Flipbacks - Book Innovation in a Digital Age

Flipbacks are an entirely new book format, innovated by a bible publisher in the Netherlands in 2009 and called the 'dwarsligger', followed by the 'librinos' in Spain, 'Point2' in France and finally in June 2011 Hodder & Stoughton introduced the 'flipback' book to the UK.

They are six times smaller than the average book, weigh just 5.11 ounces, have a flexible spine, are opened vertically and printed on very thin paper. All this considered, they are more compact and portable, lighter to carry around and can be held with one hand. This is a great advantage for multi-taskers and frequent travellers, but also bookshops.

Bookshops will benefit from the flipback as they can store more stock in a smaller space. Waterstone's in particular appear to be storing it on the counter top, possibly to save floor space or as a point of sale marketing opportunity, if this is so then this is a mutually beneficial relationship between the flipback book and bookshops as it is also drawing every customers eye to them.

Within the 4 P's model, a flipback book is a product and it is incremental innovation rather than radical innovation as while it may not change the face of the publishing industry, it is certainly an improvement on what is slowly but surely becoming an obsolete reading material...the book.