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Reference Guide

This page provides an overview of the Community Bookseller program and all relevant policies. Be sure to familiarize yourself with all the sections on this page before you launch your business, and check back regularly for updates.


Community Bookseller Program Overview


Program Overview

A Community Bookseller is an individual working in their community to bring high-quality Barefoot Books to children through book fairs, community events, local festivals or online. When you register as a Community Bookseller, you are starting an independent business that is flexible, fun and creative. You can earn money through online commissions and by purchasing books at a wholesale discount and reselling them at regular price. The Barefoot Books Community Bookseller Program is currently available to individuals in the United States* and Canada.

*Excluding Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and individuals at an APO address.



Program Costs

Becoming a Community Bookseller starts when you register by purchasing a Starter Kit for $199.99 USD / $264.99 CAN, plus applicable taxes. Your registration includes your Barefoot Books website, online ordering tools, web-based training, marketing materials and specialized support.

Membership Renewal

The cost to renew your Community Bookseller membership is $49.99 USD / $64.99 CAD annually. You will be sent renewal instructions by email. The renewal fee will be waived if you have had at least $1,000 in gross personal orders ($500 net) within the previous 12 month period.



Earning as a Community Bookseller

There are many ways to earn income as a Barefoot Books Community Bookseller. Learn more about this below:

  • 50% Discount on ALL Personal orders you place. You can sell to customers at full price, earning you a 50% profit (or more, if purchasing sale items).

  • 30% Commission on orders placed by consumers through your Barefoot Books website*, after any discounts.

  • 5% Mentor Bonuses. See the Community Bookseller Mentorship section for eligibility information.

*United States and Canada only. You will not be credited for any orders placed through our United Kingdom website.

All commissions and bonuses are paid into your listed US / CA bank account within 10-14 business days of the month following the calendar quarter in which they are earned.(in January, April, July, and October).

You can change the banking information in your account under My Account > My Financial Information.



Working with a Mentor

A Mentor is an experienced Community Bookseller who can provide one-on-one support to help you start and run your business. It is not mandatory to work with a Mentor, but it is strongly encouraged. Choosing a Mentor does not affect your eligibility for commissions or bonuses, nor does it prevent you from mentoring team members of your own. If you decide to have a Mentor, you can either choose one during the registration process or browse the Find a Community Bookseller page later to get in touch via the Profile Contact form.

Your Mentor (if you have chosen one) will be listed under My Account > Referral Information.



Shipping

Barefoot Books ships to addresses in most parts of North America. This includes all Canadian provinces and all US states (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Shipping rates are based on the selected service level and net cart totals after all discounts and credits. We highly recommend checking each shipment as it arrives to ensure that all items ordered are included.

For US shipments: Packages under 15 lbs may be delivered through UPS Mail Innovations, a partnership between UPS and the US Postal Service. We are unable to ship to PO Boxes/APO/FPO via Standard or Expedited shipping methods.

Shipping tables for US and Canadian Community Booksellers, Schools & Nonprofits, and Consumers can be found here. This link is also accessible through the footer of the Barefoot Books website.



Returns and Damages

Returns and Order Cancellations
Unfortunately, website orders cannot be changed or canceled after they have been placed. Our warehouses are completely automated so we are unable to manually change orders after they’ve been submitted. Therefore, please make sure you check your order thoroughly before clicking the final “Purchase” button.

Barefoot Books Community Booksellers may not return or exchange products purchased with their up-front 50% discount at any time.

Damages and Defective Products
If you have received a damaged or defective item, please call 1.617.576.0660 or email [email protected] and include your name, order number and pictures of the damaged items. We will assist you in getting replacements if the item is damaged.

Damaged items are defined as:

  • A book / non-book product that arrives ‘crushed’

  • A book that arrives with a completely torn or wrinkled book jacket

  • A book / non-book product that has an obvious flaw, such as an incorrect page within a book, an upside-down page, a CD that will not play

Non-Damaged products are defined as:

  • A curve in a paperback book

  • A slight indent in a book or book jacket

  • A tear in a book jacket of less than 1/8th of an inch

  • A tear in a book page of less than 1/16th of an inch

  • A smudge on a book cover or book jacket that can be wiped off

  • A slightly worn book corner or book jacket

  • An indentation of a CD in the cover of a paperback book

  • A tear, pucker or crease in the packaging of a CD or other shrink-wrapped product



Dispute Resolution Procedure

All inquiries should be submitted via email to [email protected]. Community Booksellers will receive a response to their inquiry within 24 business hours. Messages received on weekends and holidays will be returned on the next business day following the day of the inquiry.

