indie bookstore entrepreneur

IDEAS, INSPIRATION, BEST PRACTICES

summer 2015

In this Issue

Show and SellUniquely Yours

Working SmarterThe Artful Bookstore

Fabulous FindsTime for a Makeover?

Training for new

bookstore owners & managers

Owning a Bookstore,

A Workshop Retreat

August 24-28, 2015

Learn. Plan. Do.

Refresh & Renew

It's great to see suchmomentum as booksellersare re-imagining theirstores ...

... investing in updating orexpanding their space, adding a location, andgenerally feeling good about the future.

keep it fresh and interesting.

Show and Sell

welcoming new babies

Throughout the store, there are numerousopportunities to become a gift destination bysimply making it easy for customers.Help customers welcome a new baby to the worldby dedicating a fixture or special display.

Here's a little nook at Words of Maplewood, NJ.Words stenciled on the back wall include: tickle,cat, dog, love, laugh.

Owner Jonah Zimiles is a model for always lookingfor ways to keep the store fresh.

Improve displays now

with this stafftraining video

Bookstore MerchandisingMade Easy

(30 minutes)

You and your staff will learn

professional merchandisingskills that will enhance thecustomer's experience:

Identify the most valuableretail real estate throughoutthe store where you alreadyhave your customers'attention

Create displays that sellMake sections come aliveShare your love of books

with shelf-talkers and thepersonal touch

This 30 minute video canbe shown during a staffmeeting or used with everynew hire.

Here's the "Welcome NewBaby" section at An Unlikely Story, Jeff Kinney'sbookstore.

Slatwall on the interior back of this wall tablefixture (available through Franklin Fixtures) allowsus to cluster related merchandise. Using theslatwall, we were able to face-out copies of theGoodnight Moon board book, hang bunny blankiesand plush bunnies (both from Kids Preferred) seton acrylic shelves.

Sell the book and the toy together ... make it easy!

Let's not forget the siblings!

Seeing the announcementfor this week's release ofLittle Miss, Big Sis by AmyKrouse Rosenthal andillustrator Peter H.Reynolds was a reminderto mention the value inputting books that

celebrate big sister and brother right in your "NewBaby" section.

How convenient to find something special for alittle one who may be worried about now having toshare the center of attention (and perhaps evenacting out).

Plus, staff will find it easy to know just where theselittle books are located (not lost in the alpha-by-author sequence in picture books), but right withthe items specially chosen for welcoming a newbaby to the world.

Pass it on!This free newsletter isavailable to anybookseller, bookstorevendor, or prospectivebookstore owner ...pass along the links!

Register here toreceive this freenewsletter.

Newsletterarchives.

Paz Blog

You'll find more ideas,strategies, inspirationand reflections aboutsuccess in booksellingby reading the Paz &Associates blog.

What's on your mind?

From wanting to becomemore efficient andeffective to updating thelook and feel of the store... and finding a newowner when it's time tobegin your next chapter,booksellers count on us,

to sell, facilitate discovery.

Uniquely Yours

signature giftwrap

We recently attended a lecture on "The Science ofHappiness" and were surprised to learn thatshopping is a source of happiness... even forthose of us who may enjoy shopping in abookstore, but not other stores.

How does shopping createhappiness?

Shopping makes us happywhen we stumble upon aperfect item for someonewe know and love.

WG Ellerkamp isnow theexclusivedistributor in theU.S. for abeautiful line ofSwiss-made giftwrap. Includedare designsperfect forreaders andbook lovers. Style: Callisto

Style: Alex

Wrap an emptybox with colorfulpaper and put iton display in thekids area!

knowing we are devotedto supporting strong andstable, creative andvibrant indie bookstores.

Your first 20 minuteconsultation is free, sogive us a call at904.277.2664. We'd loveto work with you!

Warm regards,

Mark & Donna Paz Kaufman

The Bookstore Training Group ofPaz & Associates

Whether you change your designs during the yearto keep them fresh or have a standard signaturelook that is part of your brand, make sure youdisplay and promote your gift-wrapping service atthe cash wrap and in various places in the store.

inspire gift giving.create happiness.

Working Smarter

John Gaylord coaches on vendor returns

A key element for maintaining a healthy trade bookselection is a consistent overstock return regimen.

How long is long enough?Most titles that have been in stock for six monthsor more -- without selling -- are the bestcandidates for returns.Except for the must-haves (your sacred cows for acredible selection), invest in frontlist and otheritems that will potentially perform better. This isyour "performance criteria".

How often should you pull returns?

