Book lovers, rejoice – there’s a new way to support your favourite independent bookstores in Singapore.

Bookshop.sg, which launches Wednesday (May 14), is a one-stop online shopping platform that brings together eight independent local bookstores, allowing readers to browse and purchase books from all of them in one place, without the need to visit each store in person or to hop between different websites.

The eight participating bookshops are: Epigram Books, Wardah Books, City Book Room, Union Book, Sea Breeze Books, Nurul Anwar Bookstore, Basheer Graphic Books and Thryft.

Bookshop.sg will allow readers to explore a wide selection of titles, from local literary fiction and graphic design to Malay books and titles on religion and spirituality, among many others.

So, how does it work? Let’s say you’re looking for The Original Daughter by Jemimah Wei, To The Last Gram by Shreya Davies, or Why Palestine? Reflections From Singapore by Walid Jumblatt Abdullah – all recent popular titles by Singaporean authors. Or perhaps you’re not sure what to look for, but you’re interested in either a book about historical fiction or an international bestseller on mental health. 

You can simply search for a title or browse through the various book categories available on the site and purchase. The platform runs on an artificial intelligence (AI) system similar to what thrift store Thryft uses for its own secondhand store. 

Browsing, checkout and payment are handled seamlessly on Bookshop.sg, while logistics are managed on the backend. Orders above S$150 qualify for free shipping, even if your books are from multiple bookstores. Otherwise, a flat delivery fee ...