Q- I already upload my online listings to the services I subscribe to. What is the advantage of using BookRouter?
A- BookRouter automates the task of uploading database files to various book indexing services. It is as fast and easy to send data to ten services as it is to only one, once you've signed up with them. You send your list once to BookRouter, which will then automatically configure it  in the format each indexing service requires. BookRouter offers convenience and saves time. Indexing services may come and go, or change procedures, but you will never need to change yours -- BookRouter takes care of the behind-the-scenes hassles..

Q- I can't figure out how to utilize Amazon's ISBN-matching service! Can you help?
A- We upload files from scores of dealers to Amazon Marketplace and Amazon zShops every day, and can now help you send through their BookLoader.  We will work with you individually to make sure you have the best chance of correct ISBN matches, and the least likelihood of erroneous assignments.

Q- Which book indexing services do you work with?
ABAA/ILAB, Advanced Book Exchange (ABE), Alibris, Amazon, AntiQbook, Biblio.com, BiblioDirect, Bibliology, Biblion, Bibliophile, BookAvenue, Books&Collectibles, BookSellerSolutions, Choosebooks, Chrislands, Half.com, TomFolio, UsedBookCentral, and Wantedbooks. We are always negotiating with new services as they appear on the scene.

Q- I need to add fields to the file I send to BookRouter.  Are you going to hit me with another "one-time" fee?
A- No.  If you let us know of the changes you intend to make, we can configure your account accordingly.  We understand that clients' needs change over time, and the inclusion of additional information is necessary, whether adding a link to an image, tracking ISBNs, etc., and we won't penalize you for that.  

Q- How much does your service cost?
A- There is a one-time setup fee of $50 for up to 5 sites (and $5 for each additional site) which covers testing sample uploads, configuring your destination sites on BookRouter, working with the services for any site-specific configuration necessary, and all correspondence and troubleshooting needed to ensure that the files sent from BookRouter represent your data at its best. There is a monthly routing fee of $25, for up to 5 indexing sites (and $5 for each additional site) which covers the conversion and routing of your data, and all correspondence and troubleshooting for service-related problems. 

As of January 1 2004 we are implementing a 'bandwidth' fee to encourage our users to be more efficient in their use of our service. This fee will change every billing period based on how many MB of data we have sent for each user. Most customers will only be charged an extra $0-5 per month, while a few booksellers will pay $5-$12 more.

Q- What are "service-related problems" and what kind of customer service can I expect?
A- Service related problems include discrepancies between files sent and files listed online, text-formatting errors, missing data, BookRouter generated warnings and rejection messages (explained in the In-Depth Walkthrough), upload problems, etc.  If you send a file that does not seem to get processed, we will contact your services for you.  We take care of the issues that would normally occupy your time, or be put off.  We make an effort to respond to all email requests within one business day, although the normal response time is much quicker.  If the problem will require a good deal of time to research, we will send an acknowledgement beforehand, so that you know we are working on it. 

Q- Do you offer other services, such as web design, hosting, or custom-programming?
A- Yes, we do offer affordable web design solutions for your small business as well as web hosting, custom programming, and E-business consulting. Please email us at office@alluys.com for more information.

Q- Which option should I choose on the upload screen, normal, add, or delete?
A- If your Database tracks the 'For Sale' status of each item individually, you will not need to worry about the "Special: Add. . ." or "Special: Delete. . ." options on the bottom of the page. Homebase has a field to keep track of this as well as some of the other popular database programs. If you are unsure then please ask us.

If your software does not track the 'for sale' status, you will just need to specify how the books in each file should be interpreted, using "Special: Add. . ." to indicate that they are additions or updates, or "Special: Delete. . ." for deletions.

Q- Why are there so many amazon 'sites'?
A- There are different formats we send to amazon, and we also have the option of sending files as 'normal' or 'marketplace only'. When a 'normal' file is sent, all books with ISBNs go to marketplace and the rest goto zshops. When a file is sent to 'marketplace only' then books with ISBNs are added to marketplace and the rest just disappear. Nothing ends up in zshops. Please just tell us how you would like to upload to amazon by emailing office@allusys.com and letting us set everything up.

Q- What should I do if I want to upload to a new site?
A- If you would like to upload to a new site you should email us with your request and let us take care of the rest. Please do not just type in your username and password and make a site active on your site configuration screen and expect it to work. We need to contact the site in question because they have to make changes to your account before bookrouter will be able to work with them.

Q- What should I do if I change my username or password on one of my destination sites?
A- Please send us an email to notify us of the change and please do not change your username or password on your site configuration page. Sometimes those are FTP passwords we have put in there that are different from the usual passwords you use to login to your account.

Q- Can I FTP my files to you rather than upload through the web interface?
A- Yes, if you would like to FTP please contact us and we will give you the information you need to upload in that manner.

Q- Why is rarebook.net set to 'active' on my site page?
A- Rarebook.net is our internal database and we upload all of our client's books to it for free. It is useful for many reasons, not least of which is that it acts as a backup of your data in an emergency.

Q- Can I upload my 'wants' through bookrouter?
A- The only service we upload wants to is ABE. Please contact us for more information.

Q- Can I upload images through bookrouter?
A- We can send your image files, but the only sites that take actual images (that we know of) are ABE, Choosebooks, and Biblio.com. Chrislands will accept a link to an image that is hosted elsewhere.

To upload images through bookrouter make sure the image has the SKU of the associated book. i.e. the image for book #322 is 322.jpg or 322.gif. You also need to make sure you click 'image' underneath the browse box on your upload page. We can accept FTP of image files, but we do not accept zip files.

Q- Does it matter what database program I use?
A- Usually not..... BookRouter works with almost all text-based databases and formats which booksellers commonly use. If you can export data in a standard format and you have access to the internet, you can use BookRouter to route your data..

Q- Does your system work with Macintosh or Linux?
A- Yes - since it is web-based, it will work with any operating system that allows online browsing.

Q- I want to change my prices for different Indexing sites, but don't want to lose those in my database.  Can I do that through BookRouter?
A- Yes. With BookRouter, you can raise or lower prices for specific indexing sites without affecting any others.  You can change the price either by a set amount, by a percentage, or a combination of the two.  BookRouter also offers the feature of selectively filtering out books in a specific price range, allowing you to send different sites their own range of books to list.  Because the changes are made on the files we send out, you don't need to worry about compromising your data to achieve this result.

Q- The fields I use in my database are different from what an indexing service asks for. What should I do?
A- You don't need to do anything at all.  As part of our initial setup, we can create a custom conversion for you that will make sure all of the information that you want online is included.  

Q- How do I start using BookRouter?
A- Simply complete the Online Signup Form , and we'll get you started.

Q- I can't seem to make my browser work when I try to upload a file to BookRouter. What can I do?
A- There seems to be a bug in the AOL browser, and in Netscape 6 that causes problems when you try to "browse" and select a file for upload. Though there are many more modern browsers available for download which will work just fine, we have put a copy of the smallest (3+ megabyte) Netscape version that will work, for those of you with modem connections who have trouble downloading huge files. Just click here to download version 3.04 of Netscape and install it to use BookRouter if you are having troubles.

Q- How secure is the data I send you? Do you look at my data?
A- We have a clear privacy statement. Take a look.

Q- Are you a subsidiary of any indexing service?
A- We have no financial or other interest in any indexing service or vice-versa. We are in the service business - and we provide that service to you, our colleagues in the old book world. We work for you.