 

Business Tools, Training & Support


Marketing Tools

Market your business professionally with these branded materials provided free to all Community Booksellers:

  • Resource Library - includes brand guidelines, social media banners and buttons, printable signage, flyers, activity sheets and business tools.

  • Branding Guidelines - On our brand guidelines page, you can find versions of the Barefoot Books logo to use online as well as our official color palette.

  • Online Catalog - A digital version of the current catalog may be shared with customers and prospects.

  • Profile Page - Your profile page is searchable by customers from the Find a Community Bookseller page. It is also discoverable through online search engines. You can customize your listing with a profile photo and personal story.

  • Community Bookseller Website - Direct customers to shop through your site using your personal URL and earn a commission on every sale.

  • Event Links - Create an online event with a customer as host. You earn a commission on sales, and the event host earns 20% of event sales in free Barefoot Books.

  • Barefoot Vistaprint Shop - Business cards and more



Training Opportunities

Barefoot Books provides Community Booksellers training through a variety of platforms. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the following resources:

  • Business Basics - This page contains how-to information on starting and running your Community Bookseller business.

  • Live Online Training & Meetings are scheduled throughout the year. Look for details in our monthly email newsletter.

  • Retreats and Meet-Ups. Join us in person for special events at our offices in Concord, Massachusetts or at occasional regional meet-ups. Watch for dates and details.



My Reports

The My Reports section is your one-stop location for all reports relating to your business, which is accessible through the Business Dashboard on the My Business Page.



Price List

If you would like a list of products in print, you can download a price list by visiting the QuickLinks section of the My Business page. This list is updated as new titles are announced or when price changees take effect. Note that not all products on the list are available in all countries. To confirm availability, search for a title in the online store.



Affiliate Codes & Web Browser Cookies

Adding your Affiliate Code to any Barefoot Books URL is a quick way to earn a commission on your customers' online Referral Sales orders. Customers who visit the website through one of these links will see your name and photo at the top of the screen and will be linked to you for any orders placed.

Browser cookies are created when a customer visits a Community Bookseller’s online marketplace or Affiliate Code link. These cookies expire after 180 days unless otherwise prevented or cleared by the customer. Web browsers Firefox, Chrome and Internet Explorer all have default settings to keep cookies until they expire; however, there are several different ways a customer might customize their cookies for privacy purposes (e.g., to expire every thirty days, to clear when they close their browser, etc). Alternatively, the customer may choose to clear their cookies / cache on an ad hoc basis.

Generally, the customer's browser will remember you as their referring Community Bookseller for the 180-day period of time and attribute the customers' purchases to you for the purposes of online Referral Sales commissions. Even if the customer was to place an order on the main Barefoot Books website (e.g., following an e-campaign directly from Barefoot Books), the link to the Community Bookseller remains and that individual would receive the commission for the online Referral Sales order.

For more information on cookies, please view the following detailed guides by the most commonly used web-browser services:

Please note: Online Referral Sales commissions are always paid based on the most recent Community Bookseller link or code attached to a customer. In the case that a customer’s email is attached to one Community Bookseller, and that customer subsequently visits and then buys through another Community Bookseller’s marketing efforts, the new Community Bookseller will receive the commission for that referral sale and any future sales, unless the customer later orders through the original Community Bookseller’s (or another's) online marketplace.



Home Office Communications

At Barefoot Books, we strongly believe in maintaining an open line of communication across our company. As a Community Bookseller, you can expect to receive the following communications via email:

  • New Release Emails: Sent out whenever a new release is available, these emails will let you know when the latest titles are available for purchase.

  • Special Offer Emails: Sent out when a promotion is available.

  • Training Opportunities: Invitations to upcoming Community Bookseller training events, community calls, and chats.

  • Maintenance Emails: If we have upcoming website maintenance or other program changes, we will let you know immediately.

