Improve your bottom line with ICBA Buying Programs
ICBA is the organization that originated group buying in our industry. Today we continue to deliver unsurpassed and innovative buying programs. There are a lot of “buying groups” in this industry. Independent College Bookstore Association is not one of them. ICBA is more than a buying group. ICBA is not a vendor, nor a trade association. ICBA is a retail cooperative. We are a nonprofit, mutual benefit corporation. All of the savings (discounts, rebates, concessions, etc.) we achieve go toward the success of our member bookstores. ICBA programs maintain and enhance direct buyer-vendor connections. Store buyers meet with, order, take receipt, pay and work directly with the vendor. Our goal is to improve this relationship, not to obstruct it.
ICBA continuously works to build new programs, provide program updates and recruit new vendors. Merchandise and service programs are designed with direct input from buyers as decision makers, through vendor performance evaluations, beta test groups and focus groups.
ICBA creates programs that are unsurpassed in:
- Consumer Electronics & Computer Products
- Apparel, Giftware and Raingear
- Backpacks & Bags
- School & Office Supplies
- Fine Art Supplies
- Books, Course Materials & Digital Delivery Resources
- Merchandise Bags
- Freight Management
- Operational Services & Resources
- Much More
Is your store achieving the maximum value possible? It is always smart business to gain the greatest benefit from your investment. And in the current economy it’s time to fully commitment to your ICBA programs. It’s up to you. The more you use the ICBA Buying Programs, the more value you will receive from your ICBA membership.
This table shows the results from the 2009 ICBA Savings Report for the top performing stores in ICBA membership levels, and the return on their membership dues.
| |
ICBA
Membership
Level
|
Savings of Top
Participating
Stores
|
ICBA
Dues
|
Return on
Investment
|
| |
Under $1 Million
|
$6,034
|
$600
|
906%
|
| |
$1 to $3.9 Million
|
$92,795
|
$1,200
|
7,632%
|
| |
$4 to $6.9 Million
|
$65,392
|
$2,000
|
3,170%
|
| |
$7 to $9.9 Million
|
$138,045
|
$2,600
|
5,209%
|
| |
$10 to $19.9 Million
|
$322,412
|
$3,300
|
9,670%
|
| |
$20 to $29.9 Million
|
$141,978
|
$3,300
|
4,202%
|
| |
Over $30 Million
|
$447,305
|
$3,300
|
13,455%
|
Being part of ICBA is like having a staff of professional buyers from more than 140 institutional stores taking the time to identify trends and hot new products, evaluate and analyze vendors on prices, payment terms, freight minimums, imprint minimums, fulfillment, customer service, and quality. | Eighty-eight percent of ICBA Stores state the ICBA Buying Program is “Very Valuable” or “Valuable”, with 51% rating the program as “Very Valuable”.
On average, ICBA stores saved $50,531 in 2009. That’s an average 11.6% reduction in cost of goods by using ICBA programs.
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