Criteria for Boxed Mailings

When planning promotions, publishers are asked to be aware of our commitment to antiracism, inclusion, representation, and diversity as outlined in our ends policies.

Bi-Monthly Box Mailings, Quarterly Kids’ Box Mailings

These mailings offer publishers an easy and cost-effective means of communicating information to ABA member bookstores.

The Bi-Monthly Box Mailing, currently sent to 750 ABA member stores, contains the stores’ initial allotment of the latest Indie Next List flyers as well as any other timely materials from ABA, point-of-purchase materials from publishers such as shelf-talkers, easelbacks, bookmarks, or posters; other marketing materials, including sell sheets and catalogs; as well as galleys or Advance Reading Copies (ARCs) that publishers wish for booksellers to read and consider stocking, handselling, and nominating to the Indie Next Lists. Stores “earn” their bi-monthly box mailing through participation by regularly reporting to the Indie Bestseller List and nominating titles to the various Indie Next Lists. This is an excellent and cost-effective way to reach the independent bookstore market, and by collating, packing, and shipping all these materials from one warehouse, we are able to offer publishers substantial savings in time, labor, and postage over individual mailings done on their own. Mailings are scheduled for January, March, May, July, September, and November.

The Quarterly Kids’ Mailing offers publishers the opportunity to participate in a mailing dedicated solely to materials of interest to children’s-only stores, members of the ABC Children’s Group, as well as those general stores with active children’s sections. Mailings are scheduled for mid-February, mid-May, mid-August, and mid-October, and carry galleys, ARCs, F&Gs, and other materials that a publisher wishes to make available to this target audience (babies & toddlers through YA.) The mailing is sent to currently 750 stores.

Criteria for Boxed Mailing

• Books previously published are not included as the box is intended to offer booksellers a preview of upcoming books.
• ABA supports free expression and a publisher’s right to choose and to market directly what it publishes. Similarly, we choose to not send hate speech to our members. Books with content that meets the United Nation’s definition of hate speech are not included. 
• Sell sheets may be submitted for approval and inclusion in the box, subject to screening for hate speech per the United Nation’s definition.