David vs Goliath, Secondhand bookshops fight off digital sellers

Despite online retail giants eating into the book market, secondhand book shops are seeing quiet success in connecting lovers of literature. Kirra Irving reports.

A second-hand bookstore in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs is “making a quid” despite the popularity of online shopping.  

While the online retail market continues to grow, McKinnon's Bombara Books remains a local gem for readers, providing what online sellers lack: a place to indulge in literary conversation, connect, and find a second-hand book a new home.  

With over 4000 secondhand books, owner Stephen Prior "seem(s) to be getting a lot of return customers" despite the store opening only late last year. Prior said that while online shopping platforms like Amazon and eBay have dominated the market, brick-and-mortar stores like Bombara Books offer a social space.

“Most people just enjoy coming in”, Prior said. “They can sit and read for hours, I don’t care.”  

Prior's collection is the culmination of books from donations and sellers around Australia, the extensive catalogue passing through all genres of fiction and non-fiction. However, the newly opened bookstore faces a giant enemy in the online retail market.

Online shopping is becoming an increasingly preferred method for Aussies. According to the Australia Post 2024 eCommerce report, Australians spent a total of $69 billion online, setting a new record for the country.  

Sites such as eBay, Gumtree, The Book Grocer, or even Facebook Marketplace are becoming a favoured way of shopping for readers to buy second-hand books. Despite this, Prior's small business continues to thrive, believing that online booksellers sometimes get it wrong. 

“The internet has made a lot of things different. Nowadays, people put their second-hand books on the internet, there’s a market on the internet,” Prior said.  

“But really, sometimes it’s far too low for what the books are worth”, Prior said, finding that sellers often miscalculate the prices of books.  

“I know what I’m selling. I don't know the industry particularly, but I know what I'm selling.” 

Local customer Connor, 24, remembers discovering the store half a year ago when walking down McKinnon Rd. 

“I had no idea that it was there, and just looked in and thought it looked pretty cute”. 

Connor recalls “being shocked” at the expansiveness of the store. 

“He literally had a book on everything that you can think of.” 

The Online Marketplace category revealed a growth of 22.3% over a 12-month period, leading the eCommerce growth in 2024. The Books, Stationery & Multimedia category reported a growth of 19.3%, with an online spending figure of $2.2 billion.

Prior maintains a humble approach with his customers, finding that the best part of the job is the people and talking about what all the customers have in common – a love for books.  

“You learn a lot, and you can teach a bit. I'm not a teacher, but it’s great when you see a person, you recommend a book, and they buy it, then they buy another from the same author or the same genre. I like that.” 

While the digital era may challenge traditional face-to-face shopping, Bombora Books offers strong hope for small businesses, prioritising real-life connections that are often lost behind the computer screen.