E-Commerce Website Development for a Small Press

Hanging Loose Press has spent 60 years publishing poetry, prose, and art that mainstream publishing overlooked — for more than half a century, every title the press has published has stayed in print. That kind of longevity is rare, but it came with an ordering infrastructure built for a different era. Book and magazine orders ran through manual, largely offline processes — a fit for a small, dedicated press, but not for a publisher trying to grow subscriptions, sell backlist titles, and reach readers through digital channels. There was no real e-commerce experience: no self-serve way to browse titles, subscribe to the magazine, or manage a recurring order online, which meant staff time was spent processing orders by hand rather than publishing and promoting the work itself.

• Book and magazine ordering ran on manual, largely offline processes
• No subscription infrastructure to support recurring magazine subscribers
• A deep backlist of titles with no efficient digital storefront to sell through
• Staff time absorbed by manual order handling rather than editorial and outreach work
• A brand with 60 years of literary credibility whose digital sales experience didn’t reflect

The client now has a self-sufficient digital storefront that matches the durability of its catalog.

• Automated subscription billing and fulfillment, removing manual work from recurring magazine orders
• A modern shop experience for the full backlist, making it easier for new readers to discover and buy older titles
• Reduced staff time spent on manual order processing, freeing capacity for editorial and outreach work
• A digital sales channel built to grow alongside milestones like the press’s 60th anniversary
• Infrastructure that lets a small, mission-driven press compete with modern retail experiences without compromising its identity