Each independent book retailer is uniquely independent. The American Booksellers Association is the common connection to the larger book industry. Backed by the strength of its membership, ABA gives voice to thousands of booksellers, influencing publishers and advocating for small businesses. ABA events and workshops bring members together, creating communities that learn, network, and form bonds. ABA member resources offer support and solutions for the day-to-day operations of today’s independent bookseller.
ABA's core membership consists of:
- Businesses that primarily sell new books and define themselves as a new bookstore, though they might also sell used books (store inventory is over 50% new books vs used)
- Businesses that primarily sell new books (over 50% of store inventory consists of new books vs. non-book merchandise)
- Businesses that sell new books in the physical world, as opposed to the digital world. This includes traditional bookstores, pop-up bookstores, and mobile stores.
- Businesses that create community through bookselling.
When joining the American Booksellers Association, please be aware of our commitment to antiracism, inclusion, representation, and diversity as outlined in our ends policies.
Businesses that primarily sell new books in the physical world and create community through bookselling. Traditional bookstores, pop up bookstores, book mobiles. These members are eligible for the 30% Bookshop affiliate rate and Bookshop pool*. These members are eligible to vote on issues of ABA governance.
Businesses that primarily sell used books (75% or more of book inventory) in the physical world and create community through bookselling. Traditional bookstores, pop up bookstores, and mobile bookstores. These members are eligible for the 30% Bookshop affiliate rate and Bookshop pool as well as Bookstore member benefits excluding Quarterly Boxes, and ABACUS. These members are eligible to vote on issues of ABA governance.
An online-only business operates primarily in the digital domain. These members are eligible for the 10% Bookshop affiliate rate, in accordance with Bookshop’s mission. These members are eligible to vote on issues of ABA governance. Online bookstore members must have their own dedicated e-commerce enabled website outside of a Bookshop.org affiliate page.
Businesses or individuals anticipating opening a bookselling company in the near-future. Provisional members planning to open a physical bookstore location in the coming calendar year are eligible for up to two years of the 30% Bookshop affiliate rate. Provisional members are expected to open a bookstore within two years of membership to maintain that eligiblity. Provisional members are not eligible to vote on issues of ABA governance.
Bookstore Benefits & Resources
Jump to Benefits for Publishers, Distributors, Vendors, Adjacent, International and Friends
| See descriptions of membership types at bottom of table. | BOOKSTORE MEMBER REGULAR $199 First Year; Renewal dues based on gross sales | USED BOOKSTORE MEMBER USED $199 First year; Renewal dues based on gross sales | ONLINE BOOKSTORE MEMBER ONLINE $199 First Year; Renewal dues based on gross sales JOIN | PROVISIONAL MEMBER PROVISIONAL $350 First Year (up to three year renewal) JOIN |
| Education, Events, and Networking | ||||
| ABA Children’s Institute | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fall Trade Shows - ABA Education | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| IndieCommerce Institute (for current users) | ✓ | ✓ | N/A | ✓ |
| Year-round Education Programs + Webinars | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Winter Institute | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | N/A |
| On Demand Learning | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Access to Archived Educational Videos | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Industry Studies & Stats | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ABA Children’s Group* | ||||
| ABA ShopTalks | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ABA Best Books Catalog for Young Readers | ✓ | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| ABA Children's Group Discord Community | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ABA Kids Poster (one-time mailing, physical retail spaces only) | ✓ | ✓ | N/A | N/A |
| Summer Reading Printed POP | ✓ | ✓ | N/A | N/A |
| Quarterly Children's Box Mailing (new inventory physical retail spaces only, additional criteria applies) | ✓ | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Advocacy | ||||
| Antitrust Action Kit | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| New Localism Tool Kit | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free Speech (ABFE) Resources | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Publisher Relations | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Federal, State, and Local Small Business Advocacy + Support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| VoterVoice Grassroots Advocacy Software | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Banned Books Week marketing materials | ✓ | ✓ | N/A | N/A |
