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mike4gwb · Seaman Recruit Joined: 22 Aug 2004 Posts: 21

I'm not here to point fingers at a company, I just want to bring up what I ran into at my local Borders.(And to see if others ran into this)

I ran all over the store looking for the book in the sections you would normally see such a book. Poltics and Current Event front-end tables, and the Poltics section in the back of the store. I then checked their computers open for customers and saw they had 19 copies in stock. I already had a bad feeling because I'd spent 20 minutes looking.

When I went to the front register the girl turned as I asked the question showing me about "8" books with Red Tags hanging out saying those were the only copies they had and all were on reserve. She also added that she didn't think any would come in soon but they could special order me one and that could take around 2 weeks worst case scenario.

19 in stock and only 8 Red Tagged doesn't add up. Does anyone think some playing around might be going on or am I reaching? If the book was THAT hot, wouldn't it be showing Davinci Code type sales numbers?

GenrXr · Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 2:22 am Post subject:

Ive heard they are throwing fahrenheit 911, grrr I mean fahrenheit 451 parties in the basements and burning them. Smile

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Michael Wright · Seaman Recruit Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Posts: 18

I don't know if each store is owed independently but the Border's in Modesto, Ca. had the books on a display table so they were the first thing you saw upon entering the store.

risawn · Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 4:16 am Post subject:

I work in a bookstore, we got about two or three dozen or so copies in on Monday, they sat on the shelf all week, selling one or two a day, until Thursday, when the story really broke. We sold six copies that night and were sold out of the rest by friday.

I heard somewhere that the entire west coast is sold out. That's encouraging news, I suspect my store should get some more copies sometime this week. Everybody was asking about it Friday and Saturday.

CERDIP · Seaman Recruit Joined: 18 Aug 2004 Posts: 11

I'm a published author (or see my blog, left side) and have run into this kind of thing with my book many times. And there's nothing particularly controversial about my book...

The number of "books in stock" may or may not be accurate, even with the computerized inventory systems. What counts is the the store's "model" for the book, which -- among other things -- dictates how many copies are displayed at any given time.

It's maddening, but there might not be actually anything untoward going on.

Scott · Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 4:33 am Post subject:

Please note:

This thread will be moved to the thread "Unfit for Command" - the Book shortly.
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Bye bye, Boston Straggler!

mike4gwb · Seaman Recruit Joined: 22 Aug 2004 Posts: 21

Thanks, just started today and didn't see the division. Love the site. Very Happy

GenrXr · Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 4:42 am Post subject:

CERDIP · Seaman Recruit Joined: 18 Aug 2004 Posts: 11

GenrXr - I'm not disputing your point about display placement. I would not be surprised at all to find that there are shenanigans going on - don't get me wrong.

Having said that - product placement is something that the heavy hitter distributors can arm-wrestle chain-stores into, in exchange for favourable discount terms. You *can* buy favourable display terms, either by cash (distribution discount terms) or by leverage (if everyone expects you to sell a million units, then everyone wants in on that cash cow).

It's not unreasonable to suspect that a publisher with a hot property would cut a deal that puts their product front and centre.

At the same time, its also not unreasonable to suspect that some bookstores would "make a statement" with favourable and unfavourable book display placement.