as a whole.
In response to the backlash, Amazon stated that the timing overlap with Independent Bookstore Day was unintentional and was set to accommodate additional participating countries. However, ABA CEO Allison Hill criticized Amazon’s actions as insensitive and potentially harmful to small businesses.
As the debate continues, the clash between Amazon’s big book sale and Independent Bookstore Day highlights the ongoing tension between online retail giants and independent brick-and-mortar stores.