| First Amendment Support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Association Governance | ||||
| Volunteer Board, Councils and Task Forces | ✓ | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Voting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | N/A |
| Business Services & Savings | ||||
| Partner and Business Services discounts (some shipping restrictions may apply if outside of the United States). | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| eCommerce | ||||
| IndieCommerce websites (US only; addl. fees)** | ✓ | ✓ | N/A | ✓ |
| Partner Marketplace (ebooks, audiobooks) (US only) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bookshop Affiliate Program (separate criteria applies) | ✓ | ✓ | N/A | ✓ |
| Financial Tools | ||||
| ABACUS Benchmarking Report | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ABACUS participation & customized benchmarking reports | ✓ | ✓ | N/A | N/A |
| Business Planning Curricula | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Marketing | ||||
| IndieBound Marketing Program | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | N/A |
| Advance Access Email | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | N/A |
| Digital Marketing & Social Media Assets | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| National Marketing Campaigns and Press Coverage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Independent Bookstore Day | ✓ | ✓ | N/A | N/A |
| Indie Bestseller List | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Indie Next List Fliers | ✓ | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Indie Next List E-newsletters | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | N/A |
| IndieBound.org Store Finder | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | N/A |
| Publisher Supported Promotions (Indies First, Indies Introduce) | ✓ | N/A | ✓ | N/A |
| Quarterly Box Mailings (additional critera applies) | ✓ | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Eat, Sleep, Read window poster (one-time mailing, physical retail spaces only) | ✓ | ✓ | N/A | N/A |
| News and Information | ||||
| Book Buyer’s Handbook | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bookselling This Week (open subscription) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bookseller-to-Bookseller Forums | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free classified ad listings | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
REGULAR MEMBER USED BOOKSTORE PROVISIONAL MEMBER INTERNATIONAL BOOKSTORE MEMBER | ||||
Benefits for Publishers, Distributors, Vendors, Adjacent, International and Friends
Associate Membership ($412/yr)
Publishers, distributors, wholesalers, and other industry vendors have access to multiple marketing and sponsorship opportunities as ABA Associate Members. These opportunities include insertions for boxed mailings, event sponsorships, and title submissions for catalogs and marketing campaigns.
Publishers: Eligible companies (parents or subsidiaries) must have at least five book titles available for sale to independent bookstores; each of those book titles must be written by an individual author; at least two of the titles must be available in both print and e-book formats; and books by one author must make up less than 10% of your overall list. See the For Publishers section for more member benefit details.
Adjacent Membership ($250/yr)
Museum shops, Friends of Library Stores, Community Centers, book subscription services, stand-alone book event businesses, and other similar retail book business structures and/or organizations in which selling books is a primary purpose of the organization and not an extension of the brand or a way to create an additional revenue stream. Adjacent Members will receive Bookselling This Week, access to BookWeb resources and education, the Book Buyers Handbook, Bookshop.org 10% affiliate fees, marketing assets, ability to opt-in to IndieCommerce (additional fees apply), Networking and Community via virtual sessions and affinity meet ups, Partner and Business Services discounts, and access to health insurance through ABA’s partnership and LIG. Adjacent members are not eligible to attend Winter Institute and Children’s Institute.
International Bookstore Membership ($100/yr)
Any bookstore business engaged in the retail sale of books outside of the U.S. and Canada (Stores are eligible if 50% or more of their inventory is book merchandise). International Bookstore members receive access to ABACUS, On-Demand virtual education and many Affinity Business Partners (shipping restrictions apply).
ABA Supporter ($200/yr)
Businesses and individuals that support independent bookselling and are not book retailers make up the ABA Supporter category. Enjoy IndieBound marketing designs, advocacy resources, and business services from ABA's affinity partners.
*The 30% Bookshop.org Affiliate Rate and Bookshop Pool is for Bookstore members within the United States only and does not include Bookstore members in Canada.