It’s a challenging time in the the industry (and the world!), and the BookNet team would like to share some stories of how booksellers and publishers are responding to physical distancing measures put in place due to COVID-19. We’d like to take this opportunity to highlight the excellent work of professionals in the Canadian book industry, and share some of the initiatives currently taking place. Over the next few weeks, we will feature several retailers and publishers in our Q&A series, all of whom have been adapting their business in interesting ways.
First up, Patricia Massy from Vancouver’s Massy Books!
Massy Books is a 100% Indigenous owned and operated bookstore in Vancouver’s Chinatown neighbourhood. The store opened its doors in June 2017, and — in addition to books — houses a performance space and art gallery. Massy Books is committed to supporting the local community, and has partnered with non-profit organizations such as Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS), The Writer’s Exchange (WE), and Respecting Aboriginal Values and Environmental Needs (RAVEN). In addition, they’ve worked with Talking Stick Festival, Megaphone Magazine, Write to Read, the Language & Literacy Researchers of Canada, and many other festivals and organizations!
1. How have you adapted your business in response to COVID-19? Are there particular initiatives that you’d like to share?
We immediately moved into increasing our online presence. The same week non-essential businesses shut down, we hired Emily Dundas Oke as our media manager and curator within our non-profit, Massy Arts Society. The timing worked out perfectly in terms of keeping her busy with tasks, as our non-profit was put on hold due to cancelled events - stay tuned as we announce a plethora of events, exhibitions, and partnerships! Regarding initiatives, we introduced our free delivery service which resulted in a surge of online orders. We’ve also begun preparing book gifts and bundles. We’ve always loved giving recommendations, and we’ve begun preparing themed book lists - such as Feminist Dystopias and Indigenous Plant Ecology and Medicine. These are shared through social media and our newsletter.
2. Will you continue with any of these initiatives or business practices when brick-and-mortar bookstores reopen to customers?
Yes, absolutely, we're going to continue with delivery and give Amazon a run for its money. I mean, we're going to try anyway! We’re also building our book list platform to help customers explore the breadth of titles we carry - and partner with special interest groups, conferences, and book clubs to build book lists as well!
3. Have you noticed a shift in book-buying habits amongst your customers?
Yes, definitely. We're selling more new books than we have before, and continue to give recommendations to readers.
4. Have you experimented with new tools or technologies during COVID-19? Do you anticipate continuing to use these?
We’re using Bookmanager, which has been a lifesaver. For the last two years, pre-COVID, we've been slowly uploading our entire stock into our database, and so this is something we'll continue to do. We've discovered that many people purchase books in the middle of the night! It's not uncommon for us to arrive to 30 book orders from the time we left. We've also been using Google Maps to simplify and streamline our delivery services, which cuts down on the time our drivers spend figuring out delivery routes and contacting customers. On average, one delivery driver can drop off 50-70 orders in a day.
5. What is your biggest takeaway from working as a bookseller while physical-distancing measures have been in place?
That art and books are providing relief for a lot of folks self-isolating and in quarantine. Imagine getting through this time without anything to read?! Also, from the sheer number of books we're selling, it's very apparent people are searching for alternatives to Amazon. Now that they've discovered it's just as easy to order from your local independent bookstore, I don't think many people will be going back.
Looking to support independent retailers in your area? Rocky Mountain Books' publisher, Don Gorman, has created a map of indie booksellers across Canada who are currently offering delivery and / or curb-side pickup.
Got a story about how your organization has responded to COVID-19? We want to hear from you! Please fill out this short questionnaire.
Insights from the 2023 Canadian Book Consumer survey.