Your books are curated to sell. Your sidelines should be too.
You already know that sidelines can be a huge boost for your margins. The hard part is buying them well with a budget, a small footprint and a busy team.
In a Sidelines Audit, I'll analyze your gift mix the way I analyzed my own shops (what sells, what sits and what's missing) and give you a holiday action plan you can implement right away.
Book a free 15-minute intro call
Want to self-assess first? Take the free Sidelines Self-Check quiz.
10 pilot spots available, live walkthrough & follow-up calls included
10 pilot spots available, live walkthrough & follow-up calls included
Sound like your shop?
Gift products get bought whenever there's a show or a rep catches you.
There's a card spinner by the register, and not much else.
You want your store's selection to be unique but Faire recommends the same products everyone else carries.
You have a shelf of things that just sit there.
None of that means you're doing it wrong. It means there's money on your shelves you haven't found yet.
A buying plan you can act on right away
Built for your shop and in your inbox in 3–5 business days. Here's a peek at a sample.
Gift Section AuditSample report
Larkspur Books
Diagnosis
See where the money is hiding
What's working, what's stuck, and your biggest opportunity.
1Diagnosis
Larkspur already has what gift needs: loyal regulars and a café people linger in. Gift just can't be seen.
What's working:
Start here
Free fixes to do in minutes
Moves, signs and pairings you can do this week. No budget needed.
2Start here this weekAll $0
- Set a stocking stuffer table by the door so gift is the first thing shoppers see
- Move the mugs
Category insights
Know what to deepen, test or rethink
With pricing and quantities for every call.
3Insights by category
| Category | Call | Next move |
|---|---|---|
| Cards | Deepen | |
| Journals | Deepen | |
| Local food | Deepen | |
| Stickers | Test | |
| Candles | Rethink | |
| Socks | Rethink |
Vetted vendors
Fill your gaps in time for holiday
Wholesale pricing, opening orders and lead times that land before the rush.
4Vetted vendors for your gaps
| Vendor | Wholesale → retail | Start with | Lead time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookish Card Co. | $2.75 → $5.50 | 6 per design | 1 week |
| $4 → $8 | 24 | ||
Larkspur Books · Gift Section AuditPage 1 of 6
I do the homework: your neighborhood, nearby stores, reviews and sales numbers. You place every order.
What changes after one audit
Bottom line
BeforeCash flow stuck in stock that doesn't move.
AfterProduct that turns, and a real boost to your margins.
Foot traffic
BeforeShoppers don't think of you for gifts.
AfterGift that brings new customers through the door.
Basket size & AOV
BeforeGet in, buy a book, get out.
AfterCustomers linger, finding the perfect add-ons and impulse buys.
Differentiation
BeforeGift that looks like every other shop's.
AfterA shop people can't find anywhere else, and tell their friends about.
Expertise
BeforeGift buying squeezed between events, orders and the floor.
AfterA seasoned gift buyer, giving you back time and headspace to run your business.
Where I look for the money on your shelves
-
01
Know your crowd
No more guessing. Who's shopping, what they love, and your data show the way.
-
02
Buy smart
A set budget, vetted vendors, the right quantities, and smart tests on what's next.
-
03
Display to sell
Merchandising with a strategy: pairings, narratives, and a plan for what goes where.
-
04
Stand out
Products and programming that say what your store stands for – not what the big platforms suggest to every store.
Holiday is coming, but there's still time.
For many shops, holiday is the biggest revenue opportunity of the year.
There's still time to make changes that maximize the season: free fixes you can make this week, and vetted vendors with lead times that land before the rush.
From a phone video to a buying plan in about a week
-
1
Today
Claim your spot
Check out online.
-
2
Tomorrow
Send me your shop
A phone video, photos and sales.
-
3
3–5 business days
Get your report
Your plan and vetted vendors.
-
4
1 week
Walk through it
A live call to pick first steps.
Pilot bonus -
5
3 weeks
Check in
What to keep and adjust.
Pilot bonus
FAQ's
What's included?
A custom report in 3–5 business days: free fixes you can make this week, a call on every category (deepen, test or rethink) and vetted vendors with pricing, quantities and lead times. Plus a live walkthrough call and a check-in 3 weeks later.
Is this only for bookstores?
The audit works for most indie shops that sell gift alongside their main thing: craft shops, cafés, toy stores, museum and garden shops. If gift is a side line you want to sell better, you're a fit. And if for whatever reason I don't think I'm the right expert for you, I'll refund you and point you in the right direction.
What does it cost?
$350, including the live walkthrough call and check-in. This pilot special is available for just 10 shops.
How much of my time does it take?
About 30 minutes to send me your shop: a phone video, a few photos, your sales and a quick form. Then the walkthrough call.
Do I need good sales data?
It helps, but no. We can go off what customers ask for and what your staff notices.
We don't have much space. Is this still worth it?
Yes. My Phoenix shop was about 650 square feet, all in. We'll use height, stacking and tabletop displays, no expensive fixtures.
Will you tell me exactly what to do – and order?
You'll get vetted vendors and products with suggested prices and quantities. You decide and place every order.
Is it too late for holiday?
Not if you move now. We start with what you have and fill gaps with quick-ship and local makers.
Who should be part of this?
Whoever buys your gift, plus whoever decides the budget, if that's someone else.
Still wondering if it's a fit? Book a free 15-minute call.
Hi, I'm Theresa – the gift buyer in your pocket, not on your payroll.
You know books. I know gift.
When I opened my first shop, I had zero buying experience and a shoestring budget. Over five years and two storefronts in Tucson and Phoenix, I did it all: consignment, Faire, local makers, trade shows, reps, and an in-house line I still make today. I built every buying tool I used, and I got really good at it.
Then I crossed the counter. My stationery line is stocked by 100+ shops, so I know both sides of the order form. I've also spent the last four years as a customer experience strategist for Fortune 500 brands, so my approach is all about what brings customers back, what makes your shop run smoother, and what sets you up to grow.
I still love independent retail, I just don't need to hold the keys. Now I put everything I learned to work for shops like yours.
What my shops taught me
- 01Listen to the data. Your customers are already telling you exactly what to buy.
- 02You don't need more space. Small shops can sell big gift.
- 03Test, iterate, evolve. Be strategic with new categories – one of everything sells nothing.
- 04Your booksellers are your biggest asset. Help them love it, then they'll sell it.
- 05Faire is just one tool. The right vendor mix makes your shop yours.