It’s the rare bookseller now a days that doesn’t use a computer for at least part of their operation. There’s still a few die hards that won’t touch them, but the majority have a computer of some sort, and many shops exist only because of the computer. As wonderful a tool as the computer is it does need power to run it. With a little proper maintenance and some hardware improvements, you can shave some of the cost off of using this tool every day.
A little power management can shave a good chunk of change off your utility bill, especially if you have multiple machines! Other areas of your operation like heating or lighting may account for a much larger portion of your electricity bill, but if you’re in a rental space, you often have very little control over these. And if you’re online only, the computer really is your main power draw. Thus why I chose to focus on this element, as its the most universal one for booksellers and you’ll have the most control over it. (and much of what’s mentioned here can be used for dealing with other equipment)
