Printed prices on books?

On Tue, 7 Oct 2003 14:08:58 -0400 (EDT), dcon16.DeleteThis@webtv.net wrote:

 >Considering the average IQ of Borders
 >clerks plus their almost total ignorance
 >of books, putting removable price stickers on books will provide some
 >remarkable
 >buying opportunities for the public AND
 >some remarkable "switch the $9.95 sticker
 >with the $49.95 sticker" opportunities
 >for the felonious public.
 >I doubt the heavy hitters in publishing
 >will bite.
 >--Dave Conford

UPC and a scanner solves that problem.


****************************************************

"The booksellers are generous liberal-minded men."

Samuel Johnson
"Life of Johnson" (J. Boswell), Vol. I, 1756<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Printed prices on books? 

dcon16.RemoveThis@webtv.net wrote in message news:<5459-3F83013A-636.RemoveThis@storefull-2271.public.lawson.webtv.net>...

 > Considering the average IQ of Borders
 > clerks plus their almost total ignorance
 > of books...

Not to start a flame war, but I don't know what people expect of
clerks who are barely paid minimum wage. I work for one of the major
retail music chains, which is legendary for its bad pay, and some
customers expect us to have heard every recording ever made of the
obscure piece of music they want, and to be able to tell them which
one will make them happy.

That's a generalization, of course, and I recognize that Dave's
statement was also a generalization. Just venting...

On the other point, you have to know that the store's registers will
be programmed to recognize the book from its barcode, and ring it up
at the correct price (whatever the store decides that is to be),
regardless of what sticker a careless clerk or sneaky customer has put
on it.

Jim<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Printed prices on books? 

William M. Klimon wrote:
 > Maybe no longer:
 >
<font color=purple> > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?articleid=CA327356</font" target="_blank">http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?articleid=CA327356</font</a>>

When I click on this, I don't get anything that looks like the article
described. Is it available only to subscribers?

--
Evelyn C. Leeper
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.geocities.com/evelynleeper" target="_blank">http://www.geocities.com/evelynleeper</a>
We need to be creating a world that we would like to live in when
we're not the biggest power on the block. --Bill Clinton<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Printed prices on books? 

On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 19:12:18 GMT, "Evelyn C. Leeper"
<eleeper RemoveThis @optonline.net> wrote:

 >William M. Klimon wrote:
  >> Maybe no longer:
  >>
<font color=green>  >> <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?articleid=CA327356</font" target="_blank">http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?articleid=CA327356</font</a>>
 >
 >When I click on this, I don't get anything that looks like the article
 >described. Is it available only to subscribers?

You need to go to:

Borders to Urge Review Of Pricing Policies by Karen Holt -- 10/6/2003

And click it.


****************************************************

"The booksellers are generous liberal-minded men."

Samuel Johnson
"Life of Johnson" (J. Boswell), Vol. I, 1756<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Printed prices on books? 

In article <ft46ovol1uatfkc1n2fkm33vjsdmd9pbcr.DeleteThis@4ax.com>,
John A. Stovall <johnastovall.DeleteThis@earthlink.net> wrote:

<font color=brown>   > >> <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?articleid=CA327356</font" target="_blank">http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?articleid=CA327356</font</a>>
  > >
  > >When I click on this, I don't get anything that looks like the article
  > >described. Is it available only to subscribers?
 >
 > You need to go to:
 >
 > Borders to Urge Review Of Pricing Policies by Karen Holt -- 10/6/2003
 >
 > And click it.

Not there.

Scot Kamins
--
Collecting the Modern Library 1917-1970
Modern Library Collecting Website at:
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.dogeared.com" target="_blank">http://www.dogeared.com</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Printed prices on books? 

In article <kamins-EF83A2.12381007102003.TakeThisOut@corp.supernews.com>,
Scot Kamins <kamins.TakeThisOut@dogeared.com> wrote:

 > Borders to Urge Review

Here's the complete correct address to the article (all on one line
without carriage return, or course:

<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout=article&articleI" target="_blank">http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout=article&articleI</a>
d=CA327356&display=searchResults&text=%22borders+to+urge+review%22

Scot Kamins
--
Collecting the Modern Library 1917-1970
Modern Library Collecting Website at:
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.dogeared.com" target="_blank">http://www.dogeared.com</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Printed prices on books? 

John A. Stovall wrote:

 > On Tue, 7 Oct 2003 14:08:58 -0400 (EDT), dcon16.RemoveThis@webtv.net wrote:
 >
 >
  >>Considering the average IQ of Borders
  >>clerks plus their almost total ignorance
  >>of books, putting removable price stickers on books will provide some
  >>remarkable
  >>buying opportunities for the public AND
  >>some remarkable "switch the $9.95 sticker
  >>with the $49.95 sticker" opportunities
  >>for the felonious public.
  >>I doubt the heavy hitters in publishing
  >>will bite.
  >>--Dave Conford
 >
 >
 > UPC and a scanner solves that problem.

