Frequently Asked Questions
Who is BookstoreHost.com?
BookstoreHost.com is brought to you by Moonshadow eCommerce, Inc., the same people who developed Buy Music Here, the premiere ecommerce solution for independent music and video retailers since 2001.
Do I need to install software or is any technical expertise required?
No. BookstoreHost online solutions are turnkey hosted online solutions that require no software at your end. All aspects of managing the online solution can be performed by logging into your online management interface using any web browser and Internet connection.
What content does BookstoreHost provide?
An in-print database of more than 600,000 book titles complete with product details, jacket images and annotations.
Can I create my own menu items and departments and populate them with my own choice of featured titles?
Yes, you can create as many menu items and departments as you like using the online management interface. You select which book products to feature to reflect your store’s own image and preferences.
How much profit can I expect on each sale?
Profit margin is dependent on a variety of factors including the retail selling prices you set and whether you choose to make additional margin on shipping charges to consumers. That said, let's consider the example of a $10 trade book with a 40% discount from wholesale supplier Baker & Taylor.
| Retail Selling Price: | $10.00 | |
| Wholesale Cost of Book: | - | $6.00 |
| Estimated Credit Card Processing Fees of 3.5% | - | $0.35 |
| BookstoreHost Commission Fee of 4.0% | - | $0.40 |
| Net Profit of 32.5% | $3.25 |
The above assumes that you pass through to the consumer all shipping and handling expenses.
Can I discount or mark up titles?
Map specific retail prices to specific list prices, set retail prices to a percentage discount off list price or markup over wholesale. You may also set a specific sale price for any item, overriding the pricing rules.
Are BookstoreHost online stores secure?
Our shopping cart provides industry-standard security using SSL (secure sockets layer) technology. SSL encrypts the information sent to our servers during the checkout process so that third parties can not intercept and decode it.
Who owns the customer data?
All customer data belongs to you. We do not share customer data with any third parties for any purpose without your authorization.
What will my domain name be?
| Bookstore Browser | "bookstorehost.com/stores/YourCompanyName" |
| Online Bookstore (New or Used) |
"bookstorehost.com/stores/YourCompanyName" |
| Online Bookstore (New and Used) |
"bookstorehost.com/stores/YourCompanyName" |
| Fully-Customized Online Bookstore |
"bookstorehost.com/stores/YourCompanyName" or you may use your own domain name: "YourDomainName.com" Additional monthly fee, additional one-time domain setup fee, separate SSL Security Certificate required. |
How flexible is the graphic design of the BookstoreHost online solutions?
| Bookstore Browser | Choose from a selection of templates and color schemes. Upload your company logo and branding. Add your own custom text and html to the home page and any department pages you create. |
| Online Bookstore (New or Used) |
Choose from a selection of templates and color schemes. Upload your company logo and branding. Add your own custom text and html to the home page and any department pages you create. |
| Online Bookstore (New and Used) |
Choose from a selection of templates and color schemes. Upload your company logo and branding. Add your own custom text and html to the home page and any department pages you create. |
| Fully-Customized Online Bookstore | Fully customizable top banner, color scheme and style sheet. Our designers work with you to create a look and feel that truly reflects your company’s unique image and style. |
Can I upload my own inventory of new and/or used books?
| Bookstore Browser | Yes, both new AND used. |
| Online Bookstore (New or Used) |
Yes, either new OR used. |
| Online Bookstore (New and Used) |
Yes, both new AND used. |
| Fully-Customized Online Bookstore | Yes, both new AND used. |
Can I list new books that are available from Baker & Taylor but that are not in my own physical inventory?
| Bookstore Browser | Yes. Our product database includes Baker & Taylor availability information. |
| Online Bookstore (New or Used) |
Yes. Our product database includes Baker & Taylor availability information. |
| Online Bookstore (New and Used) |
Yes. Our product database includes Baker & Taylor availability information. |
| Fully-Customized Online Bookstore | Yes. Our product database includes Baker & Taylor availability information. |
Can I upload and sell signed-copies and non-book products?
| Bookstore Browser | No. |
| Online Bookstore (New or Used) |
No. |
| Online Bookstore (New and Used) |
No. |
| Fully-Customized Online Bookstore | Yes, you may upload and sell non-book products such as gifts, accessories, posters or even signed copies of books – virtually any type of product. |
How do I process credit card transactions?
| Bookstore Browser | Pick-up-in-store email ordering. Process credit cards transactions in-store. |
| Online Bookstore (New or Used) |
Accept credit cards online, complete credit card transactions in-store if you ship your own orders OR if you sell new books only AND your orders are shipped exclusively via our direct-to-consumer fulfillment partner Baker & Taylor then Bookstore Host can process credit card transactions on your behalf (credit card processing fees apply.) |
| Online Bookstore (New and Used) |
Accept credit cards online, complete credit card transactions in-store. |
| Fully-Customized Online Bookstore | Accept credit cards online, complete credit card transactions in-store if you ship your own orders OR if you sell new books only AND your orders are shipped exclusively via our direct-to-consumer fulfillment partner Baker & Taylor then Bookstore Host can process credit card transactions on your behalf (credit card processing fees apply.) |
How is order fulfillment handled. Who ships the orders?
