READER TERMS
East West Bookshop provides space for Readers and Healers to offer their gifts to the public, both in-store and online. Our intention is for all activities to uplift, inspire, and educate the San Francisco Bay Area community. Thank you for being part of this work.
Back to Apply to be a Reader at East West
1. Financial Arrangements
Reader income from clients who heard about you through East West is shared 70/30, with the reader receiving 70%.
For in-store readings, at the end of each day, pay at the front desk.
For online or offsite readings, you can pay once a month.
Payment is due by the 1st of the next month
(i.e. March readings - payment due by April 1)
Send one payment monthly via Zelle to manager@eastwestbooks.org.
This is preferred as there is no fee for the transfer.
If Zelle isn’t possible, then by paypal@eastwestbooks.org.
If a new customer reaches out to you personally/directly for a reading, and heard about you through East West, 30% of income goes to the store (as the lead came through our marketing efforts).
Readers agree to track the source of each new client, including a required question in their calendar booking process, something like this example:
How did you hear about me/my services?* (check more than one)
__ East West Bookshop (store, newsletter, or website)
__ a friend
__ my website
__ other
If East West hosts a Psychic Fair, income is split 60/40.
Readers carry liability insurance, and provide an additional insured endorsement including East West Bookshop. (Some readers have recommended Hands On Trade for coverage)
Payment is on the honor system. Readers will keep their own records. East West may, at its discretion, hire an independent bookkeeper to audit reader records.
2. Relationship of Readers to East West
East West (EW) and Readers have an Independent Contractor relationship, and are not employed by EW. Your schedule is not controlled by the store. The store asks you to let us know what time you are setting aside for EW readings, so we may publicize you and your work to our customers.
Successful readers are those who provide services that their clients love. Those clients come back, and they tell their friends.
Readers are expected to be in the store for their posted hours, and not just for times they have an online booking. Posted hours allow for walk-ins and last moment bookings.
Experiences with the reader are a part of customers’ store experience. Kindness in interactions among EW staff, readers, and customers is a high priority. We appreciate readers helping to be a part of this beautiful space. Readers who are unkind, complaining, demanding of staff, or receive negative online reviews may be asked to no longer give readings in our store.
Readers and East West may part company at any time. Advanced notice is appreciated.
Readers concerns or questions: reach out to the reader staff support person or the manager.
3. In-Store Readings
Allocation of in-store space is made by the store manager.
Music plays through speakers just outside the event room for added privacy during readings. You may also bring your own music for playing in your room.
At the end of each day, readers leave the reader room clean and ready for the next reader, remove trash, and energetically set the room back to neutral.
No food is permitted in the store or in the reader room. Coffee or tea is fine (please be careful not to spill. :) Let us know right away if something is spilled in the reader room so it can be cleaned.
There is ample room outdoors for dining, as Castro is now pedestrian only; there are over 40 restaurants on Castro Street.
4. Scheduling Appointments
Readers are responsible for all scheduling.
Readers may use any online scheduling program you wish. Many use the online scheduling program Acuity, and there are many others available.
5. Changes to your schedule
If you need to make a change in your days/hours, send an email to your store contact, and we’ll let you know if your requested schedule is available. If you are gone for a week or so, just change your online calendar to show no available appointments.
East West appreciates very much if Readers don’t change your schedule, or change it only rarely. Frequent changes may result in modest hourly charges for time in altering your website and signage in the store. Ideally, we request changes no more than 2 times a year.
6. Promotions
East West Bookshop may promote Readers generally in the following ways, but we cannot promise or guarantee that these promotion methods will be effective in helping you reach new clients. We ask that readers not change their pricing/times/days more than once every 6 months because of the time involved in reprinting in-store materials.
Our website: eastwestbooks.org
Window and in-store display near the entrance that shows the day’s Readers
A weekly e-newsletter with one Reader highlighted each week, and everyone being featured over time, and then cycling through again
Social media
Your own brochures or flyers in our free literature section
Word of mouth from staff
Psychic Fairs from time to time with multiple Readers (conditions permitting)
For in-store-Readers: window and in-store display near the entrance that features the day’s Reader
For all Readers: take-away flyer with a brief description of each, and a QR code (provided by the Reader) to the Reader’s home webpage
For all Readers: front window poster with QR code to the Reader webpage
Successful Readers are good at marketing themselves, in ways like these:
Referrals from your existing clients (most effective)
Postings to your social media accounts, Facebook, Instagram
Emails to your email list
Interviews with media
Store events and outside events
Word-of-mouth
7. Your time with clients
Please begin and end sessions on time.
When in-store, please leave the reader room the same or better than you found it. Set the room to neutral, both physically and energetically.
8. In-store Notes
The upstairs office is for store staff only. Happily, Castro Street provides many wonderful places to have a coffee, relax, and grab a meal.
Readers are welcome to use the customer or staff bathroom; clients should use only the customer bathroom.
9. Separation from East West
If a reader is no longer affiliated with the store, but has East West clients who continue to work with them, readers will pay 30% the first year after departing, 20% the 2nd year, and 10% the 3rd. Thereafter, nothing more is paid.