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Join ABA CFO PK Sindwani, a former bookstore owner, and our accounting staff for our session designed to jumpstart your ABACUS submission. In this session, you’ll receive step-by-step instructions to fill out your ABACUS survey, tips on how to find your information to complete the survey, and ways to find time to report.
Attend a forthcoming workshop with PK for one-on-one assistance with filling out the 2023 ABACUS Survey the submission deadline of July 21, 2024.
ABA's Lightning Talk series features booksellers presenting 5-10 minute talks on tech tools, organizational strategies, communication methods, or innovations they’ve made in their stores. On March 14, 2024, Emily Autenrieth (A Seat at the Table Books) discussed Calculating Sales for Store Sustainability.
Join ABA CFO PK Sindwani, a former bookseller, and our accounting staff for our sessions designed to jumpstart your ABACUS submission. In this session, you’ll receive step-by-step instructions to fill out your ABACUS survey, tips on how to find your information to complete the survey, and ways to find time to report. Please bring your Trial balance, year-end payroll register from your payroll provider, and year-end cash register summary from your POS.
A full transcription and closed captioning are available for this session. Please note that both are machine-generated and are not reviewed for accuracy.
Join ABA CFO PK Sindwani, a former bookseller, and our accounting staff for our sessions designed to jumpstart your ABACUS submission. In this session, you’ll receive step-by-step instructions to fill out your ABACUS survey, tips on how to find your information to complete the survey, and ways to find time to report. Please bring your Trial balance, year-end payroll register from your payroll provider, and year-end cash register summary from your POS.
A full transcription and closed captioning are available for this session. Please note that both are machine-generated and are not reviewed for accuracy.
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A big challenge for all bookstores is the volume and management of publisher invoices. In this session, you’ll hear from Batch colleagues and current Batch users about how they save time and money using Batch to manage their invoices and prepare payments to publishing partners. The session will include discussion and demonstrations with focus on how Batch:
- Automatically and electronically organizes invoices to reduce paperwork and free up time.
- Provides access to invoice information 24x7, enabling you to manage invoices when it’s most convenient for you.
- Provides electronic invoices, allowing you to verify shipments and raise claims for damages or shortages at the point of delivery.
- Allows payments to be prepared and remittances received and stored electronically.
- Links with QuickBooks; enabling automated entry of invoice data directly into QuickBooks.
Whether your store or a portion of your bookstore is classified by the IRS as a nonprofit or not, you can still raise funds by applying for grants. Come to this session to learn more about the art and science of grant writing for both nonprofit and for-profit bookstores.
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This financial modeling workshop will help you evaluate potential new initiatives for your business. Whether you think it’s time to expand your space with another physical or pop-up location, you want to begin or increase your offering of used books or non-book items, or you’re considering adding a cafe or bar, this workshop will walk you through the financial analysis to help you make sound business decisions. Preliminary work in the Strategic Planning Series: Part I, Part II, and Part III will benefit attendees of this session.
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Whether you have owned a store for many years and are considering exiting a much-loved business, are planning for your store’s long-term future, or are a bookseller exploring options for keeping a business viable for many years to come, this is the session for you. This seminar will cover store valuation, alternate models for succession, how to raise capital, the importance of an emergency plan, and more!
Whether you have owned a store for many years and are considering exiting a much-loved business, are planning for your store’s long-term future, or are a bookseller exploring options for keeping a business viable for many years to come, this is the session for you. This seminar will cover store valuation, alternate models for succession, how to raise capital, the importance of an emergency plan, and more!
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Decoding the P&L for Booksellers, Managers, and Owners was presented at the Fall 2022 Regional Shows.
A bookstore’s profit and loss statement (P&L) is a critical tool for evaluating a store’s overall performance. Join ABA staff on a walk-through of a bookstore P&L statement as we lay a groundwork for understanding bookstore financials, decode individual line items to identify opportunities for improved profitability, discuss how to use ABA’s ABACUS Report, and consider ways to share financials with staff in a meaningful and cooperative manner.
Decoding the P&L for Booksellers, Managers, and Owners was presented at the Fall 2022 Regional Shows.
