ABACUS-12 Deadline Extended to July 31

The deadline for ABA member stores to respond to the ABACUS-12 survey has been extended to Wednesday, July 31.

ABACUS is the yearly financial survey of ABA bookstore members that has proven to be an extremely valuable resource, one that has played a very important role in the health and growth of participating businesses.

Among the unique data provided by ABACUS are:

• a customized report tailored to individual participating businesses
• an analysis of how a bookstore’s performance compares with similar indie bookstores
• an insightful Executive Summary with key insights regarding the factors of indie bookstore profitability, and
• the information necessary to successfully renegotiate a store lease or help secure operating capital

In a letter to ABA members on Tuesday, the ABACUS Task Force, composed of six indie booksellers from stores of various sizes and in different markets, said, “Participating in the ABACUS survey has helped us to establish important business goals, to determine how we can best improve our bookstore’s financial health, and to monitor our progress. With it, we have written stronger business plans, had successful negotiations with landlords, set benchmarks for payroll, and identified areas where our stores could improve profitability.”

Submitting data to the ABACUS survey is not complicated. It generally takes less than an hour, the information can be taken right off a store’s P&L statement. This year, for the first time, the online submissions form does all the calculations automatically — and, as always, the data gathering is completely secure and confidential.

ABA member stores should look for a link to the ABACUS-12 survey and their unique store ID number in a July 15 e-mail from OnCampus Research Information Analyst Martha Love. The e-mail has the subject line “ABACUS-12 Deadline EXTENDED.” (Stores that did not receive the e-mail should check both their spam filter and with key staff members to see if they may have received it.)

Questions about submitting data to the survey should be directed to Love at OnCampus Research.

The members of the ABACUS Task Force are:

• Valerie Koehler of Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston, Texas
• Nicole Magistro of Bookworm of Edwards in Edwards, Colorado
• Clark Mason of Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena, California
• Peter Schertz of Maria’s Bookshop in Durango, Colorado
• Bob Sommer of Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona
• Amy Thomas of Pegasus Books in Oakland, California