Book Sense Announces Gift Card Improvements

Responding to input from booksellers participating in the Book Sense Gift Card Program, this month ABA and Givex announced several cost-cutting, efficiency-enhancing improvements to the program. Changes include a reduction in shipping costs and a consolidation of ACH transfers. In addition, Book Sense has announced that Wizards of the Coast's Dungeons & Dragons-themed gift cards and coordinating presenters will be available this holiday season, and that ABA will be expediting gift card swapping at the fall regional booksellers association shows.

Beginning September 16, shipping charges for gift cards and presenters from Givex in Toronto will be lowered and turnaround time accelerated. Givex, working with FedEx, has arranged for transport service to Buffalo, New York, then three-day interstate service. Cards and presenters will be transported to Buffalo once a week, twice during periods of heavy volume, and then ship via three-day economy service. Booksellers can still expect to receive generic card orders within five to seven days and within two to three weeks for imprinted cards.

Booksellers who require FedEx overnight service will continue to pay the standard rates with minimum charges of $40 per order plus actual shipping costs from Toronto.

Givex has also agreed to consolidate ACH transfers to once per month. The change from twice-per-month transfers to once-per-month effectively provides booksellers with two extra weeks each month to pay program costs and fees. Booksellers should expect a notice for all costs and net credits/debits, e-mailed either at the end of each month, or within the first few days of the following month.

The following costs will be transferred from booksellers' bank accounts on the third Friday of each month:

• $20 monthly fee
• Cost for card and presenter orders
• Shipping for card and presenter orders
• Training sessions
• Swipes and other equipment
• Bookstore-to-bookstore transfers

Booksellers have also found that they can cut down on program costs by re-using cards. All gift card participants attending this year's regional trade shows are encouraged to bring redeemed Book Sense gift cards from other bookstores to the show's ABA/Book Sense booth. An ABA staff person will collect the cards and return them to the issuing store.

For this holiday season, booksellers will able to order gift cards and coordinating presenters featuring art from Wizards of the Coast's Dungeons & Dragons. Four different designs will feature art from Forgotten Realms, Eberron, and others in the series. Supplies will be limited to 500 per location, or while supplies last. Ordering details will be publicized through BTW and Book Sense Gift Card updates.

To view current card designs, go to http://booksenseorders.givex.com/ and log on using your store.givex.comID/password.