ABA to Institute Monthly Dues Payment Option

Beginning February 1, 2012, ABA regular bookstore members will be able to pay their membership dues on a monthly basis. The automatic monthly charge can be paid via either credit card or ACH transfer. Payments will be taken on the fourth Wednesday of each month, and $1 per month processing fee will apply.

Last year, ABA instituted a more efficient and user-friendly dues structure [1] and a standard dues year that runs from February 1 to January 31 for all members.

Under the new monthly payment option, dues will continue to be based on a member’s Total Company Book Sales (TCBS). Monthly charges will continue year after year and will be based on the store’s sales information on file, unless ABA is notified of a change. Stores that wish to update their Total Company Book Sales information may do so in February, at the start of each renewal year.

Bookstore members will also continue to have the options of paying their dues in full at the beginning of the dues year or in quarterly payments.

When stores renew their ABA membership in February, they can opt into the ABC Children’s Group [2] on a yearly basis and the $50 fee for Children’s Group membership will be collected in the month following opt-in.  They can also use the renewal form to make a tax-deductible contribution to the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression [3].

Stores with questions regarding dues payment options or about their ABA membership status and benefits are encouraged to contact their Member Relationship Manager (Kaitlin Pitcher [4] for booksellers in the NAIBA, NCIBA, NEIBA, and SCIBA regions; Nathan Halter [5] for stores in the GLIBA, MBA, MPIBA, PNBA, and SIBA regions).

When a bookstore’s ABA membership status becomes inactive due to non-payment of dues, they can no longer participate in ABA programs, including free education and networking at the Winter Institute and BookExpo America, the IndieCommerce website solution, the Book Buyer's Handbook, the IndieBound DIY’s free marketing materials and designs, the ABC Children’s Group, ABACUS benchmarking results, and the bookseller-to-bookseller networking forums, among other benefits.