Our thinking

A novel idea

29 April, 2022

For all the convenience offered by Kindles and Kobos, most bibliophiles agree that nothing beats the feeling of a physical book. But in light of the ongoing climate crisis, can we really countenance consuming even more resources just to hold the latest literature in our hands?

Fortunately, thanks to Wob, we don’t have to.

Formerly known as World of Books, Wob is one of the largest retailers of second-hand books in the world. The business works by buying up unsold inventory of used books, mostly from UK charity shops, and reselling them either to consumers or wholesale recyclers. Today, Wob sells around 12 million books a year to over 190 countries – not bad for a platform that began as a few friends fishing books out of a charity shop bin.

The benefits of Wob’s business model are multi-fold: boosting charity shop income, diverting old books from waste streams, and preventing the purchase of new books. And as a certified B Corp, it’s clear that the platform is committed to positive impact. Wob even operates a sister platform Ziffit, which buys used books directly from individuals, allowing you to give your old literature a new lease on life.

So next time you’re on the hunt for a new page-turner (with actual pages to turn), why not Wob?

By Louise Podmore