USING INDIEBOOKSTORES.CA

IndieBookstores.ca is the place for shopping independent bookstores across Canada. This reader-facing website helps people plan their book purchases, find books that match their interests, and find Canadian indie bookstores to support.

The website is user-friendly and regularly updated with new content including bestseller lists and information about campaigns such a Canadian Independent Bookstore Day. Book data—including contributor information, list price, descriptions, and BISAC codes—is populated based on the information provided to Bookmanager.

We strongly encourage publishers, industry partners, and book media to utilize IndieBookstores.ca in all of their public-facing communications. You may have become familiar with a “Shop Local” API/widget over the last few years (and may even employ it on your website already!), but IndieBookstores.ca has now made sharing books even easier.

Simply use the following link structure whenever you want to share a book on your website, in event descriptions, newsletters, or articles, or on social media: indiebookstores.ca/book/ISBNHereWithNoDashes/

Some examples:

We Rip the World Apart by Charlene Carr: https://www.indiebookstores.ca/book/9781443468367/
Teeth by Dallas Hunt: https://www.indiebookstores.ca/book/9780889714526/
I'm Hungry by Elise Gravel: https://www.indiebookstores.ca/book/9781459838925/

Want to drive pre-order sales from your author’s website? Have them include the IndieBookstores.ca link on their page so customers can order directly from their local indie bookstore. Unlike the Shop Local API, IndieBookstores.ca allows you to direct your audience to more than a single ISBN. For example, authors can use the link to promote their entire catalogue: https://www.indiebookstores.ca/books/?term=elise+gravel

For ease of use with forthcoming titles, the API has been modified to display as a "pre-order" link instead of "in stock" or "on order." The modification will help customers understand that they are reserving a title in advance of its release date. This is a great enhancement to a tool designed to help authors, publishers, and other organizations get their books into readers' hands via indie booksellers.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Add your title's ISBN to this url: indiebookstores.ca/book/ISBNHereWithNoDashes/
2. Create or upload an IndieBookstores.ca button to your website (see below for templates or you can create your own)
3. Hyperlink button using the IndieBookstores.ca with your unique ISBN
4. Direct readers! When they click on the link and enter their postal code, they will see the closest indie bookstore where they can order or pre-order the book.

If you have any questions, please contact Laura Carter.

Buttons:

Download individual options below using "Save As" or click here to download all the options. Looking for another combination or message? Give us a shout!