Independent Bookstore HQ
Independent bookstores and book sellers
For bookstores: titles and stock, special orders, publisher orders and returns, events.
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Use this templateIndependent Bookstore HQ
Run the shop from here. Sales and orders holds every special order from placed to picked up. Titles shows copies on the shelf against the minimum you keep, Publisher orders what is coming, Returns to publishers what is going back, and Author events what is on. Start with the tour below.
Start here: how this workspace runs
Dashboard
Handling special orders
Returns to publishers
Planning an author event
Sales and orders
When a special order arrives, call the customer the same day and fill in Customer called.
| Sale or order | Status | Customer | Title | Bookseller | Copies | Total (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B-4100 | Sold | Imelda Jessup | Beekeeping for Beginners | Marisela Cortez | 1 | $24 |
| B-4103 | Shipped | Desmond Yamamoto | Moonlight Hollow, picture book | Elias Nakagawa | 2 | $36 |
| B-4106 | Sold | Greta Lindqvist | Book light | Marisela Cortez | 3 | $42 |
| B-4109 | Sold | Humphrey Iyer | The Salt Road (hardcover) | Rosamund Teague | 1 | $28 |
| B-4112 | Picked up | Kasia Westbrook | Lighthouse Mornings (paperback) | Elias Nakagawa | 10 | $153 |
| B-4115 | Returned | Anders Rutherford | Letters from the Sea Coast | Marisela Cortez | 1 | $26 |
| B-4118 | Cancelled | Noor Fontaine | Overstock bargain bundle | Elias Nakagawa | 1 | $12 |
| B-4121 | Arrived, call customer | Leopold Carrow | Letters from the Sea Coast | Marisela Cortez | 1 | $26 |
Titles
| Title | ISBN or item code | Author | Section | Format | Status | Publisher or distributor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Salt Road (hardcover) | 978-1-940371-22-8 | Maren Ostrova | Great Lakes Book Distribution | |||
| Beekeeping for Beginners | 978-0-9877412-5-1 | Hollis Brandt | Birchwood Press | |||
| Lighthouse Mornings (paperback) | 978-1-62551-840-3 | Celia Marchetti | Great Lakes Book Distribution | |||
| A Field Guide to Local Birds | 978-1-77041-219-6 | Rowan Pike | Birchwood Press | |||
| Moonlight Hollow, picture book | 978-1-5362-0917-4 | Ada Fenwick | Ember Children's Books | |||
| The Quiet Orchard (local author) | 978-0-578-44310-2 | June Okonedo | Local authors (consignment) | |||
| Letters from the Sea Coast | 978-1-940371-87-7 | Tomas Ilves | Great Lakes Book Distribution | |||
| Book light | BL-CLIP-AMB | — | Birchwood Press |
Author events
| Event | Author or guest | Featured title | Host | Status | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maren Ostrova: The Salt Road | Maren Ostrova | The Salt Road (hardcover) | Rosamund Teague | Held | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Rowan Pike: birding walk and talk | Rowan Pike | A Field Guide to Local Birds | Rosamund Teague | Promoted | Oct 24, 2026 | |
| Saturday story time: Moonlight Hollow | Ada Fenwick | Moonlight Hollow, picture book | Marisela Cortez | Confirmed | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| June Okonedo in conversation | June Okonedo | The Quiet Orchard (local author) | Rosamund Teague | Confirmed | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Holiday cookbook night | Priya Lindahl | Cookbook of the Season | Winifred Aldous | Pitched | Nov 30, 2026 | |
| Thursday book club: Lighthouse Mornings | Kasia Westbrook (host) | Lighthouse Mornings (paperback) | Elias Nakagawa | Held | Sep 28, 2026 |
Publisher orders
| Publisher order | Publisher or distributor | Kind | Status | Ordered | Expected | Received on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes - Tuesday restock | Great Lakes Book Distribution | Placed | Oct 18, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | — | |
| Ember - class set for Yamamoto | Ember Children's Books | Placed | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 22, 2026 | — | |
| Great Lakes - holiday frontlist | Great Lakes Book Distribution | Placed | Sep 7, 2026 | Oct 28, 2026 | — | |
| Birchwood - event stock for the Pike reading | Birchwood Press | Partly received | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | — | |
| Great Lakes - last week's restock | Great Lakes Book Distribution | Received | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Birchwood - book lights | Birchwood Press | Draft | Oct 19, 2026 | Oct 29, 2026 | — |
