Thick skins

Chap comes in. He has been a pain in the neck for a long time - always wanting discounts, free books etc:

He recently ordered two books - then decided he only wanted one of them - costing me £20.

"I'd like you to order me in a book"

"I'm not very keen after last time"

"What do you mean?"

"Well I got you two books - and you only paid for one. The other cost me money and I can only sell it for a fraction of this"

"Well that's not my problem - I took one of them"

"Yes but you ordered two - I have to buy books in - I can't get them on approval"

"Just send it back and say you've changed your mind"

"But i haven't changed my mind - and I can't just return books because customers are unreliable - there is postage to be paid in each direction"

"Not my problem - now are you going to order this book for me?"

..............I don't think i will be seeing him again.

Free Valuations

Friendly voice from a neighbouring town (30 miles away) called.

"afternoon - I'd like you to come and value my books"

"Are they for sale"

"No, I'd just like to know their value"

"well we would have to charge you a fair bit of money to drive out and do that"

"Oh, don't you do it for free ? I'm not willing to pay anything for it. Won't you just come and tell me what they are worth?"

Hmmmm.

Don't rub it in.

chap walks in and stands at the door. I've never seen him before. He doesn't actually bother looking at the shelves.

"Good morning" he says, "I hear an Oxfam bookshop has opened up, can you tell me where it is please ?"

I just told him - I couldn't even be bothered to rant about how they are destroying the book trade. I must be losing it.

Change of Mind

Chap walks in and asks "I gave away a book a year ago - can you tell me what its worth now please."

Letter from America

This is a real email I received recently.
I don’t even need to comment.

“I was in Salisbury about a year ago and bought a book in your store, only to accidentally leave it on the plane. I was so disappointed. I cannot remember the name of the book, but it had a black cover, I
do believe. It was a Juvenile’s book. I very much want to order this
book. Can you suggest to me which one it might be? Thanks! S__ T___, U.S.A.”

Cheap and (sometimes) cheerful

A big thank you to the American book dealer, who requested a trade discount on a 50p book, and that it be sent at cost, as they didn't agree with making money on postage.

Sadly I don't agree with selling to them - so the book has been thrown away !!!