What libreria Ubik does

Ubik S.r.l., operating under the brand names 'Ubik Librerie' and 'Libreria Ubik,' is an Italian bookstore franchise network headquartered in Assago, near Milan. The company, founded in 2003 with 11–50 corporate employees and €200,000 in paid-in capital, licenses the Ubik brand to independent bookstore operators running at least fifteen storefronts distributed across Italy (including Como, Torino, Sesto Fiorentino, Vigevano, Senigallia, La Spezia, Treviso, Cesena, Scalea, Avezzano, Venaria Reale, Bra, and Sesto Calende). Each franchisee operates under a unified brand identity, hosts local author events and seasonal series such as Parole d'Estate, and serves as a pickup point for the central e-commerce platform.

The product portfolio centers on retail book sales across a broad catalog — fiction, non-fiction, children's books, manga, comics, graphic novels, educational and reference titles — supported by a central online catalog and e-commerce site (ubiklibri.it) with advanced search by title, author, publisher, and genre, alongside availability indicators and online ordering with home delivery or in-store reservation. A proprietary mobile application, 'my ubik,' extends the network into community engagement and store-location services, while the 'Ubik Card' loyalty program offers promotions and exclusive events. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time retail book sales at franchise locations and online, augmented by promotional bundles and co-marketing campaigns with major Italian publishers including Einaudi, Mondadori, Adelphi, De Agostini, Il Castoro, Neri Pozza/Beat, and Fanucci Editore. The customer base is entirely B2C, comprising individual book readers, families, students, and gift purchasers, with no disclosed enterprise accounts or B2B channels.

Name

libreria Ubik

Legal name

Ubik S.r.l.

Website

https://bergamo.ubiklibri.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ubik S.r.l. is an Italian franchise bookstore network operating under the Ubik Librerie brand, licensing physical retail locations across Italy and selling books through franchise stores, a central e-commerce platform, and the my ubik mobile app to individual consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Book Sales (Retail): Sale of books across multiple genres including fiction, non-fiction, children's books, manga, comics, and more through franchise bookstores and online platform. Revenue generated from individual book purchases at retail prices.
2. Promotional Bundles and Special Offers: Temporary promotional offers including buy-2-get-1 deals (e.g., Einaudi), bundled products with branded merchandise (De Agostini cord holders), and special pricing on publisher collections (Mondadori, Adelphi). These drives incremental revenue through volume purchases.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ubik operates a franchise network of independent bookstores across Italy that sell physical books across multiple genres (fiction, non-fiction, children's, manga, comics, textbooks). The company supplements its brick-and-mortar stores with a centralized e-commerce catalog (ubiklibri.it), a mobile application (my ubik), a loyalty program (Ubik Card), and recurring promotional bundles with major Italian publishers.

Product overview

Ubik librerie is a franchise network of physical bookstores operating throughout Italy, comprising independently owned stores operating under the Ubik brand. The company operates a unified e-commerce platform (ubiklibri.it) alongside its physical locations, supported by a mobile application (my ubik), a loyalty program (Ubik Card), an events service (Ubik Eventi) for author presentations and book launches, and editorial content through the Ubik Blog. Seasonal campaigns like Parole d'Estate extend the brand into open-air literary events at local squares. The product portfolio centers on book retail across multiple formats including comics, manga, children's books, fiction, and general non-fiction, with a network of franchise partners managing individual store locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• my ubik: Mobile application that allows users to access the library community and share their readings. Available for download.
• Ubik Card

Products and services

• Ubik Librerie (Franchise Bookstore Network) A chain of independently operated franchised bookstores across Italy where customers can browse, purchase, and reserve books for pickup across genres including fiction, non-fiction, children's books, manga, comics, and specialty categories.
• Online Book Catalog (ubiklibri.it)