Returns to publishers
| Return to publisher | Publisher or distributor | Title | Copies | Reason | Status | Pulled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Road event leftovers | Great Lakes Book Distribution | The Salt Road (hardcover) | 9 | Authorized | Oct 15, 2026 | |
| Sea Coast hardcovers | Great Lakes Book Distribution | Letters from the Sea Coast | 4 | To pull | Oct 19, 2026 | |
| Book lights, broken clips | Birchwood Press | Book light | 3 | Shipped back | Oct 7, 2026 | |
| Beekeeping spring overstock | Birchwood Press | Beekeeping for Beginners | 6 | Credited | Aug 30, 2026 |
Customers
| Customer | Segment | Phone | First visit | Likes to read | Newsletter OK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leopold Carrow | leopold.carrow@inbox-mail.net | (734) 555-0184 | Sep 29, 2026 | Literary fiction, translated novels | Yes | |
| Imelda Jessup | imelda.jessup@inbox-mail.net | (734) 555-0121 | Aug 17, 2026 | Book club picks; runs the Thursday club | Yes | |
| Anders Rutherford | anders.rutherford@inbox-mail.net | (734) 555-0158 | Jul 5, 2026 | Middle-grade class sets | Yes | |
| Ottoline Brannigan | ottoline.brannigan@inbox-mail.net | (734) 555-0195 | May 23, 2026 | Mysteries, ships to Grand Rapids | No | |
| Humphrey Iyer | humphrey.iyer@inbox-mail.net | (734) 555-0132 | Apr 10, 2026 | History and biography | Yes | |
| Tamsin Pemberton | tamsin.pemberton@inbox-mail.net | (734) 555-0169 | Feb 26, 2026 | Book club; prefers paperbacks | Yes | |
| Desmond Yamamoto | desmond.yamamoto@inbox-mail.net | (734) 555-0106 | Jan 14, 2026 | Picture books for a kindergarten class | Yes | |
| Noor Fontaine | noor.fontaine@inbox-mail.net | (734) 555-0143 | Dec 2, 2025 | Poetry, small presses | Yes |
Publishers and distributors
| Publisher or distributor | Rep or account contact | Phone | Days to arrive | Terms | Trade discount (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes Book Distribution | Marisol Whitlock | accounts@greatlakesbooks.net | (734) 555-0134 | 3 | 42% | |
| Birchwood Press | Teodor Carrow | trade@birchwoodpress.net | (734) 555-0171 | 10 | 46% | |
| Local authors (consignment) | Odette Halvorsen | odette.halvorsen@folioandfable.net | (734) 555-0108 | 0 | 40% | |
| Ember Children's Books | Greta Montague | orders@emberchildrens.net | (734) 555-0145 | 7 | 45% |
A ten-minute tour for every bookseller. Read it once; the rhythm at the end is the week.
What lives where
Titles: every book and sideline, with author, ISBN, section, format, publisher, list price, your cost, copies on the shelf, the minimum you keep, publication date and whether it is a staff pick.
Sales and orders: sales worth tracking, special orders, school orders and online orders, with deposits, the date it is expected and when you called the customer.
Publisher orders: restocks, frontlist preorders, special orders and event stock.
Returns to publishers: copies going back, why, and the credit you are owed.
Author events: readings, story times and book club nights with seats, RSVPs and copies sold.
Customers: regulars, book clubs, teachers and online buyers, and what they like to read.
Publishers and distributors: terms, trade discount and whether they accept returns.
A special order's path
A customer asks for a book you do not have. Fill in the Special order slip: title, copies, deposit.
It goes on the next distributor order. Set the expected date from the distributor's delivery days.
When the box arrives, set it to Arrived, call customer, shelve it behind the counter with a slip, and call the same day.
Fill in Customer called. Hold it for 14 days.
When they collect, press Mark picked up.
Who does what
Owner: frontlist buying, publisher reps, events with publishers.
Store manager: restocks, receiving, returns, the staff schedule.
Booksellers: the floor, special orders, shelf talkers and staff picks.
Events coordinator: events from pitch to the signing table.
Your rhythm
Every morning: arrived special orders to call; overdue orders
Every Monday and Thursday: the restock order from the Reorder list
Every month: returns pull; events for the next two months
Every season: frontlist preorders with the reps
Making it yours
Replace the sample publishers and titles with your own stock, then your regulars. Delete the sample orders once real ones come in. Customers' reading notes are for recommending books, nothing else.
