The American Booksellers Association is a partner of Above the Treeline, LLC, which provides tools such as Treeline Analytics, an online software product designed to help bookstores improve finances by optimizing inventory selection. All ABA member bookstores that establish new accounts for Treeline Analytics will have their set-up fee (around $1,500 on average) waived. ATL will cover 50 percent of the fee, and ABA will cover the other half of set-up costs for members. In addition, all current and future ABA member bookstores that subscribe to Treeline Analytics will receive up to a 10 percent discount off the standard monthly subscription fees (between $50 and $350 based on store size).

By connecting to a bookseller's POS system via the Internet, Treeline Analytics creates an online information-sharing network, while maintaining individual retailer anonymity. Booksellers can analyze their own near real-time sales and inventory information, as well as information from all subscriber stores through highly visual charts and graphs, making it much simpler to make informed stocking decisions quickly. ATL is in use at more than 120 ABA member bookstores, which have combined annual revenues of over $300 million. Above the Treeline does not disclose an individual store's information to any third party without the express consent of the store.

Here is a look at some of the key benefits that Treeline Analytics offers booksellers:

Treeline Top Sellers. Booksellers have the ability to quickly see what bestselling titles may be missing from their inventory, and top-selling titles from across all independent bookstore subscribers, as well as titles that are currently in stock, have at one time been in stock, or have never been in stock.

Store Performance. Booksellers can compare store data with anonymous other stores and gauge strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for change.

Title Lists. Subscribers can view title lists submitted by suppliers or create their own, and view their inventory in a multicolored pie chart showing titles that are either in stock, on order, out-of-stock, or have never been in stock.

Category Comparisons. Subscribers can evaluate a category's performance over time and compare it to other stores, and review sales and inventory trends to evaluate inventory efficiency.

E-mail Notifications. Treeline Analytics can be accessed from any Internet-connected computer. Customizable e-mail reports can be sent to stores daily, weekly, or monthly.

Publisher Partnership Program. Retailers can communicate more efficiently and effectively with publisher sales reps, provide participating ATL publishers with limited access to the store's inventory data to allow reps to see which of their company's titles the store has in stock, resulting in educated title recommendations. Retailers can choose to participate with all, some, or none of ATL's publisher/supplier customers.

ATL's newest tool is Edelweiss Interactive Publisher Catalogs. For a summary of Edelweiss, click here, or visit the ATL website for all the details.

Booksellers interested in learning more about Above the Treeline tools should contact John Rubin at info@abovethetreeline.com. For Edelweiss inquiries, write to edelweiss@abovethetreeline.com.

You can also learn more about Above the Treeline through articles in Bookselling This Week.