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• EinaudiminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 July 2026Publisher partnership for promotional campaigns. From July 3 to August 23, 2026, customers purchasing 3 Einaudi books receive a complimentary multi-use travel bag (available in mustard yellow or gray). Promotion at Libreria Fontana Torino.
• MondadoriminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2026Publisher partnership for '1+1' promotional offer where two Mondadori bestsellers are available for €12.90. Promotion anticipated and valid from July 1, 2026.
• Neri Pozza (Beat)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2026Publisher partnership for Beat Neri Pozza promotional campaign. From July 1-31, Beat essential books promotion available at Ubik stores.
• Fanucci EditoreminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2026Publisher partnership for 20% discount promotion on Fanucci Editore books (fantasy, thriller, horror, science fiction, romance genres). Valid through July 31 at Ubik Vigevano store.
• De AgostiniminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublisher partnership for promotional campaigns. De Agostini 'Summer approved' promotions offered at Ubik franchise stores, including bundle deals where purchase of two books includes a complimentary smartphone cord holder.
• Il CastorominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublisher partnership featuring the 'Diario di una schiappa' (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) series. Purchase of 2 books from the series includes a complimentary 'Cubo della Schiappa' (Wimpy Kid cube) promotional item.
• AdelphiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublisher partnership for tote bag promotional campaign. Purchase of 2 Adelphi books includes a complimentary canvas tote bag with illustrations by Stefano Faravelli. Available in 8 variants. Promotions at Ubik Crevoladossola, Ubik La Spezia, and Ubik Cesena stores, valid while supplies last.
• GarzantiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublisher partner hosting book presentations. Event: Erica Cassano presented 'Duramadre' at Piazza Garibaldi 22, Sesto Calende Ubik location.
• San Paolo EdizioniminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublisher partner for author events. Event: Marcello Cozzi presented 'Non interferite' at Scalea Ubik location.
• ArmeniaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublisher partner for book signings. Event: R.F. Obsydios presented 'L'ultimo dei cento' at Avezzano Ubik location.
• E/OminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublisher partner for events. Francesco Musolino's 'Rosso Panarea' presented at Multisala Badia Grande venue.
• LAReditoreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublisher partner for author signings. Fabio Di Maggio book signing event at Venaria Reale Ubik location.
• GuandaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublisher partner for literary apertifs. Elena Varello presented 'La vita sempre' at Bra Ubik location during literary apertif event.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Amazon.it: Dominant Italian e-commerce bookseller offering deep catalog, low pricing, and fast delivery; the principal competitive pressure on Ubik's online channel and on franchise store pricing across categories.
• Unieuro: Italian consumer electronics and entertainment retailer that also carries a meaningful book and media assortment, providing a comparable omnichannel Italian specialty retail benchmark at scale.

Direct peers

• Libraccio: Italian bookstore chain specializing in discounted, remaindered, and used books across physical stores and online — overlapping with Ubik's customer base of price-conscious Italian readers and gift-buyer segments.
• Mondadori Store: Italian bookstore chain affiliated with the Mondadori publishing house, offering the same breadth of fiction, non-fiction, and children's books across physical retail and online, with comparable publisher partnership dynamics.
• Feltrinelli: Italy's largest bookstore chain with physical stores and e-commerce, directly comparable to Ubik's franchise bookstore network in product category, target customer (Italian book readers), and omnichannel retail model.
• IBS.it: Established Italian online bookstore with physical presence, competing head-on with Ubik's ubiklibri.it e-commerce platform and brick-and-mortar locations in the same consumer book segment.
• Librerie.coop: Italian bookstore chain associated with Coop, selling the same consumer book categories (fiction, children's, educational) through physical stores and online channels, targeting a similar mainstream Italian readership.
• Giunti al Punto: Italian bookstore chain with broad genre coverage and strong physical presence in shopping centers and high-street locations, directly competing with Ubik franchises in the same catchment areas.

Emerging players

• Rizzoli Education: Italian educational publisher and bookseller addressing the school and university textbook segment — overlapping with the 'Per lo studio' and educational categories within Ubik's catalog and customer base.
• Hoepli: Historic Milan-based bookstore and publisher specializing in technical, scientific, and professional titles; comparable as an Italian single-city bookstore with a strong physical-store brand identity and an e-commerce catalog.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ubiklibrerie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/librerie-ubik

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about libreria Ubik