A bookstore’s profit and loss statement (P&L) is a critical tool for evaluating a store’s overall performance. Join ABA staff on a walk-through of a bookstore P&L statement as we lay a groundwork for understanding bookstore financials, decode individual line items to identify opportunities for improved profitability, discuss how to use ABA’s ABACUS Report, and consider ways to share financials with staff in a meaningful and cooperative manner.
Decoding the P&L for Booksellers, Managers, and Owners was presented at the Fall 2022 Regional Shows.
A bookstore’s profit and loss statement (P&L) is a critical tool for evaluating a store’s overall performance. Join ABA staff on a walk-through of a bookstore P&L statement as we lay a groundwork for understanding bookstore financials, decode individual line items to identify opportunities for improved profitability, discuss how to use ABA’s ABACUS Report, and consider ways to share financials with staff in a meaningful and cooperative manner.
Decoding the P&L for Booksellers, Managers, and Owners was presented at the Fall 2022 Regional Shows.
A bookstore’s profit and loss statement (P&L) is a critical tool for evaluating a store’s overall performance. Join ABA staff on a walk-through of a bookstore P&L statement as we lay a groundwork for understanding bookstore financials, decode individual line items to identify opportunities for improved profitability, discuss how to use ABA’s ABACUS Report, and consider ways to share financials with staff in a meaningful and cooperative manner.
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Book fairs come in all shapes and sizes. If well planned, they can be a profitable undertaking for a bookstore. In this session, booksellers with profitable book fair models will discuss different store models and how bookstores with established relationships with local school districts can analyze and optimize profitability.
Book fairs come in all shapes and sizes. If well planned, they can be a profitable undertaking for a bookstore. In this session, booksellers with profitable book fair models will discuss different store models and how bookstores with established relationships with local school districts can analyze and optimize profitability.
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Over the last two years, the IndieCommerce team has observed and analyzed consumer e-commerce buying habits as all consumers were forced to adapt to online shopping throughout the public health crisis. In this feature talk, Phillip Davies, ABA’s Director of E-Commerce, will give attendees an e-commerce market overview and share assessments on consumer buying habits. Afterward, booksellers will meet in Buzz Groups to discuss how they can optimize what they’ve learned to continue to drive online sales.
Over the last two years, the IndieCommerce team has observed and analyzed consumer e-commerce buying habits as all consumers were forced to adapt to online shopping throughout the public health crisis. In this feature talk, Phillip Davies, ABA’s Director of E-Commerce, will give attendees an e-commerce market overview and share assessments on consumer buying habits. Afterward, booksellers will meet in Buzz Groups to discuss how they can optimize what they’ve learned to continue to drive online sales.
In this session, IndieCommerce team members will discuss upcoming features and updates for websites on the current IndieCommerce 1.0 and IndieLite platforms to prepare for the 2022 Holiday shopping season. The team will also review the transition to the new IndieCommerce 2.0 platform, the timeline, and how stores can best prepare for the transition. An additional session that will discuss just IndieCommerce 2.0 is scheduled for Wednesday, June 22.
In this session, IndieCommerce team members will discuss upcoming features and updates for websites on the current IndieCommerce 1.0 and IndieLite platforms to prepare for the 2022 Holiday shopping season. The team will also review the transition to the new IndieCommerce 2.0 platform, the timeline, and how stores can best prepare for the transition. An additional session that will discuss just IndieCommerce 2.0 is scheduled for Wednesday, June 22.
Understanding financial benchmarks within your children’s bookstore or children’s departments can help you maximize space, optimize non-book gifts and sidelines, improve profitability, and more. This session is for children’s-only bookstores or general bookstores with a children’s department. Attendees will also learn more about ABACUS — how to participate, how to use this important tool for your business, and why it’s so important for children’s bookstores to be counted in this data.
Understanding financial benchmarks within your children’s bookstore or children’s departments can help you maximize space, optimize non-book gifts and sidelines, improve profitability, and more. This session is for children’s-only bookstores or general bookstores with a children’s department. Attendees will also learn more about ABACUS — how to participate, how to use this important tool for your business, and why it’s so important for children’s bookstores to be counted in this data.
