TAKE THAT, Barnes & Noble. En garde, Amazon.com. Independent bookstores are striking back.
The American Booksellers Association is launching Book Sense, a branding campaign to help small and niche stores survive the threat of online and brick-and-mortar superstore competition. The goal is to create a brand that would link the independents, while at the same time stress each store’s unique personality and character.
The program was introduced regionally in the San Francisco Bay area by the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association last November. Participating retailers in the national ABA program will receive Book Sense posters, bookmarks, shopping bags and other materials.
Booksense.com is slated for rollout later this summer. It’s expected to include an e-commerce component and recommendations from local booksellers.
The Book Sense campaign will feature a gift certificate program allowing customers to redeem coupons at participating bookstores. A toll-free information line, 1-800-Book Sense, will also be promoted via print advertising in publications such as The New York Times. -BN
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