One popular delusion among customers was just voiced by a fellow aghast that I'd priced a copy of The Whole Five Feet $7.00.
"Seven dollars? Come on, if I don't buy this book NOBODY will!" Laughing, even.
Au contraire, valued customer!
Firstly, we're a used book store, so that very book has been purchased at least twice already, by the original owner and by us.
Secondly, I've personally sold multiple copies and had people ask after it, which is why I bumped up my 'generic' trade paperback price of $5.
Thirdly, the cheapest copy available on my good friend Amazon (linked above) is, at the time of this writing, $5.59. Add the $3.99 shipping and you're saving nearly three bucks off 'the internet price'.
He bought it, of course.
Nine times out of ten the person badmouthing the book they want to buy (let me repeat that: the book they want to buy) will buy it however you respond to their entreaties. They won't turn down a discount, but neither will they walk away from the sale if you stand firm. If you've priced it correctly there's no need for adjustment.
Early in my career the boss posed one of the eternal questions of the trade, "are you pricing books to sell, or are you pricing books to keep?" We price to sell. I've been in many shops over the years that price to keep...I sometimes how many are still around.
No comments:
Post a Comment