This conversation is for stores of all sizes and designed with your questions in mind. PK Sindwani, former bookseller and current ABA CFO, and Cynthia Compton, owner of 4 Kids Books & Toys (Zionsville, IN), will spend the majority of the session taking financial questions from the audience. No question is too big or too small! This interactive group discussion will take into account a variety of business models, and practical advice will be given about how to integrate what you’ve learned to assist with making sound business decisions.
During this session, ABA IndieCommerce Director Phil Davies and Marketing Manager Courtney Wallace will share tips, tricks, and best practices for creating better product photography.
A full transcription is available for this session. Please note that it is machine-generated and not reviewed for accuracy.
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This session features booksellers discussing what staff scheduling platforms they are using, what their process is, and useful tips.
Guest speakers are:
A full transcription and closed captioning are available for this session. Please note that both are machine-generated and are not reviewed for accuracy.
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This session features booksellers discussing what staff scheduling platforms they are using, what their process is, and useful tips.
Guest speakers are:
A full transcription and closed captioning are available for this session. Please note that both are machine-generated and are not reviewed for accuracy.
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Batch for Books is a web-based platform that bookstores can use to manage invoices across multiple publishers and streamline the payment management process. In this session, longtime veteran of the indie bookstore community and current Program Manager for Batch for Books U.S. Nathan Halter will present what Batch for Books is, how it works, and why it is a valuable tool, and he will provide a demonstration.
A full transcription and closed captioning are available for this session. Please note that both are machine-generated and are not reviewed for accuracy.
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If you are having trouble trying to figure out where to access information or finding the time to report, ABA CFO (and former bookseller) PK Sindwani presents a special ABACUS webinar to help you jump start your submission and answer any questions that may be slowing you down.
ABA recently partnered with Gravity Payments to offer credit card processing services to bookstore members. Gravity Payments, which came recommended by several booksellers, is led by CEO Dan Price, who launched the company because he saw independent businesses being overcharged and underserved by their credit card processors.
Gravity Payments offers special rates and terms for ABA members.
During this session, representatives from Gravity Payments will discuss their service, provide a short presentation, and be available for questions from members.
Watch this short video to learn more about Dan Price and Gravity Payments.
ABA recently partnered with Gravity Payments to offer credit card processing services to bookstore members. Gravity Payments, which came recommended by several booksellers, is led by CEO Dan Price, who launched the company because he saw independent businesses being overcharged and underserved by their credit card processors.
Gravity Payments offers special rates and terms for ABA members.
During this session, representatives from Gravity Payments will discuss their service, provide a short presentation, and be available for questions from members.
Watch this short video to learn more about Dan Price and Gravity Payments.
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Designed for booksellers with some understanding of bookkeeping, this session will take a deeper dive into a store’s individual financial statements, focusing on how to read and apply the information in balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, and the ABACUS report, in order to make sound financial decisions. This session will be recorded.
Download the handouts here. Note: You need to be signed in with a bookseller account to access the handouts.
Designed for booksellers with some understanding of bookkeeping, this session will take a deeper dive into a store’s individual financial statements, focusing on how to read and apply the information in balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, and the ABACUS report, in order to make sound financial decisions. This session will be recorded.
Download the handouts here. Note: You need to be signed in with a bookseller account to access the handouts.
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Accurate and timely bookkeeping is the foundation of a profitable business. This session will cover the fundamentals of bookkeeping, with a focus on the general ledger document, and explain how proper bookkeeping improves efficiency and, ultimately, saves time and money. In addition, attendees will get a brief overview of cash flow, income statements, and balance sheets.
Download the handouts here. Note: You need to be signed in with a bookseller account to access the handouts.
For many stores, 2020 was the most difficult business year in decades, and 2021 will present many ongoing challenges. This session will help you plan for success by focusing on a few key topics: monitoring or creating your budget, responding to changing business conditions, managing your cash flow, and monitoring important benchmarking data to track your progress and meet your yearly goals. This session will provide a template for building your annual budget. Panelists: PK Sindwani, ABA (White Plains, NY); Jennifer Almodovar, ABA (White Plains, NY)
The Top 10 Things to Know About: Managing Cash Flow,” which features ABA CFO PK Sindwani.
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Tom Jardim and Scott Salmon, experts in employment and labor law from the law firm Jardim, Meisner & Susser, P.C., will walk booksellers through the federal government relief and wage requirements recently passed in response to COVID-19.
