Book Gifting Punches Above Its Weight This Spring

Somewhere between the chocolate boxes and the jewelry, books quietly became one of the most popular gift products this week. One in ten gifted products was a book, making it the fourth most common item shoppers chose to send to someone they care about. That's a striking number for an industry that accounts for just 5% of all gifting activity.

Something about spring has shoppers reaching for the shelf instead of the showcase. And when they do, they're writing notes that feel more considered than the average gift message.

One in ten gifts sent this week was a book. The industry behind it accounts for just 5% of gifting overall.

Books are a family affair

Close to half of all gift notes this week came from family members, and book gifting fits squarely into that pattern. Parents sizing up clothes so their grandkids can grow into them, siblings celebrating milestone birthdays, children telling their fathers they're heroes. These are the kinds of notes that show up alongside thoughtful, lasting gifts. Books fit that mold perfectly.

In Canada, parents sent entertainment gifts to their children this week alongside Easter wishes and excitement about an upcoming family visit. It's a small moment that reveals something bigger: when families gift books, music, or media, the note almost always carries a story of its own. Thirty-eight percent of all gift messages this week were kind and caring, the leading tone across every category. But in book gifting, that warmth feels especially natural. You don't grab a book off the shelf as an afterthought. You pick one because it reminded you of someone.

Birthday gifting drove 31% of all occasions this week, and books are a staple of that category. A grandparent choosing a book for a grandchild's birthday, thoughtfully picking a size or edition that will last for years, tells a different story than a last-minute gift card. The intention shows in the message.

Easter and just-because gifting give books a lift

With Easter arriving this Sunday, seasonal gifting climbed to 16% of all occasions, up from a 14% baseline. Much of that seasonal energy is family-driven, and books and entertainment gifts are a natural fit for the holiday. Parents aren't just sending chocolate eggs. They're pairing gifts with notes about togetherness and anticipation.

But it's not just holidays giving books their moment. Just-because gifts, the ones with no occasion attached, still made up 23% of all gifting this week. That's a big pool of shoppers who simply thought of someone and decided to send something. For Books, Music, and Video stores, that kind of spontaneous, emotionally-driven gifting is the sweet spot. These shoppers aren't checking a box. They're making a gesture.

More than half of all gifts this week crossed a border, which means book gifting isn't limited to local shoppers browsing a neighborhood store. International gifting is now the norm, and media products ship easily and carry universal appeal. A novel means something whether it lands in London or Los Angeles.

What this means for merchants in Books, Music, and Video

The gap between industry share and product share tells a clear story: shoppers are buying books as gifts from all kinds of stores, not just bookshops. That's both an opportunity and a challenge for merchants in this vertical. The demand is real. One in ten gifted products is a book. But a lot of that gifting is happening outside dedicated book and media stores.

Merchants who make gifting easy, with gift notes, wrapping options, and curated recommendations, are well positioned to capture more of this demand. The notes shoppers write alongside book gifts tend to be warm and personal. That's a signal worth paying attention to. When someone takes the time to write a meaningful message, they're invested in the experience. Stores that match that investment with a thoughtful gifting flow will stand out. Spring is a good time to make that happen, with Easter this weekend and a long stretch of birthday and just-because gifting ahead.