  • Other: When special events, challenges, or initiatives are announced, you may receive additional emails.

Having trouble receiving our emails? Please make sure you check your spam, junk, or promotions folder and add us as a contact in your address book.



Local Publicity

We encourage you to work with your local media and bloggers to promote your Barefoot Books business. Bloggers might be especially interested in writing reviews and/or promoting a discount code link to your marketplace.

Email [email protected] on requests for advice / support on specific PR opportunities.

To ensure brand consistency and for us to potentially share with our broader Barefoot Books community and on our social media channels, please share your media mentions with us by emailing [email protected].



Requesting Help

There’s nothing quite like talking to a live person, especially when you’re getting started. To reach out to other members of the Barefoot Books community, you can do the following:

  • Contact your Mentor or join a team. Contact your Mentor directly with your questions and ask about any team resources that may be available.

  • Visit the Barefoot Facebook Group. Here you have access to the entire Barefoot Community Bookseller network. It’s a great place to ask for advice, learn how others run their business and catch up on the latest news.

  • Contact Help. Do you have an immediate question that only Barefoot Books can answer? Email [email protected] anytime and describe your question in as much detail as possible.

If you are emailing [email protected] for ordering or website issues, please follow these instructions to assist them in answering your technical questions more quickly.

  1. Take a screenshot of the issue. Multiple screenshots are better to fully understand the issue. Please include the date and time that is displayed on the screen. Not sure how to take a screenshot? Use this website to learn how on your specific computer or device.

  2. Email [email protected] with the screenshot attached. Provide as much detail as possible.

    • What page were you on when the error occurred? (provide web address if possible)

    • What were you trying to do?

    • What happened exactly?

    • What device are you using?

    • What browser are you using?

    • What was the specific error message?

If the issue is happening during customer care hours (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm EST), try calling 1-866-417-2369 (US and Canada) to get the quickest response.

The person having the issue should email [email protected] directly. Reporting issues secondhand will result in delays.

 

Community Bookseller Mentorship


Becoming a Mentor

You can choose to become a Community Bookseller Mentor regardless of whether you have a Mentor yourself. Any Community Bookseller who chooses you as a Mentor will become part of your Personal Team.

Once you meet the Mentor Bonus qualifications as described in the section below, you will gain the status of Team Leader.

IMPORTANT: Please review the Team Building & Solicitation section of the Barefoot Books Policies & Code of Conduct before approaching any Community Bookseller to join your team.



Earning a Mentor Bonus

All mentors who meet the requirements to earn a Mentor Bonus will be issued a payment as part of their quarterly commission. The requirements are as follows:

  • Have at least one active Personal Team member

  • Achieve Team Qualifying Volume (TQV) of at least $2,500 in a calendar quarter

  • Achieve Personal Qualifying Volume (PQV) of at least $1,000 in a calendar quarter

Qualified Mentors earn 5% of their Personal Team Qualifying Volume, payable after the end of each quarter. To earn a Mentor Bonus in a given calendar quarter, your Community Bookseller account be active at the end of that quarter.

Taxes, Employment Status and More


Employment Status

Community Booksellers operate as Independent Contractors of Barefoot Books. For tax purposes, Community Booksellers are listed as self-employed as such; they are not considered employees of Barefoot Books. To learn more about the distinction between independent contractors and employees, please visit the Internal Revenue Service’s information page. Canada Revenue Agency page.



1099 vs. W-2

You will only receive a 1099 for any given year if you have been paid $600 or more in commissions, bonuses or prizes.1099 forms are distributed by the end of January in the following calendar year. As you are not an employee of Barefoot Books, you will not be sent a W-2.



Business License Information

You are not required by Barefoot Books to have a business license or Tax ID to participate in the Community Bookseller Program. However, in order to legally run your business, you may be subject to local requirements. Barefoot Books does not provide business license information for Community Booksellers to use. It is up to each individual to meet local requirements. We recommend working with an accountant or tax lawyer if you are in doubt.

You may need to apply for a home business licence (not a Direct Seller’s Licence) to legally run your business. To research requirements, contact your municipal government’s website. Depending on the province, you may also have to apply for a development permit. You do not need a GST number unless you have sales over $30,000 for the year.



