Spotify Launches One-Click Physical Book Ordering

On Wednesday, Spotify launched a feature in the US and UK that allows users to purchase physical books with a single click within the app. The feature is part of a partnership with Bookshop.org, an online marketplace dedicated to supporting local, independent bookstores.

When users navigate to an audiobook in the Spotify app, they can scroll past the description in the “About” tab to find a section labeled “Get the printed edition.” Tapping the row with the book cover and format opens a dialog with the heading “Buy from Bookshop.org,” which directs them to Bookshop’s website to complete the purchase. Bookshop.org manages pricing, inventory and shipping for the transaction.

The ability to purchase physical books is currently available exclusively on Android devices, with iOS users expected to gain access the following week. The feature is accessible to both free and Premium Spotify subscribers and applies to approximately 60,000 top titles available in the app.

Bookshop.org gives 80% of its profits to independent bookstores and has raised more than $46 million since its launch in 2020. Customers can choose to purchase from an independent store or directly from the site, with a portion of each purchase contributing to a profit-sharing pool that supports participating bookstores.

Owen Smith, Spotify’s global head of audiobooks, stated that the collaboration aims to “make reading fit into modern life” and “make it easier for people to engage with books while supporting growth for authors and publishers along the way.” He added that Spotify wants to help users transition seamlessly from listening to an audiobook to owning a physical copy.

The feature builds on Spotify’s earlier “Page Match” tool, which allows users to scan a page from a physical or e-book using their smartphone camera. The tool analyzes the content and directs users to the corresponding section in the audiobook. Since its launch for English language books in February, Spotify reported that users who use Page Match stream an average of 55% more audiobook hours each week compared to other listeners. 62% of Page Matched audiobook titles on Spotify are books that users had never streamed before.

Page Match has since been expanded to support more than 30 additional languages, including French, German, and Swedish. Spotify first introduced the feature in February and announced the physical book purchasing capability at the same time.

The physical book purchasing option is part of Spotify’s broader strategy to increase profitability, which has included recent subscription price increases in the US and Europe. The company recently reported reaching 751 million monthly active listeners globally.

By integrating book sales into its platform, Spotify aims to compete with major booksellers and position itself as a one-stop shop for audiobook listeners who also want to own physical copies of the books they hear.