Bookshop Etiquette

[frankie]

I think there is a difference though between being attentive and helpful, and stalking the customer as if they are a criminal. I have experienced both.

 

Best of both worlds!

 

I've never seen anyone stalking customers in search of criminals, in any kind of store/shop ever. So I guess I'm either oblivious to that or the staff is trusting or the alarms at the doorway work well enough for customers to be honest and staff to feel safe

 

I like to do my shopping by myself or with my friends and I always hate it if someone comes and asks if I need help. Customers are always left to themselves in the charityshops and secondhand bookshops I've been to which is wonderful, but the one local bookstore we have is filled with eager staff. Whenever I see one coming I always go for a different direction or try to look like I know what I'm doing and don't want to be bothered. It's really annoying. Sometimes they've managed to creep up behind me and ask if I need help and they've actually scared me and I've jumped in the air! That's one of the reasons why I don't like shopping there, the other one being the fact that the books are way too expensive for me and the English lit section is ridiculously small.

[Katrina1968]

Our shop is a small independent shop. At any given time, its only 2 of us to serve the customers, we make the round and go about our business. I think that in larger bookshops, there maybe the pressure of not so much an over eager sales clerk, as there is the over eager STORE OWNER/MANAGER. Its possible that these poor clerks are just being told to go out and approach the customers. Job security.

 

But tell me this, how are clerks to know that a customer doesnt want to be bothered? A simple question and a civil answer solves both "problems". They've done their jobs by asking and you've given your answer. Everybody is happy. It only takes a second to be polite and say "no thank you, I'm fine". Alot nicer than walking away from someone who is just doing their job.

[Cookie]

maybe the pressure of not so much an over eager sales clerk, as there is the over eager STORE OWNER/MANAGER. Its possible that these poor clerks are just being told to go out and approach the customers. Job security.

 

When I worked in a shoe shop we were told we had to greet every customer, doing this made me feel uncomfortable because I don't like it when it happens to me!

[Chrissy]

I am happy to be approached and greeted, that is nice. Most places get the balance right whereby they approach, let you know they are available and leave you to browse if you need no assistance.

 

Strangely enough, it has been in little independent book shops that I have been ignored as I have entered, only to find myself being indiscreetly followed while I am browsing ~ you know being watched, then as I look up they pretend to be busy!

 

I am a friendly person, I greet people with a smile and a hello. I adore books, love bookshops and can spend a lot of money in one hit if the range is good and the shop has a good ambience. But I have never returned to those places I have been made to feel uncomfortable. They want my money? A smile and a professional friendliness is most likely to get me to spend!

[vinay87]

But tell me this, how are clerks to know that a customer doesnt want to be bothered? A simple question and a civil answer solves both "problems". They've done their jobs by asking and you've given your answer. Everybody is happy. It only takes a second to be polite and say "no thank you, I'm fine". Alot nicer than walking away from someone who is just doing their job.

 

Don't-disturb-me hats given to customers as they walk in?

 

I'm only kidding lol

 

yeah you do make a point... oh well after three of four visits most people learn which customers like to be left alone I guess.

 

 

Another thing I sometimes hate is when music is played in a bookshop. Bookshops should be quiet, almost like a library. Not filled with the sound of Britney Spears's latest album.

[Mexicola]

Sometimes they've managed to creep up behind me and ask if I need help and they've actually scared me and I've jumped in the air!

 

I've had this too, frankie! Especially as you're likely to be really absorbed in the books and so a big unexpected voice behind you is the last thing you need!

[frankie]

But tell me this, how are clerks to know that a customer doesnt want to be bothered? A simple question and a civil answer solves both "problems". They've done their jobs by asking and you've given your answer. Everybody is happy. It only takes a second to be polite and say "no thank you, I'm fine". Alot nicer than walking away from someone who is just doing their job.

 

May I clarify that I don't mean to be rude to the eager staff and I try to not let them on that I'm trying to avoid them on purpose, if I see someone's coming straight at me and there's nothing I can do without being rude I do greet them and tell them 'thank you I don't need help' if they approach me.

 

I think the staff could just walk around and arrange the shelves and look approachable and look at the customers and smile, that way I'm sure the ones that need help aren't too afraid to ask it. I think one can sometimes read from one's body language if they are the sort of person who'd wish to be left alone to look for themselves.

 

What I don't need is somebody creeping up behind me to scare the bejesus out of me when I'm obviously looking at something particular and minding my own business. Mexicola, I hate it when that happens even though they are only trying to be nice and helpful. After the shock I'm sometimes too jumpy to continue browsing

 

Edit: Another thing that bother me in the bookshops or at least my local bookshop is that they've started to keep little products (pens, chocolate, notebooks) on the counter and when I'm buying a book they ask if I would like to buy some chocolate to keep the book some company. Now if I wanted chocolate, I'd go to the supermarket. I appreciate the fact that they are expanding to other areas which can be seen as related to book reading, but I do not wish to be asked every single time. Once, one whole month before Christmas an overeager staff member was trying to convince me to buy some festive Christmas chocolates

Edited February 5, 2010 by frankie

[vinay87]

I do like being asked if I'd like a basket though. That's helpful. But the staff are really useful when I'm looking for a particular author.