Sales Tax and Your Business

Barefoot Books will charge you sales tax and file on your behalf. When a Community Bookseller places a Personal Order, sales tax is charged, unless you have tax exempt status. When you sell products for which you paid sales tax, you can charge customers tax to recoup the cost.

Sales tax rates are based on the shipping address for the order. You can use this online calculator to see the sales tax rates for any US address. For Canadian sales tax rates, refer to this document.

If you prefer to be tax-exempt, you will need to meet the license requirements for your city, county, or state. Once you hold a reseller license you may upload the information to your account under My Account > My Financial Information. Community Booksellers who have supplied valid credentials to Barefoot Books will not be charged sales tax on Personal Orders.

The chart below shows the current tax rates charged for shipping destinations in Canada. Canadian Community Booksellers who are charged tax should be sure to add this amount to customer payments in order to recoup the expense.

  Books/Decks/Gift Sets Puppets, Toys, Sales Aids, Promo Puzzles/Games Paper Crafts Music (CDs)
Ship to Province GST PST GST PST GST PST GST PST GST PST
Nunavut 5% 0% 5% 0% 5% 0% 5% 0% 5% 0%
New Brunswick 5% 0% 5% 10% 5% 10% 5% 10% 5% 10%
Newfoundland/Lab 5% 0% 5% 10% 5% 10% 5% 10% 5% 10%
Nova Scotia 5% 0% 5% 10% 5% 10% 5% 10% 5% 10%
Ontario 5% 0% 5% 8% 5% 8% 5% 8% 5% 8%
PEI 5% 0% 5% 9% 5% 9% 5% 9% 5% 9%
Quebec 5% 0% 5% 10% 5% 10% 5% 10% 5% 10%
Alberta 5% 0% 5% 0% 5% 0% 5% 0% 5% 0%
BC 5% 0% 5% 7% 5% 7% 5% 7% 5% 7%
Manitoba 5% 0% 5% 8% 5% 8% 5% 8% 5% 8%
NWT 5% 0% 5% 0% 5% 0% 5% 0% 5% 0%
Saskatchewan 5% 0% 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% 5%
Yukon 5% 0% 5% 0% 5% 0% 5% 0% 5% 0%

Shipping Books/Decks/Gift Sets to

  • Nunavut: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • New Brunswick: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • Newfoundland/Lab: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • Nova Scotia: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • Ontario: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • PEI: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • Quebec: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • Alberta: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • BC: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • Manitoba: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • NWT: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • Saskatchewan: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • Yukon: 5% GST / 0% PST

Shipping Puppets, Toys, Sales Aids, Promo to

  • Nunavut: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • New Brunswick: 5% GST / 10% PST

  • Newfoundland/Lab: 5% GST / 10% PST

  • Nova Scotia: 5% GST / 10% PST

  • Ontario: 5% GST / 8% PST

  • PEI: 5% GST / 9% PST

  • Quebec: 5% GST / 10% PST

  • Alberta: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • BC: 5% GST / 7% PST

  • Manitoba: 5% GST / 8% PST

  • NWT: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • Saskatchewan: 5% GST / 5% PST

  • Yukon: 5% GST / 0% PST

Shipping Puzzles/Games to

  • Nunavut: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • New Brunswick: 5% GST / 10% PST

  • Newfoundland/Lab: 5% GST / 10% PST

  • Nova Scotia: 5% GST / 10% PST

  • Ontario: 5% GST / 8% PST

  • PEI: 5% GST / 9% PST

  • Quebec: 5% GST / 10% PST

  • Alberta: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • BC: 5% GST / 7% PST

  • Manitoba: 5% GST / 8% PST

  • NWT: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • Saskatchewan: 5% GST / 5% PST

  • Yukon: 5% GST / 0% PST

Shipping Paper Crafts to

  • Nunavut: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • New Brunswick: 5% GST / 10% PST

  • Newfoundland/Lab: 5% GST / 10% PST

  • Nova Scotia: 5% GST / 10% PST

  • Ontario: 5% GST / 8% PST

  • PEI: 5% GST / 9% PST

  • Quebec: 5% GST / 10% PST

  • Alberta: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • BC: 5% GST / 7% PST

  • Manitoba: 5% GST / 8% PST

  • NWT: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • Saskatchewan: 5% GST / 5% PST