But make it less likely that people will buy the book.

How will people know what a book costs? Scan it at a scanner
themselves. Bleh. Labels on the shelves, as in supermarkets? I don't
think that's do-able in most bookstores because books are not shelved
like groceries--they drift left and right depending on what's new and
what's returned.

Stick-on labels seem the only approach. I suppose there are the kind
that (theoretically) self-destruct when you remove them, because they're
slashed.

Of course, if I could see the actual article, I might have a better idea.

--
Evelyn C. Leeper
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.geocities.com/evelynleeper" target="_blank">http://www.geocities.com/evelynleeper</a>
We need to be creating a world that we would like to live in when
we're not the biggest power on the block. --Bill Clinton<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Printed prices on books? 

On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 19:15:55 GMT, "Evelyn C. Leeper"
<eleeper.RemoveThis@optonline.net> wrote:

 >John A. Stovall wrote:
 >
  >> On Tue, 7 Oct 2003 14:08:58 -0400 (EDT), dcon16.RemoveThis@webtv.net wrote:
  >>
  >>
   >>>Considering the average IQ of Borders
   >>>clerks plus their almost total ignorance
   >>>of books, putting removable price stickers on books will provide some
   >>>remarkable
   >>>buying opportunities for the public AND
   >>>some remarkable "switch the $9.95 sticker
   >>>with the $49.95 sticker" opportunities
   >>>for the felonious public.
   >>>I doubt the heavy hitters in publishing
   >>>will bite.
   >>>--Dave Conford
  >>
  >>
  >> UPC and a scanner solves that problem.
 >
 >But make it less likely that people will buy the book.
 >
 >How will people know what a book costs? Scan it at a scanner
 >themselves. Bleh. Labels on the shelves, as in supermarkets? I don't
 >think that's do-able in most bookstores because books are not shelved
 >like groceries--they drift left and right depending on what's new and
 >what's returned.
 >
 >Stick-on labels seem the only approach. I suppose there are the kind
 >that (theoretically) self-destruct when you remove them, because they're
 >slashed.

A wise store would scan anyway and that would prevent sticker
swapping.
****************************************************

"The booksellers are generous liberal-minded men."

Samuel Johnson
"Life of Johnson" (J. Boswell), Vol. I, 1756<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Printed prices on books? 

"Evelyn C. Leeper" <eleeper.TakeThisOut@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:meEgb.64581$E95.32334667@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...

  > > Maybe no longer:
  > >
<font color=green>  > > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?articleid=CA327356</font" target="_blank">http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?articleid=CA327356</font</a>>
 >
 > When I click on this, I don't get anything that looks like the article
 > described. Is it available only to subscribers?


Try this:

<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout=article&articleid=CA327356" target="_blank">http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout=article&artic...d=CA327</a>


My point was that this will make it more difficult to spot BCEs.


William M. Klimon
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.gateofbliss.com" target="_blank">http://www.gateofbliss.com</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Printed prices on books? 

On Tue, 7 Oct 2003 19:15:55 UTC, "Evelyn C. Leeper"
<eleeper RemoveThis @optonline.net> wrote:

 > John A. Stovall wrote:
 >
  > > On Tue, 7 Oct 2003 14:08:58 -0400 (EDT), dcon16 RemoveThis @webtv.net wrote:
  > >
  > >
   > >>Considering the average IQ of Borders
   > >>clerks plus their almost total ignorance
   > >>of books, putting removable price stickers on books will provide some
   > >>remarkable
   > >>buying opportunities for the public AND
   > >>some remarkable "switch the $9.95 sticker
   > >>with the $49.95 sticker" opportunities
   > >>for the felonious public.
   > >>I doubt the heavy hitters in publishing
   > >>will bite.
   > >>--Dave Conford
  > >
  > >
  > > UPC and a scanner solves that problem.
 >
 > But make it less likely that people will buy the book.
 >
 > How will people know what a book costs? Scan it at a scanner
 > themselves.

That is possible. I've seen it in something like Target. They had
scanners on every few endcaps.

Bleh. Labels on the shelves, as in supermarkets? I don't
 > think that's do-able in most bookstores because books are not shelved
 > like groceries--they drift left and right depending on what's new and
 > what's returned.
 >
 > Stick-on labels seem the only approach. I suppose there are the kind
 > that (theoretically) self-destruct when you remove them, because they're
 > slashed.

All they have to do is print up some stick on labels with the price
in numerals only. They could still use the EAN at the register.

