Affinity Programs

ABA affinity partner Atlas Paper Company has issued a new price list, effective May 5. The Woburn, Massachusetts, company is the supplier for Book Sense branded paper or plastic bags, and it also can supply ABA member booksellers with custom-designed merchandise bags and book-themed wrapping paper. New ABA members now receive 20 percent off their initial order from Atlas. Just mention that you're a new member when you contact Atlas' Dave Cohen at dec@atlaspaper.com or (800) 874-8873 or (781) 729-8750, ext. 119 or 130.

Beginning with this month's statement, ABA member booksellers participating in the association's credit card affinity program with Bank of America will see a rate increase of .02 percent for swipe transactions. The increase, which Bank of America announced to customers in their February statements, reflects an increase in the interchange rate by Visa and MasterCard. There is no rate increase for key-entered transactions.

Effective March 13, Yellow Transportation's rates have increased by 5.95 percent on shipments in the U.S. and Canada, and the company has made adjustments to its minimum and extended service charges. According to ABA's affinity partner, PartnerShip, other carriers are expected to announce similar rate hikes soon.

This week, the American Booksellers Association announced a new partnership with Above the Treeline, LLC, which provides an online software product designed to help bookstores improve finances by optimizing inventory selection.

Effective January 2, FedEx and UPS have raised their rates. According to ABA affinity partner PartnerShip, the new base rates reflect an average increase of 3.9 percent for standard ground shipping. However, PartnerShip notes that through the ABA affinity program booksellers will continue to receive deep discounts off Fed Ex's base rates.

Booksellers should note that Bank of America, an American Booksellers Association affinity program partner, is offering ABA members a special promotion: The company is waiving the $75 application fee for member bookstores that sign up for its merchants services program by December 31, 2005. On October 31, Bank of America mailed a postcard to bookstore members detailing the offer.

Since March, when the American Booksellers Association announced its partnership with Constant Contact, a leading service provider for the management of e-mail marketing campaigns, a growing number of member bookstores have been taking advantage of Constant Contact's suite of tools that make it easy to create and send compelling e-mail newsletters and announcements, which get immediate and measurable results.

ABA affinity program partner Bank of America has announced that it is waiving the $75 application fee for ABA member bookstores that sign up for its merchant services program from now until December 31, 2005.

On Wednesday, October 5, ABA affinity partner PartnerShip informed customers that effective January 2, 2006, FedEx Corporation would be raising its rates for FedEx Express U.S. domestic and export express package and freight shipments by about 3.5 percent. Average shipping costs will rise 5.5 percent, offset by a two percent reduction in FedEx Express' fuel surcharge.

Two companies participating in ABA's affinity program have announced important new updates for ABA member booksellers. According to PartnerShip, which offers a money-saving freight program exclusively for members of the American Booksellers Association, rates for shipping by different carriers have increased an average of 5.75 percent. On the bright side, Bank of America Merchant Services is decreasing its rates for credit card and check card transactions, effective June 1. Rate Decreases for Credit Card and Check Card Transactions