Booksellers Ready for Thanks for Shopping Indie

Thanks for Shopping Indie, the first multi-publisher promotion exclusively for ABA members, is right around the corner. Beginning on Small Business Saturday, November 24, participating bookstores will be offering an “extra” to customers as a way to thank them for their support.

Booksellers are busy putting the final touches on their own unique plans for the promotion.

 “We’re really excited about the opportunity to showcase great titles, thanks to the amazing publisher support of this program,” said Libby Cowles, community relations manager for Maria’s Bookshop in Durango, Colorado. “Because we love so many of the titles on the list, we decided to go pretty big with the promotion.”

Maria’s selected 25 of the staff’s favorite titles — a mix of adult and children’s books. They will be displayed prominently on the front-of-store shelf with signage promoting “Books We Love,” said Cowles. Maria’s is running a print advertisement in the town’s daily paper, will mention the promotion in the store newsletter, and is featuring some specific titles on its Facebook throughout the promotion.

“We love the message of thanking our customers for supporting independent businesses during the Thanksgiving holiday,” said Cowles, adding that it is well-aligned with the message of Durango’s Local First organization.

Storybook Cove in Hanover, Massachusetts, is focusing on Thanks for Shopping Indie’s (TFSI) children’s titles, all of which are “such great books,” said store owner Janet Bibeau. As an additional incentive, when customers purchase a TFSI title, they will receive double credit on their loyalty cards as well as a mini Christmas stocking in time for the holiday season.

“I think a lot of people will be coming into the store for these books,” said Bibeau, “so this promotion is a good way to bring more people in, and keep them coming back.”

With the purchase of a TFSI title from Green Apple Books in San Francisco, California, customers will be able to choose a free gift: either one of the store’s canvas book bags or one of its ceramic coffee mugs.

Bookstores participating in TFSI are encouraged to visit the Bookseller DIY, which now includes publisher-supplied materials such as posters, bookmarks, web banners, and shelf-talkers to help promote the selected titles in store and online.

Additionally, publishers have been adding videos to IndieBound.org for many of the TFSI titles. Videos can be found by viewing the product page of a TFSI title, and can be posted on bookstores’ websites and in communications to customers.