Jardim and Salmon will cover the relief for small businesses in the CARES Act such as the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, the Paycheck Protection Program, increased unemployment benefits, and tax/tax credit information. Additionally, the webinar will cover wage and hour requirements in part implemented by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
Tom Jardim and Scott Salmon, experts in employment and labor law from the law firm Jardim, Meisner & Susser, P.C., will walk booksellers through the federal government relief and wage requirements recently passed in response to COVID-19.
Jardim and Salmon will cover the relief for small businesses in the CARES Act such as the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, the Paycheck Protection Program, increased unemployment benefits, and tax/tax credit information. Additionally, the webinar will cover wage and hour requirements in part implemented by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
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ABACUS is the financial benchmarking survey that provides actionable, store-specific financial data as well as overall data on the financial health of independent bookstores for those who submit to the survey. Whether or not you submit, you will find this session full of helpful guidelines and suggestions for increasing store profitability. Not sure what ABACUS is or if it’s applicable to you? This is the perfect place to find your answers. Panelists: Pete Mulvihill, Green Apple Books (San Francisco, CA), Donna Garban, Little City Books (Hoboken, NJ), Suzanna Hermans, Oblong Books and Music (Millerton, NY), Angela Schwesnedl, Moon Palace Books (Minneapolis, MN)
ABACUS is the financial benchmarking survey that provides actionable, store-specific financial data as well as overall data on the financial health of independent bookstores for those who submit to the survey. Whether or not you submit, you will find this session full of helpful guidelines and suggestions for increasing store profitability. Not sure what ABACUS is or if it’s applicable to you? This is the perfect place to find your answers. Panelists: Pete Mulvihill, Green Apple Books (San Francisco, CA), Donna Garban, Little City Books (Hoboken, NJ), Suzanna Hermans, Oblong Books and Music (Millerton, NY), Angela Schwesnedl, Moon Palace Books (Minneapolis, MN)
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“Co-op” is a word booksellers often hear from publishers, but it can be quite confusing to try to decipher what it is. In this session, bookstores that maximize their spending using co-op dollars will share with attendees:
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The ABACUS benchmarking report is designed to provide easy-to-understand guidelines for identifying independent bookstore business performance improvement opportunities. If you have never participated in the survey and would like to learn more about reporting to ABACUS-19, which will open in spring 2020, this session will teach you:
The ABACUS benchmarking report is designed to provide easy-to-understand guidelines for identifying independent bookstore business performance improvement opportunities. If you have never participated in the survey and would like to learn more about reporting to ABACUS-19, which will open in spring 2020, this session will teach you:
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When your wallet is slim and margins are small, every penny counts. But there are little things that can be done every single day to boost a bookstore’s bottom line. Bookstore panelists who have effectively pinched a penny here and saved a penny there will teach attendees:
When your wallet is slim and margins are small, every penny counts. But there are little things that can be done every single day to boost a bookstore’s bottom line. Bookstore panelists who have effectively pinched a penny here and saved a penny there will teach attendees:
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ABACUS is a yearly benchmarking survey that gathers essential information and insights on bookstore financials. This unique and actionable data is key to a store’s long-term viability, as it can be used to create budgets and analyze important business questions. Bookseller panelists who regularly submit to ABACUS will explain how they have been able to implement changes based on their ABACUS report. In this session, booksellers will learn:
Information on how and when to submit your data to participate in the ABACUS report
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Increasing margin through better buying and careful budgeting can improve your cost of goods. This session will use data from ABA’s ABACUS report to outline a path to improvements in a store’s cost of goods, leading to improved financial decisions and substantial savings. The booksellers on this panel are excited to share straightforward financial practices that will make a big difference to the financial health of your business. In this session, booksellers will learn:
Increasing margin through better buying and careful budgeting can improve your cost of goods. This session will use data from ABA’s ABACUS report to outline a path to improvements in a store’s cost of goods, leading to improved financial decisions and substantial savings. The booksellers on this panel are excited to share straightforward financial practices that will make a big difference to the financial health of your business. In this session, booksellers will learn:
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The 101-level seminar, led by ABA CFO Robyn DesHotel and Cynthia Compton of 4 Kids Books & Toys in Zionsville, Indiana, covers the fundamentals of budgeting, understanding cash flow, business financing, bookkeeping, and financial statements. The seminar concentrates on bookstore finances as opposed to bookstore accounting and deep financial experience is not required.
