keithd@cadovax.UUCP (Keith Doyle) (01/21/87)
In article <2681@brl-adm.ARPA> rbj@icst-cmr.arpa (Root Boy Jim) writes: > Congratulations! The local B. Dalton refused to order the book. They > stated that it was a "textbook" and that B. Dalton does not deal textbooks. > >I can see why they might not keep them in stock, but to refuse someone's >good money on a special order is just bad business. I would imagine that >if you pestered them hard enuf they would give in. I wouldnt' bet on it. I've been pretty irritated at B. Daltons attitude towards ordering books for years. Used to be, that when you ordered a book from them, you'd sign a card, and a good year later they'd send it to you saying they can't get it from the publisher. Now, (and I've done this twice in the last 2 months) you sign the card, and a week later you get it saying they're out of stock of the book in the warehouse. I can go down to a little mom & pop bookstore I know (unfortunately, it's further away than the 300 local B. Daltons) and ask to order the book, and in a month or two I will get it. I personally think B. Dalton is fulla Sh** on this one. They want to sell you the books that THEY want, and at full list price. Heaven forbid you should want something they don't carry, or expect any kind of discount rate (their 'discounts' on software are so pitiful, I don't know why they bother, $44.95 software discounted to $41.95! BIG DEAL!). But then, most people just go into their local B. Dalton, and only buy what they have, cause they don't know about anything else. Unfortunately the B. Dalton approach seems to be working with the general public. What we need is a good discount bookstore chain that is not afraid of the paperwork involved in special-ordering from the publisher, and can actually get the job done. (there were times when after a year B. Dalton claimed they couldn't get the book from the publisher, and I went to mom & pop's and got it a month later). So in conclusion, B. Dalton sucks big green rocks in hell! So, so, so THERE! So, so, goodbye! Keith Doyle # {ucbvax,ihnp4,decvax}!trwrb!cadovax!keithd # cadovax!keithd@ucla-locus.arpa
chuq%plaid@Sun.COM (Chuq Von Rospach) (01/22/87)
>>I can see why they might not keep them in stock, but to refuse someone's >>good money on a special order is just bad business. I would imagine that >>if you pestered them hard enuf they would give in. Ordering books tends to be labor intensive, and it serves a "few" relatively hard core book readers. Many bookstores consider it a loss-leader activity (i.e. it costs them more to do than they make) and the chains therefore don't encourage it. They aren't really interested in the book readers out there, anyway -- that is a small portion of the population. They want the impulse buyer and occasional reader (people who pick up Sydney Sheldon and keep him on the coffee table). Much easier to cater to than someone who pays attention to the industry... Chuq Von Rospach chuq@sun.COM It's only a model...
roy@phri.UUCP (01/25/87)
[Note: I've directed followups to misc.consumers and slapped on a "na"
distribution since I don't think they even have B. Dalton in Europe]
I don't understand all this pissing and moaning about B. Dalton.
They are in business to make money, which is not in itself an immoral thing
to do. If they don't want to get involved with special orders because it
is not profitable for them, so be it. How many clothing stores do you know
that will order one of something special for you? Or supermarkets? And
no, I don't really want to hear about your local counterexample.
Anyway, my experience with major book publishers (unlike, I would
imagine, clothing manufacturers or yoghurt makers) has been that if you
call them up and find out the price, and the right address to send a check
(or credit card account number) to, they will be glad to ship you single
copies of any book they publish. Many even accept returns in good
condition within N days. You will pay list price, and maybe a premium in
the form of shipping and handling charges, but that's what you get for not
reading Sidney Sheldon paperbacks.
--
Roy Smith, {allegra,cmcl2,philabs}!phri!roy
System Administrator, Public Health Research Institute
455 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016
"you can't spell deoxyribonucleic without unix!"dormitzer@husc4.UUCP (01/26/87)
This is a SOURCE newsgroup. Please move any discussions to other newsgroups. For those of you who aren't familiar with netiquette, as it appears fewer and fewer people are these days, read the documentation on netiquette that comes with the news software and that in net.announce.newusers (or whatever the new group for that is). This group should have SOURCES ONLY. No advertisements, bug fixes, or discussion. (Yes, I know this isn't a program source) Paul Dormitzer dormitzer@husc4.harvard.edu
actor@percival.UUCP (01/27/87)
For anyone tempted to condemn B. Dalton for not ordering textbooks, let me
set you straight. Textbook publishers are the pits to deal with. They offer
TINY TINY TINY margins on their books in regular order quantities (figuring
that the average textbook vendor wil be ordering dozens of them), much smaller
margins in single or small orders, either don't allow returns or have very
poor return policies, and generally treat bookstores like sh*t. I don't
understand why ANY bookstore would voluntarily deal with a textbook
publisher, let alone a B. Dalton; Daltons don't usually have to worry about
being nice to their customers -- one of the "advantages" of being a chain
store.
Of course, I may be blowing hot air... I mean, what do I know, I've only
worked in and around bookstores for thirteen years...
Clif Swinford
..!tektronix!reed!percival!actor (UUCP)