![]() ![]() ![]() The bookstore has collaborated with delivery service Dunzo in the National Capital Region to ensure books reach customers. Mirza Touseef Baig of Midland, a Delhi-based bookstore operating since 1978, said 90% of its orders after the lockdown came through Instagram and WhatsApp. For now, bookstores are themselves leveraging technology to reach loyal readers. Along with e-books, online marketplaces such as Amazon and Flipkart pose an existential threat to small bookstores. Smaller bookstores face a tougher challenge. Chiragh Oberoi, the chief executive officer of Crossword bookstore chain, said he did not see a threat to book-stores from digital products. Some brick-and-mortar booksellers dismissed the threat of ebooks, arguing that they continue to remain a niche segment. HarperCollins India, for one, is spending a lot of time and resources to mitigate the risk of piracy, said Padmanabhan. The problem could only rise with more online activity. ![]() But it still maintains a sizable lead over Google searches for “buy online" or “delivery". This number has come down after the lockdown was lifted, possibly when delivery services for paperbacks resumed. When books find interest, how can piracy be left behind? As interest in e-books went up, so did web searches for “free downloads". Screen fatigue, he said, was a factor that had led a lot of people to proactively explore audio content. “But that doubling was not particularly significant because ebooks themselves are a low value category."Īudible India country head Shailesh Sawlani said changes in lifestyle due to the pandemic had accelerated the rise in consumption of audio books. “E-books doubled in sales," said managing director Thomas Abraham. Hachette India, too, had similar results. HarperCollins India claimed e-book sales had risen over 75% and the publisher organized its second e-book “mega sale" last week. “We have seen a major increase in sales of learning and activity books, especially in the primary age level (3-9)."Īs the world increasingly turned online, e-books saw a surge in demand. “Kids, unfortunately, have been inside homes, unable to go to school or play outside or visit friends," said Ananth Padmanabhan, CEO of HarperCollins India. Children’s books also saw increased interest, both on Google search and in sales. ![]()
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