LISTSERV mailing list manager LISTSERV 16.0

Help for SF-LIT Archives


SF-LIT Archives

SF-LIT Archives


[email protected]


View:

Message:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Topic:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Author:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

Font:

Proportional Font

LISTSERV Archives

LISTSERV Archives

SF-LIT Home

SF-LIT Home

SF-LIT  November 1997

SF-LIT November 1997

Subject:

Re: SF-LIT Digest - 14 Nov 1997 to 17 Nov 1997

From:

"Andrew E. Baumann" <[log in to unmask]>

Reply-To:

Andrew E. Baumann

Date:

Sun, 23 Nov 1997 13:56:05 -0500

Content-Type:

text/plain

Parts/Attachments:

Parts/Attachments

text/plain (89 lines)

I'm coming in late, but . . .

Just a couple comments as an ex employee of a large-chain book store
(Media Play for those who know what it is, and before that B Dalton).

Book stores, especially the large chain ones, have to be trained like
dogs. And they can be.

The worst thing about large bookstores? As already stated -
incompetant employees.The greatest thing about large bookstores?
Competant employees. (Nothing worse than asking the guy behind the
computer "There's a new collection of T. S. Eliot's juvenalia out. Do
you have it in yet?" and hearing "How do you spell Eliot?" Nothing
better than asking "This is real thin, but there's a book out
with a black cover by a guy who wrote for a TV show," and hearing
"Stephen J. Cannell?")

How to train a store:

When you find a good employee, make sure management knows about it!!!
The quicker it is recognized that an employee is quality and is
bringing in sales (and counter to _all_ managerial reports, the
secret to high sales is not inventory, or placement, or whatever, it
is quality empoyees), the quicker that employee gains power in the
store. When you are a frequent customer of an employee with power,
you have a say in what books gets ordered, what authors get special
treatment, etc. etc. As an employee, the easiest books to sell are
the books people are looking for.

Media Play is the nightmare corporate version of the stores Mike
Resnick describes - no effort at all to keep contact with the
consumers. No clue how to maintain an inventory. Fifty percent of the
time I was telling customers to go a half mile down the street to the
mall and look on the the third shelf back at B Dalton's, where they
would find the book they want (since Media Play never sees interest
in actually maintaining stock in what might sell). This might seem
like it's giving away business, but it works the opposite --
customers come back to the person who knows where what they want is,
whether it's in the store or down the block.

And when customers come back, the quality employee listens to what
they're reading, what they're buying, and promote it. Because what
people want to buy is what will sell.

So train your bookstores. Order order order. I don't know how
many times I've ordered books and then seen them show up on the
shelves. (Covert technique: Have friends order under aliases and
never pick up the book so when you buy it off the shelf it looks like
a normal sale). Find those good employees and praise them heavily. A
little grease goes a long way when you come to her and say "You know,
Dinglenut Winkberry is one of my favorite authors and is little
known, but really good. Never gave hm to a friend without a thanks
in return. He has a new book out, and I think with a little promo,
he could really start selling." An employee in a pocket is the best
way to see Winkleberry's books in a small display on top of the
racks. Winkleberry will be much appreciative!

Andrew
ex master bookseller :-)


PS --

Here's another idea which I am considering . . .

What's the worst part about on-line bookstores? (Which are the wave
of the future folks. Better start manipulating them to you like now,
while they're still somewhat malleable). YOU CAN"T PICK UP THE BOOK!

How about web sites that have brief --  non-spoiler --  reviews; the
back covers re-printed; table of contents listed (for non-fiction);
etc?

A thought.


Andrew E. Baumann
[log in to unmask]                             (#=)=

***********************************************
To the left is the place of fauns,
                      sylva nympharum;
The low wood, moor scrub,
        the doe, the young spotted deer,
        leap up through the broom-plants,
                  as dry leaf amid yellow.
                                  Ezra Pound
***********************************************

Top of Message | Previous Page | Permalink

Advanced Options


Options

Log In

Log In

Get Password

Get Password


Search Archives

Search Archives


Subscribe or Unsubscribe

Subscribe or Unsubscribe


Archives

November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
September 2003
August 2003
July 2003
June 2003
May 2003
April 2003
March 2003
February 2003
January 2003
December 2002
November 2002
October 2002
September 2002
August 2002
July 2002
June 2002
May 2002
April 2002
March 2002
February 2002
January 2002
December 2001
November 2001
October 2001
September 2001
August 2001
July 2001
June 2001
May 2001
April 2001
March 2001
February 2001
January 2001
December 2000
November 2000
October 2000
September 2000
August 2000
July 2000
June 2000
May 2000
April 2000
March 2000
February 2000
January 2000
December 1999
November 1999
October 1999
September 1999
August 1999
July 1999
June 1999
May 1999
April 1999
March 1999
February 1999
January 1999
December 1998
November 1998
October 1998
September 1998
August 1998
July 1998
June 1998
May 1998
April 1998
March 1998
February 1998
January 1998
December 1997
November 1997
October 1997
September 1997
August 1997
July 1997
June 1997
May 1997
April 1997
March 1997
February 1997
January 1997
December 1996
November 1996
October 1996
September 1996
August 1996
July 1996
June 1996
May 1996
April 1996
March 1996
February 1996
January 1996
December 1995
November 1995
October 1995
September 1995
August 1995
July 1995
June 1995
May 1995
April 1995
March 1995
February 1995
June 1996
May 1996
April 1996
March 1996
February 1996
January 1996
December 1995
November 1995
October 1995
September 1995
August 1995
July 1995
June 1995
May 1995
April 1995
March 1995
February 1995

ATOM RSS1 RSS2



LISTSERV.LOC.GOV

CataList Email List Search Powered by the LISTSERV Email List Manager