Great Gifts & Other Non-Book Products ... Just Don't Call Them Sidelines

Posted Wednesday, Nov 4, 2009

As price wars dip into already slim profits, offering an array of gifts and other non-book products with impulse purchase appeal can make a significant difference in a bookstore's bottom line this holiday season. Here's a look at some popular items selling well at three indies whose owners take serious advantage of the excellent margins offered by non-book products. Just don't call them sidelines, Steve Bercu, owner of BookPeople in Austin, Texas, cautioned. "I will point out that BookPeople does not sell any sidelines. We sell gifts. Anything that is as important to our bottom line could never be considered a sideline."

Pashmina shawls from Julian Imports (866-400-9299) are "a gorgeous (and affordable!) gift," said BookPeople gift buyer Cassie Swank. "From the moment we started carrying these luxuriously soft, 100 percent pashmina paisley shawls, they have been a hit! In both June and July, we could not keep them in stock and even in the brutal Texas heat of August, we sold them by the dozens."

BookPeople has also done well with Squirrel Underpants from Accoutrements. "I love carrying gifts that people would never associate with a book store!" Swank said. "This tiny pair of briefs makes for a great gag gift."

The Buddha Amitabha Statue "is just one of our many buddhas and statues that we have around the store," Swank said. "We carry buddhas that range from the size of a matchbox to the size of a small child! We also carry a wide variety of statues including (but not limited to) fairies, skeletons and skulls, gargoyles, and other deities."

At Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston, Jishaku, a game using magnets, is catching on. Like checkers, but more unpredictable because pieces will move on their own accord, Jishaku is "very simple to learn and addicting," said store owner Valerie Koehler. "The object is to place all of your magnets on the board first. If you attract another magnet, you have to pick them up!" She added, "We opened one box, and I know I'll sell at least one when I challenge the kid/dad/mom to a game."

Koehler also likes the Sherpa, sort of an outfit for your Sharpie, from her favorite pen company Retro 51. She said, "[It's] for anyone who's a Sharpie freak, but likes to carry something a little snazzier looking."

In plush toys, Blue Willow has done well with Lubies. "We've sent lots off in college care packages," said Koehler. "The teenagers love them too."

At Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona, gift buyer Autumn Orndorff sees high sales potential in Card Cubbies, a mini (3" x 5"), alphabetized card case. "They're new for us, but I am really excited about this product! Gone are the days of overstuffed wallets and ugly organizers!"

Orndorff highly recommended the bathroom spray Poo-Pourri. "The company's variety in scents and styles makes this the most funny and functional gift you can get anyone this holiday," she said. "Not your typical bathroom spray! We have carried the Poo-Pourri for over a year now, and we still love this product and get very good sales, especially with the sample size they have available."

Customers of Wild Rumpus in Minneapolis continue to love the Folkmanis line. "Much to my amazement, the vast majority of Minnesotans have not actually lost their fingers to frostbite judging by the sheer number of Folkmanis Mini Finger Puppets that we sell!" said Collette Morgan. "The quality is amazing, and they're a terrific impulse buy at the register. Seriously, sometimes I think we should be named Wild Folkmanis---they sell that well."

Morgan added, "If you haven't heard of the Bananagrams phenomenon, you need to get out more." BTW wrote about this antidote to tech gadgets word game last year, and more than two million of the games have sold worldwide. Morgan said, "These fine folks have two new fruit games this year: Appleletters and Pairs in Pears selling equally well right out of the chute. Buy early; buy often as the new ones are often in 'back-ordered' mode."

Some of Wild Rumpus' hottest gifts are made right in Minnesota. "Our bestselling sideline items are handmade gifts from local artisans," Morgan said. "Music CDs by local bands; handknit mittens and scarves by various artists. Your community has a wealth of talented folks who would probably love to showcase their work in your store! Don't overlook the talents of your colleagues who might be interested in starting a micro distribution chain!" -Karen Schechner