Sales of book subscriptions surged by 264% because brands offer what algorithms can’t: a human touch.

TikTok has turned reading into a cultural moment. BookTok feeds fans endless lists of dark academia, fantasy romance and literary fiction, with the same titles appearing again and again. Algorithms keep people hooked, but they are predictable. Readers are starting to want more: the surprise of discovery and the sense that a book has been chosen by another human.

On their first day selling book boxes in Australia, Kate and Carl received six orders. That experiment became Book Box, now approaching its third year.

"We noticed Aussies were getting American book boxes flown over to Australia," Carl says. "We saw the opportunity and thought, why not try it in Australia and bring the book box idea down here. Soon we created a Shopify store."

Shopify data shows physical book subscription sales rose by 264% in 2024, with more than half of bookshops now selling globally. Book clubs grew 31% last year, while romance-fantasy gatherings quadrupled.

Selling surprise in an age of predictability

For Kate, curation is personal. Reading helped her learn English after moving to Australia at age six. Now she spends hours scanning Goodreads and indie publisher catalogues to bring Australian readers new voices.

"Those tend to be the overhyped, oversaturated titles that every person probably owns. The minute customers see these videos from big influencers and get it in their book box, it feels like we didn’t put in effort,” says Kate. “The whole idea is we want to find the books that aren’t as seen and make them seen."

In the UK, Marianne Chala founded the Willoughby Book Club in 2012.

"Back then it was quite an unfamiliar concept," Marianne says. "You can get anything on subscription now, a loo roll, toothpaste, but back then, doing something curated and surprising, it was new."

Her model is built on instinct and experience. "We're not algorithms, we're people here, noodling around in the bookshelves," she says. "And it's a real privilege. Our subscribers get a surprise each month, and we get to take them on a journey."

Growth through community

When a TikTok clip featuring Book Box reached 100,000 views in one night, Kate remembers: “The Shopify notifications wouldn’t stop. We were blown away. I remember it like yesterday.”

Carl quickly built on the moment. "For us, if it's performing organically, it always performs on paid advertisements because you are promoting it to the right audience," he says.

Now about a third of Book Box’s growth comes through social media. Willoughby, meanwhile, has built a judgement-free space where every book has value.

"I remember a time when it seemed the whole world was scornful and dismissive of what we then called ‘chick lit.’ So it’s really lovely to see women, particularly young women, reading whatever they like,” says Marianne. "We'll help you read what you like and hopefully introduce you to more.”

Belonging over books

Neither business is only about books. They succeed by offering connection, discovery and community.

"If you build a really good community and treat your customers right, they will follow you wherever you go," Carl says.

Trends will shift and algorithms will evolve, but readers will always look for belonging. The algorithm might predict the next read, but only a human can understand why it matters.