Scottish-based book club sees sales up 204% YoY
Membership figures projected to double in 2021
Even split between self-purchase and gifting
Rare Birds Book Club has offered a welcome distraction and a meaningful network for women across the world since its inception in 2017. As COVID-19 brought about the closure of businesses from independent to global, the monthly membership and digital book club saw its figures explode, with an increase in sales of over 52% during the first lockdown alone.
Twelve-months on and with three lockdowns under the country’s belt, the brand, which offers letterbox sized gifts to keep us entertained, has found itself to be one of the few winners of the pandemic.
The home of women’s fiction, Rare Birds Book Club has been a balm to combat the loneliness, anxiety and unease that Coronavirus has brought, not to mention the boredom. Showing just how much a year of being homebound has affected the nation’s shopping habits, Rare Birds announced a 255% increase when comparing January 2020 to January 2021 and an overall increase of 204% YoY. This equates to over 1,200 new monthly members across the last twelve months.
As a monthly service which delivers a surprise work of female fiction to your door, Rare Birds Book Club’s best-seller for 2020 was the pay-as-you-go option, “people love the flexibility and convenience, especially in these uncertain times” according to founder Rachel Wood.
However, that being said, last year saw over 44% of all Rare Birds purchase a 12-month membership or longer, meaning that for them the club is more than just something to keep them going during lockdown. On top of that, figures saw an almost even split, with 51% of members purchased for themselves, whilst 49% ordered as a gift for someone else.
Rachel Wood expands on why now, more than ever, people have been reawakening their love of reading: “Our mission at Rare Birds is simple: to make reading fun again. This year, nothing has seemed particularly fun and with fear at an all-time high and an inability to see our loved ones, a little escapism has been sorely needed.
“From the excitement of receiving a surprise book to the ability to gift those we miss, and have it fit neatly through their letterbox, we have been doing what we can to offer a touch of light relief in this difficult year.”
With a plan that is sure to set the literary world on fire, Rare Birds predicts it will double its members in 2021, finishing out the year with even more likeminded bibliophiles.
The brand will also see a number of big releases including a new line of gifting and a new way of selling in the second half of the year.
For more information visit https://rarebirdsbookclub.com/
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