This video is available to logged-in, ABA bookseller members only.
The Principals of Bookstore Finance Seminar was presented at the 2018 Fall Regional Shows.
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Jesse Mecham is the author of You Need A Budget: The Proven System for Breaking the Paycheck to Paycheck Cycle, Getting Out of Debt, and Living the Life You Want. YNAB is best-known for teaching “Four Rules” to help people really gain control of their money. Jesse puts his business lessons in action by teaching attendees how they personally can change the way they think about their money. He’ll teach attendees his “Four Rules” walking them through hilarious (because they’re so true!) examples of money mistakes, and what they can do today to start having their money line up with what really matters.
ABACUS is a yearly benchmarking survey that gathers key information and insights on bookstore financials. Stores that participate in ABACUS know how important this unique and actionable data is to their store’s long-term viability. Industry Insights, the organization that compiles and analyzes the confidential bookstore data, will offer a tutorial on the new ABACUS web portal, review key survey trends and results, and demonstrate how to generate reports to best utilize a store’s data. In addition, booksellers who regularly submit to ABACUS will explain how they have been able to implement changes based on their ABACUS report.
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Pre-registration required; for owners and managers only. Registration is closed. Exiting a much-loved business can be difficult to consider, but whether you are preparing to retire or you expect to own your store for many years to come, it is important to have a plan in place for your business and to consider all succession options. A bookseller who has gone through the process of selling a store as well as a representative from a local financial group that offers business valuations will lead a conversation on how to prepare for this important step in the life of your store.
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Implementing a system to manage store finances is key to the survival of any business. A good financial system allows you to confidently meet financial obligations, from payroll to event budgets and more. This session will highlight a few tactics booksellers can use to create a better system to approach and manage store finances with confidence.
Implementing a system to manage store finances is key to the survival of any business. A good financial system allows you to confidently meet financial obligations, from payroll to event budgets and more. This session will highlight a few tactics booksellers can use to create a better system to approach and manage store finances with confidence.
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This 101-level seminar covers the fundamentals of budgeting, understanding cash flow, business financing, bookkeeping, and financial statements. The workshop includes a segment focusing on strategies for achieving higher profits and improving cash flow. The program concludes with an interactive group discussion, working through an example of how booksellers can use their store’s financial information to make sound business decisions. The seminar concentrates on bookstore finances as opposed to bookstore accounting, and though it is helpful for attendees to be familiar with basic bookstore finances, deep financial experience is not required.
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An ongoing commitment to improving margins is a key to increasing bookstore profits. Focusing on freight costs, cost of goods sold, and even shrinkage can help any business improve the bottom line. Panelists in this session will help booksellers focus on successful strategies and best practices that will help guide booksellers into greater profitability.
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In this detailed financial session, publishers will walk booksellers through the Profit and Loss statement of a new trade title and the financial realities of publishing, while delineating the many factors that affect both the bookstore channel and consumers. Important P&L line items such as suggested retail price, production costs, marketing, and returns will be discussed, as will broader themes that impact the day-to-day cost of publishing.
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A business plan is a document typically associated with launching a bookstore. However, any time you decide to make a change to your operations, it's critical to have a plan. This session will include a review of the essentials for any business plan. Attendees will have a chance to have their own business plans reviewed post-Winter Institute by panelist Jodi Rhoden, Owner/Operator of Short Street Cakes and Teacher at Birds Eye Business Planning (Asheville, NC).
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Whether you need business capital for a store redesign, expansion, or to open a second location, this session will help you to think about non-traditional options to acquire the capital you need. From social media campaigns to community involvement, there are a growing number of new options beyond the bank loan.
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The American Booksellers Association, a national not-for-profit trade organization, works with booksellers and industry partners to ensure the success and profitability of independently owned book retailers, and to assist in expanding the community of the book.
Independent bookstores act as community anchors; they serve a unique role in promoting the open exchange of ideas, enriching the cultural life of communities, and creating economically vibrant neighborhoods.
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