  • Yukon: 5% GST / 0% PST

Shipping Music (CDs) to

  • Nunavut: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • New Brunswick: 5% GST / 10% PST

  • Newfoundland/Lab: 5% GST / 10% PST

  • Nova Scotia: 5% GST / 10% PST

  • Ontario: 5% GST / 8% PST

  • PEI: 5% GST / 9% PST

  • Quebec: 5% GST / 10% PST

  • Alberta: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • BC: 5% GST / 7% PST

  • Manitoba: 5% GST / 8% PST

  • NWT: 5% GST / 0% PST

  • Saskatchewan: 8% GST / 5% PST

  • Yukon: 5% GST / 0% PST



Barefoot Policies & Code of Conduct


Using Barefoot Books Artwork

Barefoot Books provides printed and online marketing materials on our site, using Barefoot artwork, for you to utilize. However, anything beyond these items cannot be used for commercial purposes. The creation and sale of any products by Community Booksellers that incorporate the Barefoot Books name, logo, artwork, illustrations or any other copywritten materials, is expressly prohibited.



Creating Videos or Podcasts with Barefoot Books

If you would like to read a Barefoot Book during a virtual storytime, we require that you follow our Online Use Permission Guidelines with the understanding that the only permitted commercial use is the promotion of your Barefoot Books Community Bookseller business.

  • All recordings must be for non-commercial purposes only*. If you or your organization intend to benefit commercially from the use of Barefoot Books’ content, please email your request to [email protected].
  • At the beginning of your recording, say that you are reading with permission from Barefoot Books
  • Give credit to the author and illustrator of the work by using their full name
  • If posting on social media:
    • Say that you are reading with permission of Barefoot Books and credit the author and illustrator
    • Tag Barefoot Books @barefootbooks
    • Include our website, www.barefootbooks.com
    • Books made be read live, or recordings may be posted
  • Recordings may be shared through a school, library, institution or group's private platform or within a closed group with access limited to members of your community.
  • Permission to post according to these guidelines is granted until December 31, 2024 or until the organization is open again with full access.
  • If you are posting a recording of a reading, please let us know at [email protected] stating your name, organization, city, state and country, the title and author of the book you plan to read online.
  • By posting a reading, you are agreeing to the above terms

*At this time, Community Booksellers are not allowed to monetize digital content created using Barefoot Books copyrighted material. Monetization includes, but is not limited to, charging for access to your digital content, running third-party ads on your Barefoot YouTube videos, or trading digital content for personal gain.



Using the Barefoot Logo and Other Branding Concerns

Community Booksellers may not use the Barefoot Books logo or any other creative property of Barefoot Books to create their own products for sale, including digital items. Doing so is considered trademark and copyright infringement and can result in expulsion from the Community Bookseller program. Community Booksellers may only use the Barefoot Books logo for marketing materials (e.g. invoices, emails or other personal marketing materials) that are used in conjunction with their business and that are not offered for sale.

Community Booksellers may choose to produce additional marketing items with a third-party vendor using the Barefoot Books logo only if these items are for personal use. Examples include purchasing decals, branded bags, banners, etc. that are then used solely by the Community Bookseller purchasing them; these items cannot be sold to other Community Booksellers. An exception is made when a group of Community Booksellers purchases a large quantity of an item on a single order to obtain bulk pricing discounts. If a branded item is being mass-produced in this way, please let us know at [email protected] so that we can ensure the brand guidelines have been properly met. Community Booksellers involved in group purchases are the only ones who may utilize the products purchased in the transaction; they may not sell any of the products to other Community Booksellers.

For more detail on how the Barefoot Books logo can be used, please visit the Brand Guidelines Page.



Identifying Yourself as a Barefoot Books Community Bookseller

Always identify your relationship with Barefoot Books as a "Barefoot Books Community Bookseller." The title “Barefoot Books Ambassador” may also be used as we consider Community Booksellers to be part of the larger Barefoot community. You may not identify yourself as an owner or employee, and Barefoot Books prefers that the term “sales representative” not be used. This applies when creating your business name and marketing materials, and when using social media. Under no circumstances should you use “Barefoot Books” without “Community Bookseller” or “Ambassador” online or in print.

