Get books without leaving home

So you want to stay home during the coronavirus pandemic, but you want new books to keep you company.

Fret not – there are myriad ways of stocking up on fresh reads without leaving your house.

When the outbreak hit Singapore, local independent bookshop BooksActually saw in-store sales drop by 30 to 40 per cent.

Its online sales, however, went up by 10 per cent.

Last Wednesday, owner Kenny Leck started offering free worldwide delivery for purchases of at least three books.

It is a gamble: shipping costs can be punitive, though Mr Leck is in talks with a new logistics partner.

"We are calculating to see if it'll result in a loss," says Mr Leck, 41, who just dispatched three of Ovidia Yu's Crown Colony mysteries to New Zealand.

"If it does not, we will extend it. We thought it'd be something nice to do for our international supporters."

For the housebound reader, get your books from these places.

Few things can replace the comfort of holding a physical book in your hands.

There are the usual e-commerce options such as Amazon and Book Depository, though delivery times may be longer than usual due to an increased demand.

Instead, consider supporting your local bookstore.

Times Bookstores' titles are available on platform GoGuru ( goguru.com.sg ), which offers free local delivery within three to five working days.

Its clearance section has books going for up to 45 per cent off.