Sign-ups to participate close in four days on March 31*. You must be a logged-in ABA member** to access the form. If you do not know your login credentials please email us at [email protected].

*If you have already ordered exclusives or signed up already, you do not need to complete this form again.

**Independent Bookstore Day is open to those who are members of ABA, as well as their regional booksellers association.

April To-Dos: 

• Order delivery will soon begin! Feel free to post unboxing videos and pictures of your displays using the hashtag #IndieBookstoreDay, so we can reshare on our social media platforms. However, exclusive items may not be ordered, pre-ordered, or added to a cart until April 26. 
• We have extra Exclusive Indie Bookstore Day Totes available! Contact your Ingram Rep to order!
• Contact your Ingram Rep to add any items from the 2024 and 2025 Exclusives Overstock Inventory to an order. 
  

• Join in on Spirit Week!
• Starting Monday, April 21, join fellow booksellers for Independent Bookstore Day Spirit Week! Feel free to share the digital assets, use the hashtag #BookstoreSpiritWeek, and take part in the daily themes leading up to Indie Bookstore Day on April 26. Here are the Spirit Week holidays:
  • Monday, April 21: Silly Sock Day
  • Tuesday, April 22: Plaid Tuesday
  • Wednesday, April 23: On Wednesdays We Wear Bookstore Shirts 
  • Thursday, April 24: Book Character Dress-Up Day
  • Friday, April 25: YOUR store’s Spirit Day
• Is your store being mentioned in local news outlets? Email the story to [email protected] to be added to the IndieBound Indie Bookstore Day Media Webpage. There’s still time to send an Indie Bookstore Day Press Release to your local media! Download the template, enter your specific bookstore’s information (we provided examples!), and you’re ready to send it off.
• Look for promotion details from our partners at Libro.fm and Bookshop.org. 
• On April 28, Stores that ordered exclusives will receive a separate email with the subject line, “Submit your Indie Bookstore Day Sell-Thru Data!”, with instructions to submit their sell-thru data. This information will help us work with publishers as we determine next year’s exclusives.
• Keep an eye out for your Ingram Order on ipage.
  • If your order is shown as “Backordered”, that status is correct and will be until all exclusives are received by Ingram and they begin packing orders.

Reminders:

Bonfire Custom Orders Discount

To support ABA members, Bonfire is offering an exclusive discount: 10% off custom orders of 15+ shirts when ordered by April 4, so bookstores have shirts in hand for the big day! For custom orders, stores can upload their own design, create one using Bonfire’s design tool, or take them up on the free custom design offer (one time only in the store’s history). Email [email protected] to claim the discount. 

IndieCommerce + Indie Bookstore Day Webinar Replay

• For IndieCommerce 1.0 (Legacy Platform):
• Webinar Recording
• Help Doc
• For IndieCommerce 2.0
• Webinar Recording
• Help Doc

Continue Sharing Your Plans

Submit Your Plans to ABA (including crawls and passport programs). We add store plans to the IndieBound blog every week. 

Key Dates to Know:

• Last Chance to Get On The Map! March 31: Indie Bookstore Day 2025 Participation Form closes. (Stores that didn't order exclusive items can sign up to participate until this date.)
• April 4: Indie Bookstore Day Searchable Map goes live on IndieBound
• Early- to mid-April: All exclusives ship to bookstores
• April 21–25: Indie Bookstore Day Spirit Week
  • Monday, April 21: Silly Sock Day
  • Tuesday, April 22: Plaid Tuesday
  • Wednesday, April 23: On Wednesdays We Wear Bookstore Shirts 
  • Thursday, April 24: Book Character Dress-Up Day
  • Friday, April 25: YOUR store’s Spirit Day
• April 26, the last Saturday in April: Independent Bookstore Day

Stay tuned for future updates via our newsletters. Missed an issue of the Indie Bookstore Day Newsletter? Catch up on them all on BookWeb.

Questions? Contact Courtney Wallace, Independent Bookstore Day Program Director at [email protected].