Sales, special orders, stock and events at a glance.
| Sale or order | Status | Customer | Title | Bookseller | Copies | Total (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B-4100 | Sold | Imelda Jessup | Beekeeping for Beginners | Marisela Cortez | 1 | $24 |
| B-4103 | Shipped | Desmond Yamamoto | Moonlight Hollow, picture book | Elias Nakagawa | 2 | $36 |
| B-4106 | Sold | Greta Lindqvist | Book light | Marisela Cortez | 3 | $42 |
| Title | ISBN or item code | Author | Section | Format | Status | Publisher or distributor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Salt Road (hardcover) | 978-1-940371-22-8 | Maren Ostrova | Great Lakes Book Distribution | |||
| Beekeeping for Beginners | 978-0-9877412-5-1 | Hollis Brandt | Birchwood Press | |||
| Lighthouse Mornings (paperback) | 978-1-62551-840-3 | Celia Marchetti | Great Lakes Book Distribution |
| Sale or order | Status | Customer | Title | Bookseller | Copies | Total (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B-4100 | Sold | Imelda Jessup | Beekeeping for Beginners | Marisela Cortez | 1 | $24 |
| B-4103 | Shipped | Desmond Yamamoto | Moonlight Hollow, picture book | Elias Nakagawa | 2 | $36 |
| B-4106 | Sold | Greta Lindqvist | Book light | Marisela Cortez | 3 | $42 |
| Event | Author or guest | Featured title | Host | Status | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maren Ostrova: The Salt Road | Maren Ostrova | The Salt Road (hardcover) | Rosamund Teague | Held | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Rowan Pike: birding walk and talk | Rowan Pike | A Field Guide to Local Birds | Rosamund Teague | Promoted | Oct 24, 2026 | |
| Saturday story time: Moonlight Hollow | Ada Fenwick | Moonlight Hollow, picture book | Marisela Cortez | Confirmed | Oct 21, 2026 |
Special orders to call about
| Sale or order | Status | Customer | Title | Bookseller | Copies | Total (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B-4100 | Sold | Imelda Jessup | Beekeeping for Beginners | Marisela Cortez | 1 | $24 |
| B-4103 | Shipped | Desmond Yamamoto | Moonlight Hollow, picture book | Elias Nakagawa | 2 | $36 |
| B-4106 | Sold | Greta Lindqvist | Book light | Marisela Cortez | 3 | $42 |
Titles to reorder
| Title | ISBN or item code | Author | Section | Format | Status | Publisher or distributor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Salt Road (hardcover) | 978-1-940371-22-8 | Maren Ostrova | Great Lakes Book Distribution | |||
| Beekeeping for Beginners | 978-0-9877412-5-1 | Hollis Brandt | Birchwood Press | |||
| Lighthouse Mornings (paperback) | 978-1-62551-840-3 | Celia Marchetti | Great Lakes Book Distribution |
Returns not yet credited
| Return to publisher | Publisher or distributor | Title | Copies | Reason | Status | Pulled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Road event leftovers | Great Lakes Book Distribution | The Salt Road (hardcover) | 9 | Authorized | Oct 15, 2026 | |
| Sea Coast hardcovers | Great Lakes Book Distribution | Letters from the Sea Coast | 4 | To pull | Oct 19, 2026 | |
| Book lights, broken clips | Birchwood Press | Book light | 3 | Shipped back | Oct 7, 2026 |
Events in the next 30 days
| Event | Author or guest | Featured title | Host | Status | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maren Ostrova: The Salt Road | Maren Ostrova | The Salt Road (hardcover) | Rosamund Teague | Held | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Rowan Pike: birding walk and talk | Rowan Pike | A Field Guide to Local Birds | Rosamund Teague | Promoted | Oct 24, 2026 | |
| Saturday story time: Moonlight Hollow | Ada Fenwick | Moonlight Hollow, picture book | Marisela Cortez | Confirmed | Oct 21, 2026 |
Special orders are how an independent bookstore beats the internet: any book, a person who remembers your name, and a call when it arrives.
Taking the order
Look the title up with the distributor. Check it is in print and when it can arrive.
Fill in the Special order slip: customer, title, copies, deposit. Tell the customer the expected date, honestly.
Take a deposit: 10 dollars for one book, about a third for class sets and book club orders. Write it in Deposit taken.
Add it to the next distributor order (Monday and Thursday).
Book clubs and teachers
Book clubs order ten or more copies a few weeks ahead; teachers order class sets. Give them 10 percent off and confirm the count in writing a week before you order. Ask the teacher for a purchase order number if the school pays.
