Booktopia: ‘We need to work together – government and business – to emphasise the importance and joy of reading’
In the lead-up to the 2025 Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs), Books+Publishing is in conversation with the event’s major sponsors about the status of the industry, what excites them about the future, and what they have to offer publishers, booksellers and readers. Sophie Higgins, head of merchandise at Booktopia, spoke with the publication.
This segment is supported by the event sponsors.
Booktopia has experienced some upheaval over the last 12 months. What would you like to share with us about Booktopia in 2025?
In August 2024, new owner Shant Kradjian took the reins of Booktopia, inheriting a company in hibernation – so much so that there was even time to play cricket in an empty warehouse. Fast forward six months, and the turnaround has been remarkable.
We activated a large nation-wide marketing campaign in the lead up to the Christmas period and now we’re getting back to where our market share has always been. Over 75% of customers are returning shoppers. We’re also attracting new customers every single day and seeing consistent increases in our website traffic.
Despite the well-publicised collapse and the challenges customers faced, their loyalty to the brand has been heartening. The new leadership has acted swiftly, eliminating what wasn’t working and doubling down on what was. Some team members have been with Booktopia since its early days nearly 20 years ago, preserving invaluable knowledge however more than half of the current team is new which brings fresh energy and a new perspective.
What’s your top piece of actionable advice for people working in bookselling?
Some of the best skills you can bring to any industry are potentially to be found outside it. While I found my time outside the bookselling industry excruciating and returning was like coming home, further study and experience in other businesses can bring some important perspective. We should all know how to read a basic profit and loss statement for example and be able to have a good sense of the financial health of our businesses no matter our roles.
Tell us an interesting fact about Booktopia that industry folks might not know.
I always thought of Booktopia as an eCommerce and distribution powerhouse, but I was surprised by how deeply its team loves books. From passionate romantasy enthusiasts in IT to crime fiction lovers in finance, the company is filled with genuine book people – just like any great bookseller!
Thinking of the last few years in publishing and bookselling, what has excited or interested you the most?
As a child, I secretly read my grandmother’s Mills & Boon novels, often hidden behind the couch or wrapped in brown paper. Today, I love seeing readers embrace ‘spicy’ genres openly! Even fantasy and crime fiction once carried a stigma, but that has changed.
The Australia Reads report highlighted the importance of comfort and escape for readers. Engaged genre readers are vital to our industry’s success, and it’s exciting to see more people proudly embracing their reading passions.
With sustainability being a key national and industry concern, how do you balance your commitment to sustainability with the practicalities of the energy requirements of distribution and delivery?
Sustainability presents inherent challenges in logistics, but I was genuinely impressed when I first toured the new Booktopia facility. The technology in our Customer Fulfillment Centre (CFC) has been purpose-built to minimise waste, and sustainability remains an ongoing focus.
For example, offcuts are recycled and reused as packaging, and innovation is actively encouraged. Just last week, a member of our warehouse team shared how a side project he personally investigated will reduce waste by thousands of kilograms every month. Their next initiative is exploring biodegradable adhesives in collaboration with our suppliers.
Additionally, Booktopia has one of the lowest return rates in the industry, significantly reducing waste. We are exploring further partnerships and there are several exciting initiatives in the works. Watch this space!
Booktopia began selling print books, expanded to digital books, and now also carries audiobooks to meet consumer demand. What are some things you’ve noticed about format popularity in the last few years?
It has been fantastic to witness the surge in audiobook popularity – I firmly believe readers should consume stories however they prefer. It’s also exciting to see bestselling physical books emerging from popular podcasts, like Mel Robbins’ The Let Them Theory, which is currently dominating the charts.
One trend I particularly love is the enduring and growing appreciation for physical books as beautiful objects. Hardback special editions – featuring ribbons, sprayed edges, and intricate designs – have become collector’s items. Many of my colleagues prefer reading digitally but still purchase special editions of their favourite books.
Even Elle Decor recently ran an article titled ‘How Bookshelf Wealth Became the Ultimate Status Symbol’. I think we should embrace this trend – it reinforces the idea that books are both treasured keepsakes and cultural markers.
What is the state of the book industry right now? If you could name one factor that most underpins this impression, what would it be?
Like many, I’m really hopeful. Every year for the past two decades, someone has predicted the industry’s demise, but bookselling has proven remarkably resilient.
In 2011, Australian Minister for Small Business Nick Sherry claimed bookstores would ‘disappear in five years’. Yet, Nielsen reported that 2023 book sales were the second highest on record. Yes, the post-Covid boom is tapering, but so many new readers are discovering the joy of reading and are here to stay.
One of the most encouraging signs? The Australia Reads report found that most Australians want to read more. As concerns grow about screen time’s impact on wellbeing – especially for children – the value of reading for pleasure is becoming clearer than ever.
If you could change one thing about the industry at a systemic level, what would it be?
I’d love to see a united effort to tackle what I see as the industry’s biggest crisis: declining literacy levels.
It’s easy to focus on our retail competitors, but a very real issue is that 44% of Australian adults lack functional literacy skills (ABS data). We need to work together – government and business – to emphasise the importance and joy of reading, particularly for the next generation.
What do you think the next five years hold for the book industry in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand?
The market will likely decline slightly from its Covid-era peak, but we will retain some of that growth. One promising development is the increased focus on distribution. Publishers now recognise that keeping titles in stock and delivering them faster is crucial. In some cases, the turnaround from order to delivery to our warehouse is now 24–48 hours – a vast improvement from the previous four-to-five-day standard.
AI is another emerging force in the industry. While we’re still in the early stages of understanding its impact, it’s a topic that will shape bookselling in both positive and more challenging ways.
What book from Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand have you most recently enjoyed?
I’m passionate about children’s literacy. After enduring the phonics readers that come home in school bags, I was delighted to read the new Ebb & Flo series by Laura and Phillip Bunting with my five-year-old (after we did our required reader, of course!). Funny, bright, and engaging, the series is perfect for beginner readers, seamlessly balancing education and entertainment. A top recommendation for kids aged 4–6, as well as their parents and educators!
The Australian Book Industry Awards are presented for achievements in bringing Australian books to readers. This year marks the event’s 25th anniversary.
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Category: ABIA
