Bookshop.org launched five years ago as an online store with a mission of supporting local book shops. Now, that same philosophy is fueling a new ebook app for iPhone and iPad, which enables you to enjoy ebooks while sending your funds to local, independent bookstores.
Ebook purchases can now support your local, independent bookstore
Bookshop.org has become a popular way to buy books online while actually funding local, independent bookstores.
Until now, though, it only supported buying physical books. Ebook shoppers had to look elsewhere, turning to other platforms like Apple Books or Amazon’s Kindle.
But today, Bookshop has launched full ebook support via a new iPhone and iPad app.
Features of the app include the ability to:
- Bookmark, highlight, and annotate
- Adjust font and typeface
- Search text within the book
- Sync your reading position between devices
- Read in vertical scroll mode, or a standard paginated mode
- Share passages on social media
Similar to the Kindle app, there is one key limitation with Bookshop’s new offering: you can’t buy ebooks directly in the app.
Because of the fees Apple charges for In-App Purchases, Bookshop only sells ebooks directly from its website. But after you’ve made a purchase there, the title will be available inside the Bookshop app.
9to5Mac’s Take
The ability to support local bookstores via ebook purchases is a great new Bookshop initiative. And the first version of the ebook app seems solid, though I hope it receives regular investment and improvement in the future.
I’m a big fan of Bookshop’s mission to “help local, independent bookstores thrive in the age of ecommerce.” But as someone who prefers ebooks, I’ve seldom been able to make purchases through the platform. I’m glad that’s now going to change.
Do you use Bookshop? Will you start to now that ebooks are offered? Let us know in the comments.
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