Returns should beprocessed monthly inorder to even out cashflow ups and downs whenpaying key vendors.

Most bookstore inventory management systemsinclude reporting templates that will easily identifytitles that do not meet performance criteria.

Often the reports can be exported to an Excel filethat can be sorted and formatted to create anefficient pull checklist. I will typically sort bycategory then author, and include the basic biblioinformation that will allow for easy identificationonce you're in the section.

Do an "Eyeball" return...During your daily walk-through the store, look forbooks with multiple copies that just aren't selling.The media didn't pick up on it, you might have had

it on display, added ashelf-talker, and moved itto several areas in thestore to give the bookadditional attention ... andyou still have too many.Especially look for titlesyou have in hardcoverFiction that are now out intrade paper.

Watch for your creditsValuable link to youraccounting softwareSome inventory control systems allow you to"voucher" or connect the vendor credit memo withan export to Quickbooks. This links your credit toyour accounts payable.

If your software system doesn't do this, log yourcredits in a journal. However you track yourcredits, it is absolutely critical that you takeresponsibility to assure that full credit has beenreceived. If you have a bookkeeper, this should beone of their ongoing responsibilities to track andfollow-up to ensure you're getting timely credits.

Over time, sloppiness in return/credit tracking cancontribute to thousands of dollars of mysteriousshrinkage losses identified when you take aphysical inventory.

Effective return procedures will help you tomaximize inventory turns, sales, and profitability.

work smarter.streamline your systems.

The Artful Bookstore

pairing art and words

At BookExpo America in New York City, we metEvan Robertson, the co-founder of Obvious State,an indie vendor founded in 2011 to developoriginal illustrations "inspired by an obsession with

literature, language and thoughtful design."The company's taglineis:We Play With Words

The graphic designstyle is distinctly blackand white pairingliterary quotes withstriking designs.

With this typewriterdesign is TrumanCapote's quote,

"That's not writing,that's typing."

Art prints, $24 retail

And here is a canvas totewith a quote from Jorge LuisBorges:

"I have always imaginedparadise will bea kind of library."

Totes, $22 retail

You'll also find a wonderful selection of greetingcards, journals, mugs and t-shirts at ObviousState.

These products would lookstunning on a dramatic

backdrop, like a wall paintedin a dark color.

Beth Golay, in her delightfuldaily email, Books &

Whatnot, has been showingsome fun signs with chalk

paint.

Notice the use of chalk paintin this photo ... with some handwritten notes and

wallpaper with bookcases.

Print is black and white ... why not use thatcombination to create a dramatic nook, wall, ordefined area in the bookstore?

combine words and art fora lovely literary look.

Fabulous Finds

Four days after the opening of author Jeff Kinney'snew bookstore, the sales rep for Cardtharticawrote an email to say she was working on a stockreplenishment order.

We are hearing from so many bookstores thatcards are selling well. Let's keep the selectionfresh and fun ... and mix in a few other grab-and-go items.

Rifle Paper Co.

The "in" colors right now arebright and happy. Simpleimages like this one fromthe large birthday selectionare appealing to differentage groups.

And the color flows to allof their product lines ...bags and totes, journals,gift wrap, note pads,notecards and muchmore.

We love the internationalflair. "Joie de Vivre" ... thejoy of living!

Cardthartic

Founder Jodee Stevens left the corporate life tocreate a line of cards designed to promote

honoring emotions. The cards are printed inChampaign, Illinois, a few hours south of Chicago.

Condolence cardscelebrate life while sharinga sense of loss. Theirgreetings are creative andrefreshing.

This one reads, "One ofthe good guys gone ...never to be forgotten."$3.50 retail

Love this one ..."Yay for book club"!$3.50 retail

Magnets are a perfectadd-on. Cardthartic'smagnet counter spinnercomes with the Paz seal

of approval. $4.50 retail

Palm Press

Vickie Crafton, owner ofLitchfield Books, considersPalm Press one of herbestselling lines. Based inCalifornia, this indiereviews thousands ofphotos from the world'sbest photographers ... andprints cards in the U.S.

Here's "Sending a big bear hug for your birthday!"

Palm Press does "fun" and "quirky" really well.$2.95 retail

make them smile.keep shopping interesting.

Time for are-do?

Store Design, Fixtures & LightingLiz Dion, the Paz store designer and architect, teams withDonna Paz Kaufman to transform bookstores. We love torepurpose items and believe using our resources andcreativity can stretch the budget and go a long way to give abookstore new vitality.

We'd love to transform your space!

Contact Donna at dpaz@pazbookbiz.comfor a free consultation.