FAQ

Allstora is the independent bookstore committed to sharing all stories and sharing profits fairly. At Allstora, we are dedicated to championing authors. We split our profits with authors, doubling their income on the sale of each book–as opposed to another retailer whose name rhymes with "Glamazon."

In a time where important stories, especially from queer and marginalized voices, are being banned and ostracized across the country, Allstora is ensuring there is access to books that represent a vast range of intersections, narratives, and history.

Building off the success of the first iteration, ShopQueer, Allstora has dramatically expanded its catalog to thousands of titles, offering something for all audiences through a diversified set of genres and authors.

Allstora was co-founded by New York Times bestselling author and LGBTQ+ advocate Eric Cervini, drag performer and actor Adam Powell, and television icon and author RuPaul.

ShopQueer has evolved into Allstora, a rebranding effort to expand our mission of supporting diverse authors and stories beyond the LGBTQ+ community to include all voices. Allstora represents our commitment to empowering authors and creating a space for inclusive storytelling.

Allstora ensures that authors receive a fair share of profits from book sales, providing them with more support than traditional retailers. By purchasing from Allstora, you directly contribute to supporting diverse storytellers and their livelihoods.

No, you don't have to be a Book Club Subscriber or Allstora Member to shop with us! Our digital bookshop is open to everyone, whether you're a Member, Subscriber, or neither. You can explore our diverse selection of titles, support authors, and find your next great read without needing to join the Book Club. All purchases support authors the same way. Happy shopping!

You can support Allstora by becoming a member, which grants access to exclusive discounts and benefits, without receiving physical books. Your membership fees help sustain our mission of empowering authors and promoting diverse voices.

Also, you can help spread the word by sharing our story with friends and family! Even better, you can earn $5 for every person you refer who signs up for a membership through our Affiliate program.

The Allstora Membership costs $48/year, and with it, you’ll receive 30% off our entire catalog – and 50% off your first purchase! When you’re a member, 100% of the profits we earn off your book sales go to the authors of the books you purchase. Yes, we mean it.

Currently only available for US customers.

The Allstora Membership grants discounts on all book purchases, ensuring fair compensation for authors while providing readers with affordable access to a wide range of titles.

Book Club Subscriptions include everything in the Membership, plus curated monthly book selections, exclusive content, community forums, and limited-edition merchandise. When your subscription renews, you’ll receive tokens you can redeem for that month’s curated pick, a past selection, or merchandise through the Allstora portal. Redeem before the 18th to get the special edition version of the month’s pick, complete with bookplates, postcards, and other exclusive extras.

Yes! You can cancel your Membership by logging into your account with the email you purchased your Membership with. Make sure you register your account if you haven't already!

To join a Book Club, simply sign up on our website. Perks include a complimentary Allstora membership, exclusive interviews, themed playlists, and limited-edition collectibles, with more exciting things to come!

This is a read-at-your-own-pace book club! Since there are thousands of folks in our clubs with different reading speeds and schedules, we want to take the pressure off. Reading is FUN(damental)! Once you finish the book, whether that’s in four days or four weeks, you can join the discussion in our exclusive online portal.

When your Book Club subscription renews (on the 15th of each month), tokens are automatically added to your account. Think of them like credits you can spend in the Allstora portal.

You can redeem tokens for:

• That month’s curated book club pick

• A past book club selection

• Merchandise and other goodies

Unused tokens roll over and are good for 12 months, so there’s no pressure to use them right away.

Important: To receive the special edition version of a book club pick — including bookplates, postcards, and other exclusive extras — you must redeem your tokens before the 18th. After the cutoff, you can still grab past picks, but special edition perks are only guaranteed for orders placed before the deadline.

Want more tokens? You can purchase additional token packs anytime through the Allstora portal.

My Allstora is your personal hub for everything subscription-related. You can access it by logging in at clubs.allstora.com.

