June 1 Deadline for Book Sense Gift Certificate Phase-Out

Effective June 1, bookstores must stop selling Book Sense paper gift certificates. Any Book Sense Paper gift certificate sold and dated after June 1, 2005, will not be valid. However, in order to protect consumers, booksellers will still be required to accept valid paper gift certificates sold prior to that date as per local/state laws and other criteria set forth by Book Sense.

Book Sense will pay 10 cents for each unsold Book Sense paper gift certificate returned to ABA via a traceable manner (e.g., UPS) by June 15. Certificates should be sent to the attention of Peter Reynolds at ABA, 828 South Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591. The minimum reimbursement amount for this buy-back is $5 regardless of the number of certificates returned.

Book Sense will continue to provide reimbursement for all valid Book Sense gift certificates in accordance with established reimbursement guidelines for as long as necessary.

In keeping with the wording on the certificate, "Redeemable at any store with Book Sense nationwide," all bookstores with Book Sense should continue to accept valid Book Sense gift certificates even if they have never sold one. (Reimbursement instructions are online at www.bookweb.org/read/7618.)

ABA announced that it was discontinuing the Book Sense Gift Certificate Program in October 2004. On December 31, the association stopped selling paper certificates to bookstores.

Booksellers are encouraged to sign-up for the Book Sense Gift Card Program; however, it is not a requirement to participate in Book Sense. For more about the Book Sense Gift Card Program, go to www.bookweb.org/read/6303.

Questions about the Book Sense Gift Certificate and Gift Card programs should be addressed to ABA Marketing Director Jill Perlstein at [email protected] or (800) 637-0037, ext. 1283.