When identifying yourself as an individual or a business –– online or offline -- you cannot use “Barefoot Books'' without some sort of modifier. Domain name variants of barefootbooks.com (for instance, barefootbooks.co, .us, .store) may not be used by Community Booksellers for websites or email addresses. Furthermore, you may not use geographic names in your business advertising or domain name in a way that implies you have an exclusive right to sell in those areas. Your relationship to Barefoot Books needs to be clearly stated in order to avoid confusion between your individual Community Bookseller business and the corporate entity.



Registering for Community / Vendor Events

Before registering for any national-level or larger New-England based events or conferences, Community Booksellers must contact the home office to request permission to be an exhibitor / vendor representing Barefoot Books or featuring Barefoot Books products.

** Please Note: You do not need to request approval from the Home Office to run a traditional Community Event (farmer's market, craft event, etc.) or School Book Fair in your area. Rather, please follow the instructions below when working with the event coordinator to ensure you aren't registering for an event typically run by another Bookseller.**

When you encounter a new local or regional event and contact the organizer to reserve your space, you must ask if another Barefoot Books Community Bookseller held it the previous year or has already registered for the event this year. If there was a Community Bookseller there the previous year, you should contact that person and ask if they are participating again. If they are not, you are free to engage the space for the event, as long as no other Community Bookseller has already booked the space.

When reserving your space, please register under the name “Barefoot Books” to indicate that you are representing Barefoot Books. Even though you may be running the event to raise money for a charity or local school, you should register under Barefoot Books and not the charity’s or school’s name. If you operate under a DBA business name, you should still register for the event under "Barefoot Books."

You also must follow the procedures outlined below under Event Conflicts.



Event Conflicts

A community event conflict occurs when a Community Bookseller registers for an event that another Community Bookseller has either participated in previously or has also registered for. In the case of a conflict, it is your responsibility to contact the other Community Bookseller involved and come to a resolution that’s satisfactory for both sides. We can, however, recommend the following course of action:

  • If a Community Bookseller registers for an event already held by another Community Bookseller (see Registering for Community / Vendor Events above), the new Community Bookseller should contact event organizers and withdraw. If it is too late to obtain a refund, the Community Bookseller with priority for the event can choose to reimburse the new Community Bookseller for any registration costs and take over the event.

  • If this is the first year in which you and another Community Bookseller are attending the same event and you don’t discover the duplication until the event is in progress, you should reach out to the other Community Bookseller. Whoever lives closest to the event geographically should be allowed to be the sole participant the following year, provided that the Community Bookseller has registered for the event under the name "Barefoot Books." Geographic proximity is not a factor when another Community Bookseller previously held an event.

  • If the situation cannot be resolved at this level, please reach out to your respective Mentors to help facilitate the situation.

  • Ultimately, our wish is for all Community Booksellers to show a mutual respect for one another in these situations, and be able to communicate and work through them together.



Advertising Your Barefoot Books Business

When running any kind of advertisement (digital or printed), you must clearly indicate your relationship to Barefoot Books to avoid any confusion between your independent business and the parent company. Your name and title (Community Bookseller) must be prominently displayed in one of the following: headline, image, or image caption. When your link is visible, please include your personal URL (barefootbooks.com/first-last).



Selling to Retail Establishments

Community Booksellers are prohibited from selling to all retail outlets. Should you be approached by a retail outlet interested in selling Barefoot Books products, please email [email protected] with their contact information or ask them to visit our website to create a retail account.



Barefoot Books on other Retail Websites

Barefoot Books relies on a multi-channel sales approach in order to meet the needs of an ever-changing global economy and market, and to ensure that our books and products are accessible to children locally, nationally and internationally. In order to best service our customers, retailers and wholesale partners, you may see our books on a variety of online retail platforms that provide purchasing opportunities for gift shops, independent retailers, librarians, teachers, parents and all caregivers of children. Community Booksellers are in a unique position to both show books to customers in person and make personalized recommendations for every child.



Team Building and Solicitation

It is considered unacceptable for an existing Community Bookseller to solicit another Community Bookseller to join their team. Examples of unacceptable behavior include contacting the Community Bookseller via their profile, social media, email or phone without a prior relationship, or without having a correspondence regarding team membership initiated by the other individual. You may respond to new Community Bookseller queries via email or in the forums, or if that individual contacts you directly.

