Affinity Programs

LIBRIS (League of Independent Book Retailer Insurance Services), the insurance program owned and operated by the American Booksellers Association, recently revamped its website, making it more user-friendly for both existing and potential policyholders. The redesigned site, featuring enhanced graphics, provides comprehensive information about the insurance coverages available through LIBRIS.

Above the Treeline, the business intelligence tool that gives bookstores greater control of their inventory and the means to establish better, more collaborative relationships with publishers, will be the focus of three sessions on Saturday, May 31, at BookExpo America.

A Hotel ABA welcome desk and a lounge, bag check, and shipping center at the Los Angeles Convention -- all exclusively for ABA members -- will make life easier at this month's BookExpo America.

PartnerShip, the firm that manages the ABA Discount Shipping Program, has announced a new five percent bonus discount for ABA members who process select FedEx Express shipments online. Simply by arranging a FedEx shipment online at FedEx.com or through any FedEx approved electronic shipping device, ABA members now receive an additional five percent discount on select shipments from FedEx.

In January, the American Booksellers Association announced a near-record dividend for policyholders of its LIBRIS (League of Independent Book Retailer Insurance Services) insurance program. Now, dividend checks representing three percent of a business' annual premium are on their way to participating ABA member bookstores.

This week, Yellow Transportation announced a general rate increase on freight shipments in the U.S. and Canada of approximately 3.9 percent. The company said the increase -- "the smallest rate increase in the industry" -- became necessary due to higher costs for insurance, workers' compensation, and expenses uniquely associated with the shipping industry, such as highway tolls and cargo security.

American Booksellers Association affinity partner Bank of America Merchant Services has announced that it will be waiving the $75 application fee for booksellers who sign up for its credit card processing program from March 1 through the end of June 2008.

It's now just a week before ABA-member booksellers head to Louisville, Kentucky, for the Third Annual Winter Institute.

Savvy booksellers make the most of every opportunity to inform customers about the latest titles, upcoming events, and store news, and one of a business' most-effective channels is an e-mail marketing campaign.

The American Booksellers Association has announced a near-record dividend for policyholders of its LIBRIS (League of Independent Book Retailer Insurance Services) insurance program. A dividend of three percent of a business' annual premium will be paid to participating ABA members at the end of February; non-ABA participants will receive a one percent dividend.

PartnerShip/FedEx will be providing on-site discount shipping for participants in the American Booksellers Association's 2008 Winter Institute who are enrolled in the ABA Discount Shipping Program.

The American Booksellers Association Discount Shipping Program, administered by PartnerShip, recently announced a new enhancement to its program: discounts on some FedEx Kinko's services. Now ABA members enrolled in the shipping program will receive 20 percent off select color and black/white print and copy services and 10 percent off select finishing services such as signs and graphics.

According to the U.S. Federal Reserve, 42.5 billion checks were cashed in 2000. Now, to facilitate the acceptance of checks at member bookstores, the American Booksellers Association is introducing a check guarantee program at discounted rates from Certegy Check Services, a leading service provider to U.S. merchants.

The American Booksellers Association Discount Shipping Program recently announced even better rates for members participating in the program: UPS Freight and Yellow Transportation have increased discounts on less-than-truckload freight shipments to 64 percent from 62 percent. According to PartnerShip, the program's administrator, businesses currently enrolled in the program automatically received the new pricing when it went into effect on June 15.

Whether your bookstore has many employees and locations, or it's just a two-person operation, having a basic accident and emergency control program is good business. Here, the insurance professionals at LIBRIS (League of Independent Book Retailer Insurance Services), the ABA-owned insurance company, offer nine elements that should be addressed by an effective risk management program: