A BOOK seller is hoping that a nationwide initiative by independent traders can challenge Amazon and turn the page on lost sales due to lockdown.

Rossiter Books, run by husband and wife team Andy and Victoria Rossiter, say independent booksellers are facing an existential threat due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

But they and others across the UK have launched a powerful new tool to allow their loyal customers to support them by buying through new online site Bookshop.org when they shop for books online.

They have bookshops in Ross-on-Wye, Monmouth and Leominster, and Andy said: “Being an independent bookseller has for so many years been such a David v Goliath battle that it feels slightly disconcerting when someone at last hands you a bazooka instead of you peppering away with your slingshot.”

In a statement on their website, the couple said: “With varying lockdown measures currently being enforced across the UK, including complete bookshop closures in Ireland and Wales, many independent bookshops are now facing a very uncertain sales period in the all-important run-up to Christmas after an already challenging year.

“Bookshop was founded with the belief that independent bookshops are vital to our culture.

“As consumers are increasingly realising that where they spend their money matters, Bookshop.org offers an entirely new approach to online shopping, giving customers the power to support the local high street when they buy books online.

“Bookshop.org offers an ethical online marketplace for socially conscious online shoppers that ensures independent bookshops receive the full profit margin (30 per cent of the cover price) from each sale they generate on the platform.

“Books are offered to consumers at a small discount and delivered within 2-3 days.”

Rossiter’s Monmouth shop is currently closed until next week owing to the Welsh lockdown, while its Ross store will be shut for four weeks from this Thursday, as England goes into a month-long virus circuit breaker.

With over 150 British bookshops already signed up from all corners of the UK since it opened the site to them just over two weeks ago, the launch of Bookshop has been welcomed by independent booksellers and publishers, with industry members describing it as “a revolutionary moment in the history of bookselling in the UK” and “the establishment of a brilliant online partner for our thriving independent bookselling community”.

Bookshop.org first launched in the USA in January and has already raised over $7.5m for independent bookshops in the States.

It has brought forward its UK launch in response to the significant impact of the pandemic on independent retailers, which has seen Amazon enjoying an even greater advantage over the high street.

Demand for books has actually been strong throughout lockdown, with publisher Bloomsbury reporting its highest profits for 12 years last month as people sought reading material to keep them occupied during lockdown.

Bookshop.org founder and chief executive Andy Hunter said: “Bookshops are essential to a healthy culture, and online sales are vital to safeguarding their future.

“Covid-19 has added further urgency to the need for bookshops to compete for online sales.”

UK operation has been launched by former Etsy international boss Nicole Vanderbilt.

She said: “At a time when Amazon has enjoyed even greater advantage over high street competitors as a result of the pandemic, Bookshop.org offers a socially conscious alternative to customers wishing to shop online, while supporting bookshops in competing in an ecommerce environment.

“We’re delighted to be launching in the UK and look forward to working with bookshops, publishers, authors and beyond across the UK, while offering customers an entirely new online shopping experience.”