As of December 31, ABA will stop selling paper Book Sense gift certificates to stores. Since the introduction of Book Sense electronic gift cards a year ago, the organization has been warning retailers that the paper certificates would be phased out at some point.
Booksellers will be able to order Book Sense gift certificates through the end of the year, but as of June 1, 2005, retailers must stop selling the certificates. With any certificates sold after that date, the statement on the certificate, "Redeemable at any store with Book Sense nationwide," will no longer be valid.
To protect consumers, booksellers will still be required to accept valid paper gift certificates in accordance with local and state laws. Book Sense will continue to provide reimbursement for all valid Book Sense paper gift certificates sold before June 1. Paper certificates sold after that date will not be valid.
"We're not turning our backs on any customer with a valid Book Sense gift certificate," ABA marketing director Jill Perlstein told PW. "We want booksellers to keep accepting valid Book Sense gift certificates. As long as the gift certificate is dated before or on June 1 and it meets all the guidelines that we've always required, we will continue to reimburse stores."
Laws concerning paper gift certificate vary by state (for example, California doesn't allow expiration dates on certificates). Booksellers can check their local guidelines on the Book Sense Web site (http://news.bookweb.org/news/2176.html). And they can also remind themselves of Book Sense's longstanding guidelines (www.bookweb.org/booksense/certificates/2257.html).
Book Sense will pay 10 cents for each Book Sense paper gift certificate returned to the ABA in a traceable manner (e.g., sent via UPS). The minimum reimbursement amount for this buy-back will be $5, regardless of the number of certificates returned. (Therefore, a bookstore returning three paper certificates will receive $5, not 30 cents.) Certificates should be sent to Peter Reynolds, c/o ABA, 828 South Broadway, Tarrytown, N.Y. 10591, and must be received by June 15, 2005.
Please direct questions about Book Sense's gift certificate and electronic gift card programs to Jill Perlstein via e-mail (jill@bookweb.org) or phone (800) 637-0037, ext. 1283.
