Although Otowi Station Bookstore has been in Los Alamos since 1990 and in our present location since 1993, some people are still unclear on what we are and why we're in business. Today I offer some examples of recent interactions with our customers.
“May I take a couple of these books home with me, read them, and decide which one I want to buy?”
Returns are always fun. "LeeLee the Serial Returner" buys expensive technical books, keeps them for several months, tries to returns them with the pages all crimped and biscuity, and wants a refund. "Concetta" is another serial returner, who came in yesterday with a book that she said she bought in December; the book has never been in our inventory. She had no receipt and wanted a refund. Another guy told Michele he bought his book somewhere else but wanted to know whether he could exchange it at our store.
We had a customer who bought a science toy, ripped open the package with such force that the product described a parabola in the air and then smashed to atoms on the floor of the store, and then wanted his money back because the toy broke.
And then there are the people who are unclear on the concept of bookstore.
“Do you sell XBox games and Blu-Ray players?”
“No, ma’am, we’re an independent bookstore.”
“Well, how about digital cameras?”
“No, ma’am, we’re a bookstore.”
“Okay, do you carry laptop computers?”
“We don't carry computers. We're bookstore.”
“Oh, a bookstore! Well, then, can you get me the complete set of Harry Potter books autographed by J. K. Rowling?”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s about $80,000 and must be shipped from England.”
“Will it get here in time for Mother's Day?”
“Probably not.”
“Okay, well, I’ll just take this rubber ducky. How much is it?”
“98 cents plus 6 cents for the Governor.”
“Too much.”
“Make me an offer.”
Customer: "May I exchange these books I bought at Buns and Noodle for store credit at Otowi Station?"
Manager: "Yes, of course. We'll give you twice what you paid for them and throw in some potato salad.
4 comments:
I must say you do lead an interesting life. I also must say you should write a book about your bookselling experiences to add to your inventory.
I am guilty as charged.
Ten years ago, my father (in another state) gave me the same book two years in a row. It was a fabulous hardcover, but two? And nobody else I knew wanted it. Someone would want it, but I didn't know that someone. It was an eminently sellable book.
I took it to a local independent bookstore (Colorado) that had cried loudly and often about people shopping at Buns and Noodles, when they at this local bookstore gave such excellent customer service.
At the bookstore, I said "I know I didn't buy this here, but could I sell it to you--even for store credit?"
The answer was "no." It was accompanied by a lot of "We don't have any policy like that and we wouldn't be able to do anything with this book and here's how the book industry works." I worked at a publishing company at the time and already knew all of this, which I mentioned, but which didn't reduce the flow of self-justification.
I said, "I spend a lot of money here. For $20, you can ensure that I continue to spend a lot of money here. Or you can ensure that I don't."
They ensured that I didn't. And closed entirely six months later. Not solely because of me, I know. But partly because of their "customer service."
They could have put the book out on their "incredible sale" table and made $10 or $20 back. They could have said, "We'll give you store credit for half." There were lots of things they could have done.
I'm not in any way finding fault with the Otowi Station policies. I'm just sayin' that sometimes, some customers are worth keeping, biscuit crumbs and all.
Marion, for you or another good customer, we'd buy your new book if we thought it would sell in our store. We're nice.
You're very nice. And I suspect that's why you're also successful.
But there's another reason I would want to be a bookseller only in the movies...in real life, you have to be nice.
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