Book buyers go indie as they skip social media, algorithms

18 October 2024

Sarah Manavis, writing for The Guardian:

A survey commissioned by the Booksellers Association ahead of Bookshop Day tomorrow has found that gen Z and millennials are more likely to buy a book based on a bookseller’s recommendation — in person, in a bookshop — than older age groups: 49% and 56% respectively, compared with 37% of gen X and 31% of baby boomers.

Younger book buyers, Generation Z and Millennials, would rather a bookseller recommend a title to buy, than rely on a social media influencer, or ideas served up by an algorithm. I don’t think I’ve ever taken up an influencer’s novel suggestion (the few times I see such things), because it strikes me as being paid advertising (of course it’s a great read), and not a bona fide recommendation.

And in other good news: reports of the death of browsing in bookshops for hours on end, also seems to be much exaggerated.