Readr
Bringing the best in a bookstore back online
The online bookstore has lost its touch. Beautiful books are reduced to flattened images and crowdsourced reviews. The nuance of why people buy books is lost in favor of a rapid one click purchase.
Readr aims to bring the joy of browsing a bookstore online. While it can’t mimic the smell or touch of a book, it can do the rest. By establishing expert reviewers and editorializing the browsing experience, shoppers will feel the same joy of picking a book off the shelf and reading the first page.
Open Book
The product description page mimics the experience of opening a book. Prominent quotes, and immediate access to a scan of the front page, breathe life into the product beyond the cover. Descriptions and recommendations reassure the book buyer of their purchase before they add it to their personal library.
Refreshing Ways to Search
One of the great joys of shopping for books is discovering the unexpected. Book recommendations have become algorithmic, leading to findings that can feel disingenuous. By taking a step back, reintroducing the concept of a shelf, and conversational search, browsing online becomes an exciting yet familiar experience.
At Last, an Expert
Let’s bring back the curators. Popularity has taken over with mass reviews capturing the most attention. Readr emphasizes the curator. With twelve specialists to choose from, a user can align with expert recommendations that fit their appetite.
