A new survey by the Booksellers Association (BA) has found that booksellers are readers’ top choice when it comes to knowledgeable sources of book recommendations. The survey is unveiled today, ahead of Bookshop Day on Saturday 12 October, the annual celebration of all high street bookshops across the UK.

According to the survey, 71% of Brits think a bookseller at a physical bookshop is knowledgeable when it comes to making book recommendations (source: Censuswide, September 2024). Booksellers score higher knowledge than any other source of book recommendations, surpassing family and friends (whom are deemed knowledgeable by 65% of the sample), book clubs (62%), online reviews (61%), social media influencers (39%), and AI recommendations (39%).
 
Across the different age groups, 65% of Gen Z’s and 74% of Millennials think a bookseller at a physical bookshop is knowledgeable in making book recommendations. The younger generations are also more likely to purchase a book based on a bookseller’s recommendation than the older generations – 49% for Gen Z’s and 56% of Millennials compared to 37% of Generation X and 31% of Baby Boomers.
 
The survey also found that almost 3 in 5 (59%) of UK public agree they would prefer human recommendations over AI suggestions when book-shopping. The results comes as the impact of AI in the book industry is continuing to grow, from AI-generated book covers to its impact on the work of translators.
 
The results confirmed that real-life booksellers and physical bookshops still offer a worthwhile experience. For 58% of Brits, a visit to a physical bookshop enhances their book discovery experience more than online browsing, and 61% find the atmosphere in physical bookshops inspiring to discover new books. A similar percentage (62%) agree that physical bookshops offer a sense of community that online retailers cannot replicate.
 
The survey bears witness to the role that physical bookshops play in enhancing the book discovery and book-buying experience for readers. On this year’s Bookshop Day (Saturday 12 October), customers are encouraged to pay a visit and support their local bookshop, and to make the most of the hundreds of initiatives organised by booksellers to mark the occasion.
 
From author events and book signings, stunning window displays to story-time for the little ones, Bookshop Day will have something in store for everyone. This year’s theme is “Bookshops Making a Difference”, highlighting the positive contribution bookshops make to their local communities all year round. The campaign celebrates bookshops not only as valuable retail spaces on our high streets, but also as places that are committed to making a positive impact, through pay it forward schemes, events that bring authors and readers together, cultivating treasured venues for the community to gather, and so much more.
 
Emma Bradshaw, Head of Campaigns at the Booksellers Association, said: “A key message for all of our consumer-facing campaigns is that bookshops (and booksellers) are the best source of book recommendations, so we’re delighted to see that the results of this survey show that readers agree with us. Our local bookshops provide a level of service that is to be valued and enjoyed all year round. We hope that readers and gift-buyers will head to their local bookshops this Saturday and enjoy all that they have to offer.“
 
Details of Bookshop Day events taking place across the country can be found on the Books Are My Bag Facebook events page. Booklovers can also find out about events happening in bookshops near them by signing up to National Book Tokens Discover – the ultimate destination for all things books – or by searching for their local bookshops on the National Book Tokens site. Find more at nationalbooktokens.com
 
Follow the latest developments for Bookshop Day on social media: #BookshopDay @booksaremybag