While most small businesses have been poleaxed by the pandemic, it has led to a remarkable growth in sales for one fledgling Scottish business. Edinburgh-based Rare Birds Book Club, a book subscription service aimed at women, has seen a 52% increase in sales since the lockdown.
The company’s offering, which is a monthly book delivery complimented by digital book club, was founded in 2017, and had already seen steady growth in sales, with almost 1,000 subscribers per month, with half buying for themselves and half buying as gifts. But over the first four weeks of the lockdown its sales increased by 52%, with a huge switch towards pay-as-you-go gift purchasing for friends stuck indoors.
A healthy 10% of all orders are now being shipped internationally from owner Rachel Wood’s spare room instead of her headquarters in Edinburgh city centre.
Rare Birds Book Club offers members the chance to pick between two surprise books each month (or upgrade to both) before joining like-minded subscribers in the digital book club to discuss this month’s read. Its ethos being rooted in a service that was both letter-box friendly and heavily digital has turned out to be a winning one during the lockdown. Wood has also launched a podcast, which sees her and two friends waxing lyrical about all things books.
- For more information visit rarebirdsbookclub.com
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