How do I hand over my bookstore’s special order and school supply accounts?

Start with the open special orders. For each one, record the customer, the title, the supplier it was ordered from, the date placed and any deposit taken. A buyer will want to know which deposits are sitting in your bank account and which have already been spent on stock. Settle that before the closing date, not after.

School and institutional accounts need a different list. Note who places the orders, how often, whether requests arrive in a rush before a term begins, and how each account pays. Some pay on invoice after a long wait. Your accounts receivable report shows what is outstanding, and the buyer will compare it with what the customers say.

Think about timing as well. A sale that closes just before a busy ordering season puts the new owner under pressure while the relationships are still new. Offer to stay on for a handover period and sit in on the first calls with teachers or librarians. Finally, write down how each account likes to be treated: preferred contact, quirks in ordering, any promised discounts. That knowledge is what the buyer is really relying on.

Key takeaways

• Keep one list of open special orders, with deposits shown against each.
• Introduce the buyer to institutional customers personally before closing.
• Record payment habits and unwritten promises for each school account.
• Offer a short handover period so the first busy ordering season is shared.