 Important News from WTSBooks.com
In early July, WTSBooks.com will move from its present location on the campus of Westminster Theological Seminary to a new, larger warehouse location.
WTSBooks.com exists to serve the Kingdom by serving both the Westminster Theological Seminary community as well as the broader church through the distribution of high quality, biblically faithful, Reformed books and resources. Over the past five years God has tremendously blessed the work of the bookstore.
In the Lord’s mercy, He has carried us and even caused us to grow - so much so that we can no longer operate in the space that is available to us. With over 40,000 customers nationwide, the Lord is extending our influence and enabling us to provide meaningful support to some great publishing projects. More and more, we are being used of God to be a pebble that can start a wave to market some great titles to the broader Church.
So, as of June 15, 2010, the physical portion of the bookstore will come to a close. We will be relocating to a new warehouse facility that will allow us to more effectively fulfill our mission while giving us the opportunity to grow and pursue some exciting new projects.
As evidenced in much of Christian publishing industry, capitalism left alone will produce more and more of what our itching ears long to hear since that is what sells and is most easy to market.
Being an alternative voice to this trend, we market books that we believe are high quality, Reformed and biblically faithful. Pursuing this ambition and serving students to the best of our ability, while not yielding a loss to the Seminary, has been a real challenge in a post-Amazon industry that operates with very little profit margin.
We continue to covet your prayer and support as we walk a knife’s edge in terms of profitability. As always, any of the small surplus we gain goes to the Seminary. By supporting WTSBooks.com you are supporting men and women training at Westminster Theological Seminary.
Below is a list of frequently asked questions concerning the details of our move. If you have any additional questions, please contact Micah Bickford at mbickford@wtsbooks.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What will your shipping schedule be during your move?
- Why are you moving?
- Why won’t you have a physical store?
- Is your move motivated by profit?
- Is this a permanent move?
- Are you still institutionally connected to Westminster Theological Seminary?
- Can I still order if I do not have internet access?
- How soon will I able to get my books?
- How do I make a return if I can’t visit the store?
- Will there still be an “As-is” section?
- How will I be able to compare Bible editions without being able to handle them?
1. What will your shipping schedule be during your move?
Our current location will close to in-store traffic on June 15, 2010. We plan to continue taking orders and shipping on our normal schedule until 3:00 PM EST, June 28, 2010. We currently plan to resume shipping on July 14, 2010. If we are able we will resume shipping sooner. For updates on our shipping schedule please visit www.wtsbooks.com.
2. Why are you moving?
The bookstore has explored the possibility of moving for several years. In conversation with the Seminary we have recognized two important factors that tell us that the time for us to move is now.
The first consideration is the amount of valuable campus space we are using. Space on campus is a limited commodity. WTS desires to maximize the opportunities for building essential student community. The space that will open up after we move will be given back to the students. Plans are already being made by the administration, the Dean’s Office, and the Student Association to convert the existing bookstore into a student center. Additionally, more parking spaces will be available once our mobile storage units, customer parking and staff parking are removed.
The second consideration involves the operational needs of the store. As mentioned above, part of our mission is to offer the highest level of service while maintaining highly competitive prices. This means that our operating margins are very thin. In order for us to continue offering programs such as our student textbook discount and Blog Partners Program we must become much more efficient or else we will not survive.
3. Why won’t you have a physical store?
The cost for renting a facility that is zoned for retail use is prohibitive, so we will not be able to open for public browsing. As far as possible, we will work hard on improving our online experience in terms of browsing and resources but are conscious that we will not be able to replace the physical store electronically.
4. Is your move motivated by profit?
Westminster Bookstore exists to equip the Westminster community and the broader Church with Reformed books and resources. Because we have no specific endowment or designated funding for bookstore operations, we cannot function at a deficit on any prolonged basis. Moreover, since margins in book sales are razor thin, great care is required for sustaining this ministry to our constituencies. So, while profit is not our goal, the Seminary cannot afford to fund losses. We therefore attempt to be good stewards by operating as efficiently as possible in the pursuit of our foundational priority to provide the Church with valuable theological resources.
5. Is this a permanent move?
No. We are signing a lease that will last for five years. At the end of the lease we will reevaluate with the Seminary administration what the best course of action is. This may mean returning to a new location here on campus, extending our lease at our current location, or finding a new, off campus location.
6. Are you still institutionally connected to Westminster Theological Seminary?
Yes. We are Westminster Theologically Seminary’s bookstore. Our service to the Westminster community remains an essential part of our mission.
7. Can I still order if I do not have internet access?
Yes. You can call us Monday - Friday, 12 - 4 at 215-886-0999.
8. How soon will I able to get my books?
Once we have settled into our new location we will maintain our standard shipping schedule. In most cases, orders placed before 3:00 PM will ship the same day for delivery the next business day (holidays and weekends do not count as business days.)
9. How do I make a return if I can’t visit the store?
Students can coordinate their return with the Seminary mailroom. All other returns will need authorization. Please call us to receive a return authorization number and shipping instructions.
10. Will there still be an “As-is” section?
We are currently exploring possibilities for offering “As-is” titles online or, from time-to-time, with special sales on-campus. This is near the top of the list of projects on which we hope to work.
11. How will I be able to compare Bible editions without being able to handle them?
We understand that there are many subtleties in choosing a specific Bible to meet your needs. We will make every effort to offer complete information on our website. Please call us with additional questions.
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