Hatchards launches first transactional website

Bookseller Hatchards has today (17th February) unveiled its first transactional website, designed and built in a partnership between Waterstones e-commerce, IT and Hatchards teams.

Customers will now be able to browse and purchase online books signed by their author, with collector’s editions and titles from the Hatchards Library, the bookshop’s own series of limited editions, soon to be available.

Reckoned to be the oldest bookshop in London, Hatchards has previously served customers through postal order and its outlets. Reservations of books for collection at either Hatchards Piccadilly, Hatchards St Pancras, or any chosen Waterstones can now be made using the site’s click and collect service. The website also offers worldwide delivery and the opportunity to order any book in print, in addition to having fine copies or out-of-print books sourced.

Hatchards Rewards, the shop’s loyalty programme, offers one stamp for every £10 spent. Customers will be able to earn and redeem their stamps both online and in any Hatchards or Waterstones shop.

Francis Cleverdon, Hatchards manager, said: "After almost 225 years of serving the world by post, we are immensely excited with the launch of our new Hatchards website. We can now bring all the things that make us unique to an even wider world, with a level of personal service, personal knowledge and personal curation not seen elsewhere. One hundred years ago Hatchards was described as ‘a beacon of sanity’ - our ambition must be to bring that sanity to the online world. I’d like to give enormous thanks to all the technological wizards who have built the site and all our marvellous booksellers who have helped create it."

Kate Skipper, Waterstones chief operating officer, said: "Hatchards.co.uk is the result of many months of hard work and considered bookselling by our team. We’re tremendously proud of the site they have created, which perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Hatchards, if not the scent of the flowers that fill the shop. To my mind, it’s a tremendous balm for all of us who are currently missing shopping in Hatchards so greatly and I’m delighted we’re able to bring a little bit of Hatchards magic online, to be enjoyed by book lovers around the globe."