Amazon’s book sale crashes Independent Bookstore Day—and readers are pushing back

As more than 1,600 indie bookstores prepare for their biggest day of the year, Amazon’s overlapping sale draws sharp criticism.

Independent bookstores have long been champions of community, curiosity, and culture—and on Saturday, April 26, they get their moment in the spotlight. Independent Bookstore Day, a nationwide celebration of indie bookstores, invites readers to shop locally and support the spaces that keep storytelling vibrant. But this year, the festivities come with a wrinkle: Amazon is holding a major book sale at the same time, and many booksellers and readers aren’t having it.