Customer Support Tip: Getting to Know Your Buyers

Some of the best ways to increase your customer base are to make personal connections with potential buyers, and to keep updated on buyer behavior. Here are a few ways to do this on AbeBooks:

• Visit the BookSleuth and GiftSleuth forums. Visitors here want to buy books - they just aren't sure which ones. Helping solve their book-hunting mysteries builds a relationship of trust, and if you have the book they're looking for in stock, even better!
  
• Check the Books-Wanted list. View the list of Wants and then upload the books you have in stock. The buyer will receive an e-mail with a link to buy your book. Just select [Browse books-wanted list] from the Your Wants section of the Members Menu to get started.
• Read the News Releases at the bottom of the AbeBooks homepage. We often showcase popular searches and what's selling well. You can also check our Blog for more book-related news.

Customer Support Tip: Using the Glossary to Improve Your Descriptions

Describing your books inline with the AbeBooks glossary ensures buyers can interpret your descriptions, and can prevent returns for the reason "Item not as described." [View the Glossary.]

Here are the answers to our short quiz:

• ms: Manuscript
• rem: Remainder. When a book has ceased to sell, a publisher may get rid of his overstock by "remaindering" the title.
• App: Appendix. Additional or supplementary material generally found at the end of a book.
• As New: To be used only when the book is in the same immaculate condition to which it was published. There can be no defects, no missing pages, no library stamps, etc., and the dustjacket (if it was issued with one) must be perfect, without any tears.
• Fine: Approaches the condition of As New, but without being crisp. For the use of the term Fine, there must also be no defects, etc., and if the jacket has a small tear, or other defect, or looks worn, this should be noted.

2006 Bookseller Survey Results

Thanks to all of our booksellers who participated in the 2006 Bookseller Survey. More than 3,400 of your responded!

Have you ever wondered what you have in common with other booksellers around the world? You can find out by reading our report. It's segmented by booksellers in the US, the UK, Germany, France, Australia and New Zealand, and Canada, so you can compare your store to others in your region or worldwide.

The report is available in PDF format, so you'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it. If you don't have this program already installed, you can download it for free on the Adobe Web site.

[Download the 2006 Bookseller Survey Results.]

2006 Bookseller Survey Prize Winners

We appreciate the feedback that all of our booksellers shared about their stores, their inventory, and their hopes and plans for the future. The following booksellers were drawn for prizes of one month's or one year's subscription.