News - Bookselling

From craft making and speed dating to gift baskets and the perfect book, indie booksellers will be part of Valentine’s Day, one of the biggest gift-giving holidays of the year. Last year, the National Retail Federation estimated spending at an all-time high of at least $17.6 billion

Binc auctions bit of Borders history to help booksellers; Random House launches BookScout Facebook app; Macmillan begins pilot public library e-lending program

On January 31, IndieCommerce stores that do not participate in the Kobo eBook program will no longer be able to sell e-books. That’s the date set by Google for the end of the Google eBooks reseller program worldwide. Stores that would still like to offer e-books to their customers should sign up as soon as possible for the ABA/Kobo program.

Among the topics put forth at morning sessions on Thursday, January 17, at the Digital Book World Conference + Expo were a discussion on how Kobo is helping independent bookstores reach the e-book market and a look at consumers’ attitudes toward e-books and how they’ve changed over the course of just a few years.

Through the Authors Guild’s Booktalk Nation, booksellers can invite customers to participate in live author discussions and to place an order for a signed edition from their own homes, or anywhere else they have access to a phone or the Internet.

World Book Night is still offering an Excel giver application form for booksellers.

Following publication of last week’s list of 2012 ABA member store openings, three more stores were added, bringing the total to 43.  Also added to ABA’s membership over the past year were 11 bookstores opening for business in 2011 that joined the association in 2012.

This year’s hotel exclusively for ABA member booksellers attending BookExpo America 2013 is the Grand Hyatt New York, located at 42nd Street and Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. Booksellers who make their reservations before April 1 will be automatically entered into a drawing for free hotel nights, courtesy of BEA.

Publishers Weekly is seeking nominations for its 2013 Bookstore and Sales Rep of the Year awards. The deadline for nominations is March 1 at 8:00 a.m. EST.

ABA is asking booksellers to share some of the creative things they have done to make their stores more successful and profitable. Booksellers’ input, via a short, online survey, will help ABA formulate the Spring Forum season’s educational component, “The Top 10 Things You Must Do Now!”