To ban idiots who come into my shop

[nickelbabe]

and tell their children at full volume in front of other customers that "you can get that cheaper in Costco"?

I'm fucking fed up the back teeth of people doing that!!

Why don't you just fuck off to Costco then, and stop trying to lose me the precious very few customers I get????

beggars belief.

If you don't know any authors well enough to ask, pm me. I am not an agent or publisher or publicity seeker, by the way, although I am more used to warm white wine than any lady should be.

i meant you wouldn't like the price

cory that'd be really useful thank you.
:)

And where else do you get galaxy with online orders

I admit I did check how much it was on Amazon

now that's the kind of comment I prefer - child walking past "taht's the bookshop i was on about"

and those that go "please can we go in the bookshop, I love it in there"

(it might have been that not taht)

Bleth - but you wouldn't get the bag and the chocolate with the amazon one....

i might throw in a harry potter balloon too....

When I saw this thread I thought it would be a chap I know from a now dead forum who goes by the name Duncan Biscuit. He runs a village shop in the 1950s Worcestershire.

Anyway, back on topic, YANBU. I love bookshops, especially the all too rare independent. Sadly people nowadays want everything for nothing, so the little shops lose out.

sorry, i keep spellign your name wrong! Blath

thanks Hedley

Where is your shop Nickelbabe?
There's a bookshop in my town that I love because it sells old books (many over a hundred years old) that can't be bought in Smiths or Waterstones, has lots of rooms and stairways and you pay in cash and the shopkeeper puts the money in a drawer, rather than using tills.

ooh, that sounds like a lovely shop :)

In nottingham, there's a similar shop - i used to spend hours in there when I lived there. (and usually spent more money than was sensible )

it's in sittingbourne :)

Put up a big sign

Thank you for supporting your local independent bookshop
We're not Amazon... we're amazingly knowlegable
We're not part of CostCo.... we're part of the community
We're not a supermarket... we're a super friendly bunch
etc...

Now that the exchange rate between pounds sterling and Australian dollars is so radically different from how it's been historically - that is, it used to be about 2.5 dollars to the pound, for decades, and the last two/three years it's been more like 1.5, it's cheaper for me to buy internationally even with the shipping prices.

So I was in this little boutique bra shop the other day and the lady was lovely and helpful with fittings. I'm a speciality size. I did buy a couple of nursing bras that are Australian made, but everything else she showed me were carried by Bravissimo. So in the end I said to her, nicely and apologetically, look I'm sorry but I'll be honest - I can't buy this here for $90 when I can get it for $40 online.

I don't think she was the owner, and I thought well, maybe she actually doesn't know how huge the difference is? Because I'd have paid a little bit over the odds for the service and immediacy, but not that much. And I feel like, if retailers haven't caught on to the big difference that the exchange rate change has made (and it's the same with buying US; I find it cheaper to buy from US shops than Australian now), then they really need it pointed out.

Was that alright, OP? Genuine question, because I do sympathise with you. I didn't mean it to be rude, honestly, I was apologetic. But my other option was lying about thinking about it and just not coming back.

Found you . I don't suppose you have "Five Children and It" do you? Ds1 watched the film of it in school last term and loved it. If you do I'll order it in a week or so when I have more money. Failing that I'll get another classic.

there's a shop like taht near me, bullet123, they have a roaring fire in the winter and the children's section is staffed by people who love kids and reading to them... you can leave them there for a story whilst browsing in one fo the many rooms on one of the many floors. you can also get your book wrapped in brown paper and string
your shop sounds fantastic, nickelbabe

We need more proper bookshops in towns, it is very sad that amazon are pushing them all out of the market

I want to visit your shop Nickel, it sounds lovely!

how high street retailers risk becoming "showrooms for Amazon," and how we all expect other people to save the High Street

Many big chains have shot themselves in the foot though, crappy customer service and lack of training so staff don't know their products, homogenisation leading to poor consumer choice so a lot of products started disappearing before online really got a foothold (trying to buy sewing stuff on the high street 15 years ago was, er interesting). In most 'bricks and mortar' retailers, shopping is not a pleasant experience.

It is actually quite a pleasant experience when there are a set of small independent shops. My favourite place to shop is the Old Town in Hastings. I doubt you could find much of the stuff sold on George St or High St online anyway.

bullet234 you just reminded me of the time I bought a book in a local second hand book shop and didn't have enough cash -- the owner agreed to accept a First Class stamp as part payment .

Dammit. I wish I hadn't mentioned Duncan Biscuit. Now I know I'll spend too long on SGNF reading his club histories and laughing at all the shit in jokes.

Tortoise - yours was okay, mainly because you did buy something and then were nice to her about why you couldn't buy something else.
we don't mind polite, :)

bullet
I do have 5 children and it.
It's a puffin one - £5.99 (remember free postage)
(and the chocolate if you're nice )

somethingblue - by law, you have to, because they're classed as legal tender (it's a bonus for us, cos it save us having to go to the post office later!)

I want to go to your shop!! Bristol is a bit far away from Sittingbourne though for a book browse :(
I'm expecting a little girl in a few weeks - would love to buy a 'forever' book (like dogger/can't sleep little bear/ we're going on a bear hunt were for me - got those though!) What would you recommend?