If you have questions about this policy, contact [email protected].



Community Bookseller Terms & Conditions

When signing up for the Community Bookseller program, all registrants agree to follow the Community Bookseller Program Terms and Conditions. You may find these terms here.



Community Bookseller Advertising and Pricing Policy

When selling at live events, Community Booksellers may offer discounts on products at their own discretion. Community Booksellers may also increase or round up prices at cash and carry events to facilitate cash handling.

Community Booksellers are not allowed to publicly advertise or post specific discounts online that exceed those currently available at the Barefoot Books website. The only exception would be an offer to match the lowest price found elsewhere, provided that no specific discounts are described in the offer.



Barefoot Books Code of Conduct

Barefoot Books Community Booksellers are expected to treat customers, event hosts, community event organizers and other Community Booksellers with civility and respect.

 

Leaving the Community Bookseller Program


Deactivation and Resignation

Deactivation
You cannot choose to be deactivated from the Community Bookseller program; deactivation occurs automatically when you fail to meet renewal requirements.

Resignation
Resignation is defined as voluntarily leaving the Community Bookseller Program. If you decide to leave the Community Bookseller Program, independent of deactivation, please email [email protected] to officially inform us of your departure and provide feedback on the program. Resignations must be received by the 25th day of the month to be effective in the following calendar month. After your resignation has been processed, you will continue to have access to your orders and history through your Barefoot community account (consumer account).



Rejoining the Program

Whether you were deactivated or resigned, we would love to have you back!

To reactivate your Community Bookseller (formerly Ambassador) account, you must re-register for the program. If you use the same email address and account, your sales history and business dashboard will be restored. You will need to purchase a Starter Kit for $199.99 USD or $269.99 CAD.

 

Glossary


Barefoot Bucks

Barefoot Bucks are credits on a Barefoot Books Community Bookseller or customer account that can be applied to any merchandise order. Event hosts earn 20% of event sales (based on QV) in Barefoot Bucks. Barefoot Bucks may also be awarded in other situations. They are considered a form of payment, but may not be used toward shipping, sales tax or VAT. Barefoot Bucks expire 180 days after they are awarded and cannot be reinstated.



Bonus Qualified (BQ)

Community Booksellers are Bonus Qualified when they meet the requirements to earn a Mentor Bonus in a calendar quarter.



Calendar Quarter

Calendar quarters run from January to March, April to June, July to September, and October to December.



Event Sales

Any orders placed linked to an Event, either by the Community Bookseller or online by the customer. You earn a commission on the net value—after any special offer discounts—of your Event Sales. This is payable after the end of the month. See Earning as a Community Bookseller above for commission rates.



Founding Leader

Founding Leaders are Founding Members who achieved a team leadership status by 31 October 2014 under the compensation plan at that time.



Founding Member

Founding Members are any Community Booksellers who joined the program by 31 October 2014. As Founding Members, they are considered the founding ambassadors of our movement.



Team Leader

A Team Leader is any Community Bookseller who earned a Mentor Bonus in the previous calendar quarter.



Personal Qualifying Volume (PQV) or Personal Sales

Your Personal Qualifying Volume is the combination of Personal Orders that you place on the Barefoot Books website, your Event orders, and your Referral Sales, and is based on the retail or sale price of any qualifying products. Personal Sales volume is counted toward sales challenges, Leadership titles and Mentor Bonus eligibility.



Personal Team Qualifying Volume (PTQV)

Your Personal Team Qualifying Volume is the sum of sales (PQV) of all your personally sponsored team members, not including your own sales.



Qualifying Products

Products intended for resale and sales aids.



Referral Sales

Online orders which carry your Affiliate Code. You earn a commission on the net value — after any special offer discounts — of your Referral Sales. This is payable after the end of the month. See Earning as a Community Bookseller above for commission rates.



Team Qualifying Volume (TQV)

Your Team Qualifying Volume is calculated by adding your Personal Qualifying Volume (PQV) and your Personal Team Qualifying Volume (PTQV).



Sales Leader

A Community Bookseller earns the status of Sales Leader by achieving $1,500 in sales (PQV) in a full calendar quarter.