Why join Booksellers?
Being a member of Booksellers Aotearoa NZ is the best way to find your people
Our membership is a cross-section of booksellers from small to large, independent, secondhand, festival, franchise, online, specialist and campus booksellers. Membership allows you to access the collective wisdom of booksellers from across Aotearoa, while giving you deals and information to help you run your business more effectively.
We are founding members of the Coalition for Books, a collaborative organisation that works to raise the profile of Aotearoa’s books and authors.
Booksellers founded BookHub in 2023, an e-commerce platform which allows customers to buy a book online from over 50 bookshops around the country, and find a store locally to visit.
Being a member of Booksellers has immediate and tangible benefits for your business. We look forward to having you in the community.
Handy hints for opening a bookstore
Bookseller Member Benefits
Subscription to The Read, Members Mail and Preview of Reviews (starting again in April), an advance list of the books to be reviewed in newspapers, magazines and on radio.
Access to the Booksellers Aotearoa Exchange Card scheme, which encourages the public to buy books as gifts for others.
Access to the RISE Bookselling network of exchanges, conferences and education programmes, organised by the European and International Booksellers Federation.
Access to the Booksellers Buying Group, enabling better terms for your book buying.
Access to BookHub: only full members of Booksellers can be on BookHub
Booksellers members can sell and redeem Booksellers Tokens – valid in over 200 bookshops nationwide – and sell and redeem the Booksellers Gift Card – sold in supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations and department stores nationwide, but only redeemable at bookshops.
Our advocacy on key issues affecting the industry to government, agencies and other book industry organisations.
Webinars and workshops to increase knowledge and support the business of bookselling.
Expert advice and information in a multitude of areas affecting bookselling, and access to the expert advice of other booksellers in Aotearoa New Zealand via our members-only channels.
Associate Member Benefits
for suppliers to booksellers and industry organisations
Associate members receive a subscription to both the weekly industry newsletter The Read and Preview of Reviews, an advance list of the books to be reviewed in newspapers, magazines and on radio.
Discount rates on all Booksellers and BookHub advertising opportunities.
Discounted rates to conference and trade days.
30 free New Release listings a year. Each listing appears in The Read and on booksellers.co.nz and bookhub.co.nz, enabling premium exposure for your books.
Distribution lists for all bookseller members.
Small Press Membership
for small publishers and not-for-profit industry organisations
Small press members receive a subscription to both the weekly industry newsletter The Read and Preview of Reviews, an advance list of the books to be reviewed in newspapers, magazines and on radio.
Discount rates on all Booksellers and BookHub advertising opportunities.
Discounted rates to conference and trade days.
5 free New Release listings a year. Each listing appears in The Read and on booksellers.co.nz and bookhub.co.nz, enabling premium exposure for your books.
Distribution lists for all bookseller members.
Our members are booksellers, publishers and industry friends
Annual National Conference
One of the highlights of the year, our annual conference brings our members together from across the country to hear from booksellers, authors, publishers and specialists to interrogate our industry and reflect on trends and best practice. It is an opportunity to network, learn new skills, spend time on your business and to reward your staff over a weekend focused on bookselling. One day is dedicated to a trade exhibition showcasing all the best upcoming titles and offering opportunities to network with publishers and suppliers to the industry.
We also host the Aotearoa Book Industry Awards recognising excellence in the publishing and bookselling world.
Aotearoa NZ Bookshop Day
Observed in October is our annual grassroots celebration of bookselling and bookshops. We provide promotional collateral, cheerlead bookshops through social and traditional media, run national competitions, and lift the profile of bookshops as we head into our most important trading period.
Trade days and networking events
As well as our major trade event after our annual conference, Booksellers also manages trade events in Wellington and Christchurch, enabling networking and business meetings with all publishers and booksellers around the country. These events create valuable opportunities to meet with colleagues, learn about other publishers and discuss books, bookselling, supply and publishing, with actionable insights to apply directly to your business.