From there you can:

• Redeem your tokens for books and merchandise

• Browse current and past book club picks

• Manage your subscription and update your address

• Join the community discussion for each month’s book

Your renewal email also includes a direct link to get started each month.

You’ll find out about each month’s selection on the 15th, when your subscription renews. Your renewal email will include the month’s curated pick and a link to redeem your tokens in the Allstora portal.

Not feeling that month’s pick? No worries! You can use your tokens to choose a different book — like a past selection or another club’s pick — or save them for merchandise.

Heads up: The 18th is the cutoff for receiving the special edition version of that month’s pick (bookplates, postcards, and other exclusive extras). Orders placed after the deadline will receive the standard edition.

Love reading books but find it difficult to finish a book every month? Then our quarterly subscription is perfect for you! By signing up for a quarterly subscription, you'll receive one curated book every three months. Depending on when you place your first order, you'll be in one of three cycles:

Cycle 1: January, April, July, October

Cycle 2: February, May, August, November

Cycle 3: March, June, September, December

When your subscription renews, you'll receive tokens that you can redeem for the curated pick, a past selection, or merchandise through the Allstora portal. To get the special edition version of a pick (bookplates, postcards, and other extras), make sure to redeem before the 18th — that's the cutoff for guaranteed special edition perks.

In months when you aren't receiving a book, you'll still have access to our online community and content. If you want a book pick but are not set to renew that month, you can purchase the book through our site with your complimentary 30% off discount. It will still come as our book club bundle and include the perks. :)

Yes! However, if you’d like to continue getting 30% off all books on our site, you’ll have to sign up for an Allstora Membership again separately.

You will be billed on the 15th of each month for the following month's renewal.

For example, on September 15th you would be billed for the October book pick.

When you sign up for a Book Club subscription, our system will automatically cancel your membership, so you aren’t paying double! The Membership is a complimentary perk of any Book Club Subscription.

Book Club orders typically ship during the last week of the month and arrive the first week of the following month. You’ll receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking info once your order is on its way!

For catalog orders (non-subscription), shipping times vary depending on availability. Most orders ship within a few business days.

Yes and no - we do have international book club Subscription shipping options, but not any other books from our catalogue yet. Join our mailing list to find out when we expand to your country!

If you just placed your order, you have 2 hours to follow the link in your confirmation email to change the delivery address. You can also log in and go to My Allstora > My Account, then click on the order from your Order History.

Otherwise, you can update your address by logging in and going to My Allstora > My Account, then View Addresses. Make sure you change the new one to be your Default if necessary!

If your package was lost or stolen, please contact us at info@allstora.com. We'll assist you in locating your package or arranging for a replacement shipment if necessary.

If your book is sold on Ingram, it will be included in our catalog. If your book is sold on Ingram and you still don’t see your book on our site today, contact us at authors@allstora.com.

In order to be eligible for author commissions, you will be required to submit an application and verify your identity. We partner with Plaid to provide an effortless and trusted ID verification process.

Follow the instructions on the Allstora Author Program page. 

Anyone can sign up to become a marketing affiliate with Allstora. Once registered, you’ll be able to refer friends, family, or anyone to join the Allstora Membership. Successful conversions will result in a $5 affiliate commission when your referral completes the free trial and becomes a paying member.

If you are a customer and have an account with Allstora (no Membership required), you will find your referral link on your account page. Simply follow the steps from there to link your bank account for payouts, once eligible. 

If you are a marketing partner, you can learn more about the program and enroll directly following this link.

The Rainbow Book Bus is Allstora's philanthropic initiative dedicated to distributing diverse books to communities facing book bans and censorship, especially in LGBTQ+ communities. The bus travels across the country, partnering with local organizations to give away books and promote literacy. Learn more about the Rainbow Book Bus here.

Every $10 donated gets another book into the hands of a young person that needs it. With your support, we can spread literature, life-saving resources, and joy throughout the country. Learn more about the Rainbow Book Bus here. You can also donate to the Rainbow Book Bus directly when checking out on Allstora.com!