Booktopia, the beloved online Australian bookseller went into administration last week, almost 20 years after it was launched.

The country's biggest locally-owned online bookseller built a loyal following over the years, but competition from the likes of Amazon and the broader cost of living crisis have left Booktopia’s owners with no choice but to close down.

At its height Booktopia had millions of customers, and a share market valuation in the hundreds of millions - a homegrown success story in what is a notoriously difficult business.