The European Bookshop Business Model: Challenges, Opportunities, and Enduring Cultural Significance

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David Piovesan

The European Bookshop Business Model

Challenges, Opportunities, and Enduring Cultural Significance

David Piovesan

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Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

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English

Routledge
08 October 2025

Cultural studies; Media studies; Distributive industries; Publishing industry

Drawing on original primary data, this book offers a comparative account of the European bookshop model, charting how it has evolved in the contemporary economy, how recent industry transformations have impacted it, and how bookshops have sought to adapt to new market conditions.

Covering the period from the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 up until the present day, this book considers the evolution, both historic and economic, of European countries and book markets to arrive at a broad picture of the European bookshop model today. It draws on interviews with over 250 book industry players across 23 countries to critically consider the evolution of systems, legislative frameworks, reading habits, competition, and market structure, situating these changes within a broader set of current issues and cultural shifts. Alongside the ongoing challenges posed by disruption – from digitization to a hyper-abundance of books – the author also reflects on the key strategies that bookshops have deployed to overcome them, including via collective action and curation. Depicting an uncertain outlook for the industry, including the impact of AI, this text nonetheless offers hope for the future of the bookshop and bears testament to its enduring social and cultural significance.

The European Bookshop Business Model is recommended reading for advanced students and researchers in fields including Book Studies, Publishing Studies, Cultural Industries, and Retail and also for book players.

By: David Piovesan
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm,
Weight: 640g
ISBN: 9781041015024
ISBN 10: 104101502X
Pages: 122
Publication Date: 08 October 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Further / Higher Education
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Acknowledgements Foreword Introduction Chapter 1 - State of play Chapter 2 - Business Model Chapter 3 - Competition Chapter 4 - Strategies Conclusion References Appendix Index

David Piovesan is an Associate Professor in Management Sciences at Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3, France, and a former CEO of a French independent bookshop. He is leading a research program on book markets from a European-based perspective. He has been a visiting researcher in several universities (Prague, Padua, Münster). He is regularly invited as a speaker at book fairs and professional meetings all over Europe. He is also conducting research about how book players are facing ecological issues.