Deadlines & Action Items

Booksellers are welcome to share these new designs with fellow local businesses to further spread the message to shop early and shop local.

As October turns to November, ABA has created a fresh set of designs to encourage customers to shop early and shop local.

“Serving on the ABA board was an altogether wonderful opportunity and experience,” said Christophersen. “It was extremely gratifying to try to solve the important issues facing independent bookstores.”

The winner will receive $500. Design submissions are due by Monday, October 26, 2020.

Stores now have until November 1 before they will be charged a 4.5 percent service fee as well as the new 1 percent commission fee.

The October Indie Next List e-newsletter, featuring the month’s 20 titles with bookseller quotes in addition to a Q&A with the #1 pick, was sent to more than 682,000 customers at 179 ABA member stores.

“One thing that stopped me from trying to join the board earlier was I was kind of waiting to be invited,” said Sindelar. “That’s the wrong approach. If it’s right for you, you should nominate yourself.”

Designs with two to five colors that also look good in black and white are ideal.

In addition to the new 1 percent commission fee, stores that have not migrated by October 22 will also be charged the 4.5 percent service fee that was suspended in July.

All businesses, both bookstores and non-bookstores, are welcome to utilize these designs to encourage everyone to shop early and shop local.

The key, said former board member Valerie Koehler, is “to remember that you are there for all the shops, not just yours.” The process is open now for booksellers to nominate themselves or a colleague for the ABA Board of Directors.

Stores that have not switched over to their own credit card merchant account by October 22 will be charged a 4.5 percent service fee plus the new 1 percent commission.

Proposed designs should work well horizontally and vertically, and capture the spirit of independent bookstores. A $500 prize is up for grabs.

To encourage booksellers to nominate themselves or a colleague for the Board of Directors, former ABA President Robert Sindelar will join the call to speak briefly about his experience on the board.