ABACUS-11 Data-Gathering Begins

The ABACUS-11 Survey process begins today with an e-mail to ABA member bookstores from the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) OnCampus Research. This year’s survey gathers financial data from 2011 store operations.

Stores participating in ABACUS-11 will receive a customized report in late fall that analyzes their financial results, including comparisons with other businesses based on multiple criteria (such as sales level, store size, and community type) in addition to year-to-year trending information.

“Providing the key information necessary to operate their bookstores professionally and profitably is of prominent importance to ABA,” said Dan Cullen, the association’s content officer. “Participating booksellers have made clear that ABACUS is a unique and extremely valuable tool for evaluating a bookstore’s financial performance relative to the rest of the indie channel. Increased bookstore participation will make ABACUS even more valuable, and we hope all ABA member stores will participate in this year’s survey.”

This is the third year that ABA is producing ABACUS through a partnership with NACS. Thursday’s e-mail to ABA members bears the subject line “ABACUS11 Survey Starts,” and the sender will be Martha Love, OnCampus Research information analyst. The e-mail will include the ABA member bookstore’s unique ABACUS-11 I.D. number for logging into the survey.

Store data is submitted to ABACUS via a completely secure and confidential electronic form, and, once submitted, it is only accessible to Love, as the OnCampus Research staff person responsible for the survey. The ABACUS 11 Survey deadline is August 15, 2012.

ABACUS is a unique tool that helps participants benchmark key economic indicators and create a road map for growth and profitability. In addition, ABACUS data is used in aggregate by ABA to create timely education for all member stores.

A detailed summary of the ABACUS-11 data will be available for purchase by both ABA members that do not participate in this year’s study and non-members. Non-participating ABA member stores will be able to purchase the report at a discount. Reports are completely free to ABA members that participate in the survey.

Booksellers with questions about submitting data to the survey can contact Love at OnCampus Research via e-mail or at (800) 622-7498, ext. 2448. Booksellers who have general questions about ABACUS can contact ABA’s Cullen via e-mail or at (800) 637-0037 ext. 6660.