When it arrives
Check the box against the order. Match each book to its slip.
Set the order to Arrived, call customer. Put the book behind the counter with the slip in it, spine out, by last name.
Call or text the same day. Fill in Customer called.
If you cannot reach them, try again in three days, and once more by email.
Holding and collecting
Hold special orders for 14 days after the call.
When the customer collects, take the balance and press Mark picked up.
Uncollected after 14 days and two reminders: the deposit is kept, the book goes on the shelf or back to the publisher.
When it does not come
If the distributor reports a book out of stock or out of print, call the customer the same day with the choice: wait, a different edition, a used copy from a trusted source, or a refund of the deposit. Never let a special order go quiet.
Each week
Look at Overdue or waiting: orders past their expected date and books that have arrived but not been collected. Each line is a customer waiting on you or a book taking up shelf space.
Most new books can go back to the publisher for credit. Using returns well keeps the shelves fresh and the cash moving.
Why return books
A book that has not sold in four to six months is taking the place of one that would. Publishers expect returns within their window and give credit against future orders. Booksellers who never return books end up with shelves of stock nobody wants and no room for the new season.
Monthly pull
On the first Monday of the month, sort Titles by publication date and copies sold.
Pull hardcovers more than six months out with few or no sales, paperbacks more than nine months, and frontlist that did not take off.
Keep staff picks, local interest and anything with a book club or school coming.
Add a row to Returns to publishers for each title: copies, reason, the publisher, and the credit (copies x your cost).
Getting authorization
Some distributors need you to request authorization; others take returns within their window without asking. Check the terms on the publisher's row. When authorized, set Authorized and write the authorization number in the notes.
Packing and shipping
Pack tightly so books do not shift; damaged returns are refused.
Put the authorization and a packing list inside.
Ship by the cheapest tracked method; keep the receipt.
Set Shipped back and take the copies off the shelf count.
Watching the credit
Set Credit expected by to about 30 days after shipping. Check the statement each month; when the credit appears, set Credited. Credit that has not appeared by its date needs a polite email to the publisher's accounts team.
Consignment and non-returnable
Local authors on consignment are not returned for credit: their unsold copies go back to the author after the agreed time. Sidelines (book lights, cards) are usually not returnable; buy them carefully.
Event leftovers
Events need stock on hand, so order generously and return what is left within the window. Keep a few signed copies; signed books sell over the following weeks.
A good event fills the shop, sells books on the night and for weeks after, and makes the store part of its neighbourhood.
Eight weeks out
Agree the date, time and kind of event with the author or publicist. Add it to Author events as Pitched, then Confirmed when it is set.
Pick a host from the team and decide the format: reading and signing, a conversation with a local guest, a story time, or an offsite venue for a bigger name.
Count seats. The shop holds 60 with the tables moved.
Four to six weeks out
Order stock: one copy for about two-thirds of the seats for an established author, half for a debut. Place it as Event stock in Publisher orders.
Announce it: newsletter, the window, the counter, local listings. Set the event to Promoted.
Open RSVPs and keep RSVPs current. Above the seat count, think about a bigger room.
The week of
Stock received and counted
Chairs, microphone, water for the author, the signing table
Card reader charged; a second till for the signing line
Sticky notes for names, so signing goes faster
A bookseller at the door welcoming people
On the night
Start on time. The host introduces the author in under two minutes. Reading and conversation run about 40 minutes, then questions, then the signing. Sell before and after; ring each sale as channel Event table so you know what the night was worth.
After
Enter Copies sold and set the event to Held.
Keep a stack of signed copies for the front table.
Return unsold unsigned stock within the publisher's window.
Send the author or publicist a thank-you with the numbers.
Reading the numbers
Sold per seat is the one to watch: about half a copy per seat is solid for a debut; above one is a great night. Events that sell little but bring new faces still earn their place; note who came for the first time.
What's inside
8 tables · 21 views · 1 form · 2 row actions · 1 agent6 pages
- Independent Bookstore HQ
- Start here: how this workspace runs
- Dashboard
- Handling special orders
- Returns to publishers
- Planning an author event
7 tables
- Publishers and distributors2 views · 4 sample rows
- Titles2 views · 10 sample rows
- Customers2 views · 12 sample rows
- Sales and orders7 views · 22 sample rows
- Publisher orders3 views · 6 sample rows
- Returns to publishers2 views · 4 sample rows
- Author events3 views · 6 sample rows
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