Top book inventory software
When you’re running a small bookstore or library, inventory management can become a time-consuming task. Luckily, there are plenty of software options that can reduce some of the demands and difficulties that come with tracking your inventory.
Investing in a software platform can make it easier to track the essential information that you need, and many programs developed for booksellers are reasonably priced.
4 software options for small booksellers and libraries
These software options can help you stay organized and save time on inventory, sales, and more. Many of them are easy to use, so your whole team should be able to learn them quickly.
1. Fishbowl
Fishbowl is a comprehensive program that fulfills many of your needs as a bookstore owner. Its point of sale features allow you to sell books directly to customers, and it creates customer histories so you can better understand your target audience.
Fishbowl’s shipping features include UPS integration, drop shipping options, and tracking, so you can stay on top of your sales and get books out the door quickly.
This platform also offers valuable inventory and supplier features. With barcoding, you can create integrated SKUs and use a wireless device to avoid doing manual auditing. Supplier order management gives you the ability to create vendor histories, which can help with anticipating what you’ll need to reorder and tracking purchase costs.
The result is an efficient operation with all of the details you need right at your fingertips.
2. Basil Bookseller Software
Basil Bookseller Software saves you time when adding books to your inventory. When you scan the EAN or ISBN barcode, the software downloads all of the essential details, including the book title, author, and retail pricing information.
Ideal for used book buyers, this software gives you the sales information you need to predict how well the book will sell, so you can make wise inventory purchase decisions. The software provides information on Amazon pricing and quantities, so you can choose the books that are in high demand and low supply.
With this software, you can upload your inventory to a variety of online retailers, including Amazon, Abe, Alibris, Biblio, and Chrislands. Point of sale features — like credit card integration, split transactions, and gift cards — help you maximize sales and stay organized.
Basil pricing starts at $245 per month, and there’s a $250 setup fee.
3. Booklog
Booklog is a POS system designed for bookstores. It’s ideal for college bookstores, independent booksellers, and more. Booklog is easily scalable as your business grows, and you can choose from a number of training options to help you and your staff learn how to best use it.
Booklog offers a host of solutions. It provides you the detailed information you need to drive sales while also making inventory management easier and more efficient. Booklog supports your purchasing, receiving, vendor returns, mail orders, and more. Automated data imports reduce the amount of data entry you need to do, while detailed reporting helps you evaluate your store and increase its success.
Tech support is available via phone and email, and Booklog’s maintenance agreement comes with unlimited access to tech support.
4. Jotform
Jotform provides a way to digitally record book information. Using Jotform’s book inventory information record form, you can easily collect essential information. Then, you can consolidate that information into a book inventory table, allowing for easy tracking and inventory management. These tables are similar to spreadsheets, so they’re user friendly and easy for your entire team to quickly learn how to use.
You can also use Jotform templates to sell or check out books from your inventory. Book order forms let you easily collect information for ordering, and you can integrate Jotform with payment gateways for streamlined payment processing.
Don’t forget that Jotform templates are fully customizable, so you can edit everything — from fonts and colors to adding your logo — for a form that’s uniquely yours.
Investing in inventory software
Investing in software for your bookselling business can pay off in many ways, whether you’re running an e-commerce business, a brick and mortar store, or a combination of the two. With all of your inventory information digitized, you’ll know at a glance what you need to order and what changes you need to make to drive sales.
And with software that also functions as a POS system, you can streamline the sales and shipping processes. You’ll have happier customers and be able to source appropriate inventory that keeps your store competitive.
Photo by Rafael Cosquiere
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