I sit down with Andy Hunter, founder and CEO of Bookshop.org, to unpack how their e-commerce platform operates as one big affiliate network to support independent bookstores. It’s the classic “David vs. Goliath” story where the company is giving small retail businesses a way to compete directly with Amazon. Against all odds, Bookshop.org is working. They’ve already raised over $43 million for indie bookstores and are just getting started.
In this conversation we discuss:
* The “Silver Lining” of Amazon’s dominance and the resurgence of local bricks-and-mortar bookstores.
* How Bookshop.org handles logistics and supply chains for bookstores
* How Bookshop.org operates like one big affiliate network
* Expanding into eBooks
* Why publishers and tranditional media outlets are important for book culture
* The difference between algorithmic recommendations and human curation
* Expanding this decentralized model to other industries to support local retail
Enjoy!
Watch on YouTube; listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
Recording Date: November 19, 2025
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:06 David vs. Goliath
02:10 Silver Lining Of Amazon’s Dominance
06:24 Chipping Away At Amazon And Supporting Independent Bookstores
11:46 How Bookshop.org Works
20:33 One Big Affiliate Network: From Influencers to New York Times
24:08 Role of Book Publishers And Wholesalers
26:03 Launching During COVID-19
32:32 Breaking Down the Economic Business Model
37:53 Importance Of Staying Lean
41:25 Expanding Into eBooks
44:05 Supporting Independent Authors
46:13 Media’s Role In Book Culture
52:11 Optimizing For Human Happiness
57:00 Applying Bookshop.org’s Model To Other Industries
59:45 Rapid Fire
* Follow Jordan on X:
* Links to Andy’s Work:
* Website - Bookshop.org
* Email – andy@bookshop.org
Remember to go direct!
Jordan
P.S. Build with love