| Bookstore Browser | Pick-up-in-store email ordering. Fulfill orders in-store when customer picks up item(s). |
| Online Bookstore (New or Used) |
Ship from your own inventory OR if you sell new books only you may utilize the direct-to-consumer fulfillment services provided by our fulfillment partner Baker & Taylor. |
| Online Bookstore (New and Used) |
Ship from your own inventory. |
| Fully-Customized Online Bookstore | You may ship orders from your own inventory, utilize the direct-to-consumer fulfillment services provided by our fulfillment partner Baker & Taylor, or a combination of the two (ship some items from your inventory and electronically send other items off for direct-to-consumer fulfillment.) |
Who handles customer service?
| Bookstore Browser | You handle customer service. |
| Online Bookstore (New or Used) |
You handle customer service. |
| Online Bookstore (New and Used) |
You handle customer service. |
| Fully-Customized Online Bookstore | You handle customer service OR if all or your orders are shipped via our direct-to-consumer fulfillment partner you may contract with Bookstore Host to handle your customer service (additional fees apply.) |
Can I set my own shipping options and shipping charges to consumers?
| Bookstore Browser | Does not apply. |
| Online Bookstore (New or Used) |
Yes, select from a wide variety of shipping options and easily configure shipping charges for each option based on # of items or weight. |
| Online Bookstore (New and Used) |
Yes, select from a wide variety of shipping options and easily configure shipping charges for each option based on # of items or weight. |
| Fully-Customized Online Bookstore | Yes, select from a wide variety of shipping options and easily configure shipping charges for each option based on # of items or weight. |
Can I configure sales tax rates charged to online shoppers?
| Bookstore Browser | Does not apply. |
| Online Bookstore (New or Used) |
Yes. Easily set and edit sales tax rates and jurisdictions by country, state, zip code or any combination for domestic or foreign orders. |
| Online Bookstore (New and Used) |
Yes. Easily set and edit sales tax rates and jurisdictions by country, state, zip code or any combination for domestic or foreign orders. |
| Fully-Customized Online Bookstore | Yes. Easily set and edit sales tax rates and jurisdictions by country, state, zip code or any combination for domestic or foreign orders. |
How am I notified of pending orders?
| Bookstore Browser | The consumer sends a “pick-up-in-store” order request to you via the “pick-up-in-store” link on any book product page. |
| Online Bookstore (New or Used) |
The retailer is sent an order notification e-mail and the consumer receives an order confirmation e-mail. Each contains complete information about the pending order. You may also login to your store manager interface at any time to view complete information about all orders. |
| Online Bookstore (New and Used) |
The retailer is sent an order notification e-mail and the consumer receives an order confirmation e-mail. Each contains complete information about the pending order. You may also login to your store manager interface at any time to view complete information about all orders. |
| Fully-Customized Online Bookstore | The retailer is sent an order notification e-mail and the consumer receives an order confirmation e-mail. Each contains complete information about the pending order. You may also login to your store manager interface at any time to view complete information about all orders. |
How can a shopper track the status of an order?
| Bookstore Browser | You send an email reply to the consumer. |
| Online Bookstore (New or Used) |
The shopper receives an order confirmation email which contains a link to an “order status page” where the shopper can view the most recent information about their order status which is updated automatically as you go through the steps of processing their order. |
| Online Bookstore (New and Used) |
The shopper receives an order confirmation email which contains a link to an “order status page” where the shopper can view the most recent information about their order status which is updated automatically as you go through the steps of processing their order. |
| Fully-Customized Online Bookstore | The shopper receives an order confirmation email which contains a link to an “order status page” where the shopper can view the most recent information about their order status which is updated automatically as you go through the steps of processing their order. |
What are the fees associated with a BookstoreHost online solution?
| Bookstore Browser |
|
|||||||||
| Online Bookstore (New or Used) |
|
|||||||||
| Online Bookstore (New and Used) |
|
|||||||||
| Fully-Customized Online Bookstore |
|
Do you offer a completely hands-off solution that requires no work on my part to maintain the online store, deal with orders and customer service?
| Bookstore Browser | No. |
| Online Bookstore (New or Used) |
Yes if you sell new books only. Certain clients prefer that BookstoreHost maintains and updates the content, processes all credit card transactions, oversees orders and shipments via Baker & Taylor's Internet fulfillment services and handles customer service. We provide these services for competitive hourly rates. At the end of the month we simply write you a check for the net profits after deducting all expenses related to the above. |
| Online Bookstore (New and Used) |
No. |
| Fully-Customized Online Bookstore | Yes. Certain clients prefer that BookstoreHost maintains and updates the content, processes all credit card transactions, oversees orders and shipments via Baker & Taylor's Internet fulfillment services and handles customer service. We provide these services for competitive hourly rates. At the end of the month we simply write you a check for the net profits after deducting all expenses related to the above. |
Can I combine my BookstoreHost online solution for books with your BuyMusicHere solution for music and video?
| Bookstore Browser | No. |
| Online Bookstore (New or Used) |
No. |
| Online Bookstore (New and Used) |
No. |
| Fully-Customized Online Bookstore | Yes, we provide a fully-integrated solution for selling all three product types – books, music and video – in a single online store complete with a product database of more than a million titles. Additional fees apply for adding the music and/or video data. |