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I went to borders yesterday and actually found a book I've been looking in a first printing and in near mint condition, which has not been particularly easy since it came out during the summer and had a very limited run. It was the only one they had as well so I promptly bought it. What happened next was kind of strange. I brought it up to the cashier and the guy starts peeling off the price sticker which could have potentially damaged the dj, then he walks around looking for a marker, comes back, and crosses out the barcode at the back of the book, and I'm like WTF, "you just marked up the back of the book," I said. I mean, Borders has got to be kidding me. Why don't they have their idiot employees sign their names on the title pages of the books while you're at it?! I would have been alot more upset if I wasn't aware I could simply remove the mark with rubbing alcohol. If the cover had been one of those regular non glossy ones it would have been impossible; mine was semi glossy so it was fine. Anyone have any clue as to why they're doing this?
I don't know, but you sound like one of the "idiot" customers I had to deal with everyday that couldn't seem to get it into his/her head that the "idiot" employees don't create policy. That is solely corporates/management domain. But it's so much easier to pick on the lowly employee, isn't it ?
Yep, Borders is closing where I live, Downtown San Diego. They are selling everything in the store, fixtures, coffee makers, cash registers, etc. Too many people just using this store as a library, lots of vagrants milling around too.
The one I had the misfortune of working at isn't closing (not yet anyway..biding my time for a little sweet revenge at how I was treated lol) but it too had the problem of people treating it as a library ... and hanging around far after closing while we all stood around glaring at them. I actually got in trouble once for telling a deaf group that we were closed (this was 20 minutes after closing). They were seriously annoying because it was like they were playing the handicapped card with serious entitlement issues on top of that. They knew full WELL what time our store closed.
I feel sorry for the current employees, they probably STILL have to put up with those cretins.
I don't think it's actually possible to become an expert of books and authors in general, as there are millions of books and thousands of authors to be aware of. A book store employee may be well-versed in history and have to help a customer with mystery novels that they know nothing about. The best you can ask from an employee is that they know how to work their inventory system and direct the customer to the right place.
I became an expert on paint, so that I could work a retail paint counter.
It's my job to know my product, inside and out. I even did my own research into the matter on my own time.
And that was your choice. But that doesn't mean everybody ELSE has the time when they are off, or even WANTS to to study something they only make minimum wage for. Study on your own time classifies as college to me and that's fine as long as they want to pay for that added expertise.
However I WOULD agree with you if you actually OWNED said paint store. But why help somebody else to become rich without any added compensation?
And that was your choice. But that doesn't mean everybody ELSE has the time when they are off, or even WANTS to to study something they only make minimum wage for. Study on your own time classifies as college to me and that's fine as long as they want to pay for that added expertise.
However I WOULD agree with you if you actually OWNED said paint store. But why help somebody else to become rich without any added compensation?
Because it is my JOB to know. How am I going to advise people when I don't know the answer to the question that they are asking?
I went to borders yesterday and actually found a book I've been looking in a first printing and in near mint condition, which has not been particularly easy since it came out during the summer and had a very limited run. It was the only one they had as well so I promptly bought it. What happened next was kind of strange. I brought it up to the cashier and the guy starts peeling off the price sticker which could have potentially damaged the dj, then he walks around looking for a marker, comes back, and crosses out the barcode at the back of the book, and I'm like WTF, "you just marked up the back of the book," I said. I mean, Borders has got to be kidding me. Why don't they have their idiot employees sign their names on the title pages of the books while you're at it?! I would have been alot more upset if I wasn't aware I could simply remove the mark with rubbing alcohol. If the cover had been one of those regular non glossy ones it would have been impossible; mine was semi glossy so it was fine. Anyone have any clue as to why they're doing this?
That's pretty standard for a store going into liquidation in any type of industry. If you were to go to a clothing store going out of business they would do the same thing with the barcodes. The things that make it an issue for books is that the barcodes are put onto the product instead of the packaging. Places do the same thing with things sold in overstock and salvage auctions. They do this so that you cant buy the product for pennies on the dollar and go return it to another branch that is remaining open.
here are 51 more borders stores that are in danger of closing.
At a Glance: The 51 Borders stores that may close if negotiations fall through - The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/at-a-glance-the-51-borders-stores-that-may-close-if-negotiations-fall-through/2011/06/09/AGNX3WNH_story.html - broken link)
I used to go to Borders a lot when I lived in Maryland but I prefer Amazon, especially now that I'm retired. For one thing, there is no top shelf I can't reach or bottom shelf I can't read or get up from, like Borders. There's no parking in Outer Mongolia during Christmas season, like Borders. You know, if I buy 6 books at a time, with Amazon, I'm not lugging all of that weight of my books, around. The UPS guy brings them to my door. I don't have to stand on line to make a purchase. I can sit at my desk (starting at midnight) for hours and browse books on Amazon, read reviews from regular people, read summaries and then get good suggestions: "If you liked that, you'll probably like this" and "people who read that, also purchased this." Amazon is my primary shopping place for everything except clothes (also purchased online) and things you would buy at Staples () so after I buy my books, I don't have to walk or drive all over the place for various other things I need in addition to books, like I would at Borders. I haven't been to a mall in about 5 years. Also, Borders had a lot of popular books and on Amazon you can learn about and buy more oddball books and can buy them in different formats (hardcover, audio, paperback, kindle, large print, etc.). If I'm looking for a particular book, I don't have to guess where I might find it. At Borders, it was always a crapshoot unless it was a best seller or I just went for help right from the get-go. At Amazon, I have a pretty good idea if a paperback version is imminent but not at Borders.
I never liked B Dalton, Books a Million, or Barnes and Noble.
I only fear one thing. Has anyone noticed that Amazon stocks are down a lot now? If they ever went out of business, I would be REALLY upset. Borders, not so much.
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) so after I buy my books, I don't have to walk or drive all over the place for various other things I need in addition to books, like I would at Borders. I haven't been to a mall in about 5 years. Also, Borders had a lot of popular books and on Amazon you can learn about and buy more oddball books and can buy them in different formats (hardcover, audio, paperback, kindle, large print, etc.). If I'm looking for a particular book, I don't have to guess where I might find it. At Borders, it was always a crapshoot unless it was a best seller or I just went for help right from the get-go. At Amazon, I have a pretty good idea if a paperback version is imminent but not at Borders.
