With the demise of the Net Book Agreement some years ago, independent booksellers came under increasing pressure from the large chain stores, which were able to use their purchasing power to gain ever-increasing discounts from publishers. Similarly, the supermarket chains now feature heavily discounted bestseller titles. In recent years, the growth of Internet-based bookselling operations has increased the pressure on local bookshops, and many have been forced to close. Unable to match the huge discounts on offer from these national companies, the local bookseller has had to use the only tools available to them; an in-depth knowledge of books and the book trade, and the ability to offer a personal and efficient service. Until recently, the cost of extending that service to include a fully interactive Website has been prohibitive.

The aim of LocalBookShopsOnline.co.uk and The Book Partnership is to help redress the balance and enable local bookshops to compete effectively, by offering a complete online service to all their customers, be they individual or institutional buyers. With the co-operation of Nielsen BookData, The Book Partnership is now able to offer independent traders a fully searchable online database of approximately 2.2 million book titles, at an affordable price, with the ability to accept online orders 24 hours a day.