Lots of stores do it this way.

--
Mark Heaely
marknews(at)healeyonline(dot)com<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Printed prices on books? 

<dcon16 DeleteThis @webtv.net> wrote in message
news:5459-3F83013A-636@storefull-2271.public.lawson.webtv.net...

 > Considering the average IQ of Borders
 > clerks
....

Staff in Borders, as in most other major retail outlets
are specifiaclly trained to mimic the low IQ of their
average customer. So as to not make them feel too unwelcome.

...

 > plus their almost total ignorance
 > of books,

....

The IQ of most customers can be guaged by the totally
unrealistic expectations they have of the lowly paid staff

i.e they really do believe that low prices can be conjured
up out of nowhere.

...


 > putting removable price stickers on books will provide some
 > remarkable buying opportunities for the public AND
 > some remarkable "switch the $9.95 sticker with the $49.95
 > sticker" opportunities for the felonious public.
 > I doubt the heavy hitters in publishing will bite.
 > --Dave Conford

....

In communities where the populations have an at-least average
IQ, the bookstore managements will already have adopted EPOS
and bar-coding around ten years ago.

Unlike towns where the above scenario is more likely to occur.
Such as say, Retardville, or Moron Valley.




michael adams

....<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Printed prices on books? 

Lack of a printed price would make it harder to ID a book club edition but
my concern is what effect this would have on the few remaining "Mom & Pop"
bookstores in the United States. The predatory nature of american retailing
being what it is I hate to see more power being given to the large chains.
The implication that publishers do not already practice volume pricing
surprised me. Is that true? The line "some booksellers-such as those in
out-of-the-way locations-would be able to raise prices, adding much-needed
padding to their thin margins." struck me as, at best, poorly thought out.
The profit margin publishers build into a books list price is not designed
to run retailers to ruin. Rural and small city retailers do have fewer sales
thanks to their smaller customer base. However, they also benefit from lower
rents and lower wages then retailers in major urban centers pay. As someone
who prefers not to deal with large chains I am very uneasy about one chain
trying to dictate an industry's business model.

Tim Crawford
tcrawford.RemoveThis@woh.rr.com

William M. Klimon <william.m.klimon.c87.RemoveThis@alumni.upenn.edu> wrote in message
news:wUKgb.61471$sp2.59387@lakeread04...
 > "Evelyn C. Leeper" <eleeper.RemoveThis@optonline.net> wrote in message
 > news:meEgb.64581$E95.32334667@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...
 >
   > > > Maybe no longer:
   > > >
<font color=brown>   > > > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?articleid=CA327356</font" target="_blank">http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?articleid=CA327356</font</a>>
  > >
  > > When I click on this, I don't get anything that looks like the article
  > > described. Is it available only to subscribers?
 >
 >
 > Try this:
 >
 >
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout=article&articleid=C" target="_blank">http://publishersweekly.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout=article&articleid=C</a>
A327356
 >
 >
 > My point was that this will make it more difficult to spot BCEs.
 >
 >
 > William M. Klimon
<font color=purple> > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.gateofbliss.com</font" target="_blank">http://www.gateofbliss.com</font</a>>
 >
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Printed prices on books? 

On Wed, 08 Oct 2003 16:01:55 GMT, "Tim Crawford"
<tcrawford.TakeThisOut@woh.rr.com> wrote:

 >Lack of a printed price would make it harder to ID a book club edition but
 >my concern is what effect this would have on the few remaining "Mom & Pop"
 >bookstores in the United States. The predatory nature of american retailing
 >being what it is I hate to see more power being given to the large chains.
 >The implication that publishers do not already practice volume pricing
 >surprised me. Is that true? The line "some booksellers-such as those in
 >out-of-the-way locations-would be able to raise prices, adding much-needed
 >padding to their thin margins." struck me as, at best, poorly thought out.
 >The profit margin publishers build into a books list price is not designed
 >to run retailers to ruin. Rural and small city retailers do have fewer sales
 >thanks to their smaller customer base. However, they also benefit from lower
 >rents and lower wages then retailers in major urban centers pay. As someone
 >who prefers not to deal with large chains I am very uneasy about one chain
 >trying to dictate an industry's business model.

I think Amazon is has already shoveled the dirt into the grave of the
"new" mom and pop book store in rural areas.

I live in a rural area here the only new book store is a regional
chain (Hastings) and buy about a 100 dollars of new books a month.
Why would I pay retail and sales tax when I can get Amazons discount,
no sales tax, free shipping and greater selection?


****************************************************

"The booksellers are generous liberal-minded men."

Samuel Johnson
"Life of Johnson" (J. Boswell), Vol. I, 1756<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Printed prices on books?