[Univerze]

^See I don't like staff asking if I'd like a basket, if I'd want one, I'd get one.. however if they ask me if I need help with something, I always just say "no thanks. I'm fine" or whatever. It's silly to sneak away from them, guess lots of people are afraid to ask for help, because I see it often enough that when staff asks, people have suddenly all kinds of questions.. silly really, why not ask for help if you need it?

[vinay87]

silly really, why not ask for help if you need it?

 

"Hello... yes, I'm looking for erotica. What kind? Well... it should have scenes regarding...." *blushes and runs away*

 

Example enough?

[Univerze]

That's just one example in a few. Plus, if you're looking for it, why not ask for it? If I'd think the staff would know something that could help me, I wouldn't be too afraid to ask. I am not ashamed of what I read.

[vinay87]

Yes lol, but if I had to do that I'd go to a shop I've never been to. It's like buying condoms from a medical shop you've been using since you were five. The shopkeeper has seen you grow and all of a sudden you ask for something like that...

 

haha

 

No wait, here I am breaking my own commandment. Or near enough anyway. *runs away*

[frankie]

Some people like to look for themselves, I don't see any harm in that. Some of them are in no hurry and would rather look themselves than bother the staff who might have other customers wanting to ask them stuff, customers that might be in more of a hurry. If we all started asking the staff to search all the books that we want for us, soon there'd be no one available immediately.

[BookJumper]

I usually ask once I've looked in all the obvious places and returned empty-handed, more often than not it turns out that they didn't stock it in the first place or I would have found it myself.

[BigWords]

"Hello... yes, I'm looking for erotica. What kind? Well... it should have scenes regarding...." *blushes and runs away*

 

It's been a while, but I still remember the look on the face of the assistant at my preferred second hand bookshop when I asked for a particular title which had been lain aside. He turned deathly pale and stammered words to the effect that the book in question was not stocked. I had to wait on the owner returning for lunch, but I managed to get my hands on that handbook

simply translate 'the base' into Arabic if you're curious

. The one which is illegal to own in the UK.

 

Making friends with the owners of bookshops can net you things that are (technically) impossible to get a hold of by other means.

[Kylie]

It bothers me a little to be continually asked if I want help. I'm of the 'if I want help I'll ask for it' persuasion. But I just politely say 'no thanks, just looking' and then carry on.

 

The irritating thing is in some shops (and oddly enough, the really small shops) when, for every few metres you walk, you get asked by yet another staff member if you want help. That is just overkill.

 

There is a very, very small candle shop I occasionally visit, but I'm usually too scared to go in, because they have about 2 staff members to every customer and by the time I have worked my way around the shop, I have had to answer the same question 5 times.

 

In a bookshop, I like it when staff just give a cheery 'hello' as you walk in the door. To me, that means 'hi there, I'm here and ready to help if you need me' without me having to be obliged to say 'no thanks, just looking' (I get really sick of saying that).

[vinay87]

Making friends with the owners of bookshops can net you things that are (technically) impossible to get a hold of by other means.

 

Like 30% off on all books in my case for being a loyal customer for the last 16 years

[StephenKingman]

Another feature i have noticed in my local bookshop is a section where you can order books that are not in stock or rare. Surely this service is now redundant because of the internet? Certainly if i could not find a particular book i wouldn't queue up to a desk and spend about 10 minutes explaining my order only to be told it would take 2 weeks to be delivered, more often than not at an expensive price! Two minutes on the internet, problem solved.

 

I appreciate that not everyone has the internet/ credit cards etc but these people are surely in the minority and i think most bookshops could survive without this 'order desk', what do you think?

[BigWords]

Like 30% off on all books in my case for being a loyal customer for the last 16 years

 

I get anything from 20% off up to 50% off depending on how long a book has been sitting around. I've even had books given to me, because the owner knew he would never be able to sell the title. Face it, nobody these days cares one iota about bound collections of obscure magazines, so passing them off to the geek who keeps bugging him for strange material is (in his eyes) a solid way of keeping someone coming back on a regular basis.

 

Another feature i have noticed in my local bookshop is a section where you can order books that are not in stock or rare.

 

And the retro-futuristic computers which allegedly tell you which books are in stock, though spectacularly fail to get updated on anything remotely resembling a regular schedule. You have to admire the tenacity of the high street bookshop chains - they've survived the expansion of the internet into their core business model for a reason.

 

I've ordered books from a bricks and mortar bookshop before (several dozen times) precisely because I know the title won't arrive coverless / inkstained / chewed up / water-damaged. And if you are well-enough known by the guy who runs a small bookshop, you'll be updated on editions of books as well, and pointed in the direction of the best edition. It does mean I often get duplicates of a title, but in nearly every case it has been to upgrade my collection.

[vinay87]

I get anything from 20% off up to 50% off depending on how long a book has been sitting around. I've even had books given to me, because the owner knew he would never be able to sell the title. Face it, nobody these days cares one iota about bound collections of obscure magazines, so passing them off to the geek who keeps bugging him for strange material is (in his eyes) a solid way of keeping someone coming back on a regular basis.

The only thing I got for free is an audio cassette that's been in the shop for 30 years.

 

Nice idea though... Never got a book for free

[Katrina1968]

Actually, most of our customers do ask us to order books because they dont know authors or titles and we can work magic with our program and tenacity. With the elder customers, they depend on us to do it for them and we're happy to oblige. Also, we dont charge shipping and handling when they order through us. They just have to pick it up.