I did a bookstore in January...

That particular bookstore has stopped all mystery shopping. I was curious because I hadn't seen any shops here either so I did a search. They stopped the shops pretty suddenly right around the end of January/beginning of this month. Something about they have a new CEO or something and they wanted to focus more on internal employee incentives and they didn't feel that mystery shopping was doing them any good with things like theft deterrent.

Is this what the MSC said, or a company spokesman said? That is a bummer, if so.

It was in some sort of internal memo I accidentally found on a message board for Bookstore employees. I don't recall how I got there, I just did a search on "bookstore name" and mystery shop and it was about three or so pages in. All the employees who had posted to that board about it were thrilled about no more ms'ing.

That shop paired up so nicely with the coffee house shop inside the bookstore to make 2 very average paying shops into a decent shop.

It will be missed :^(

smith0928 Wrote:
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> All the employees who had posted to that
> board about it were thrilled about no more ms'ing.

I am sure they were. But perhaps if they put as much energy into their work...

Well, actually, except for an occasional restroom thing, I had great employee service there.

I could never pair them up because the coffee shop never came my way. But I still enjoyed a free book out it. It was one of those for me where I didn't rely on the fee as much as on useful reimbursement. I was trying to get the entire series of books by this one writer and I was only 2 away from completing it...

smith0928, is this what you saw?

[community.livejournal.com]

Interesting read, dee.

Funny how the 'associates' think that the MS program was the cause of their financial woes.

With around 500 stores out there, and at the price they were paying us, I can't imagine it was that much of a burden on them. Seems like it was more of a morale builder to ditch the MS program.

Yes, actually not that many had complaints about MS'ing as much as the whole management structure. (It's weird, too, as here the Books staff was much nicer than their competitor's staff. :-) I think it was not so much the MS'ing as how the MS'ing was used. Not as a training tool, but as a reason to get rid of and badger people in the stores. Not make them better at their jobs...

I had one that the bathroom should have been illegal. It probably is. It's been that way for years. I was wondering if the comment written about the Health Dept and the restroom was about the same location. :-)

Definitely interesting read. As a former stock broker and still analyzing companies for my own accounts, I found it interesting to look into the financials and such. There are characteristics here that remind me of the KMart scramble changing management prior to their final descent into bankruptcy and purchase by Sears Holdings (primarily for their real estate holdings).

This company lost $2.32 per share last year. The stock currently trades around $1.52 right now with a high in the past year of $4.48 last June. So obviously the investment community is not thrilled with the performance. Major chunks of stocks are always held by "Institutional Investors", which include mutual funds, retirement trusts, hedge funds, etc. In the past quarter the Institutional Investors have decreased their holdings by close to 7.5 million shares, so they are dumping stock in anticipation things will not get better. Current book value (no pun intended) of this company is about $1.65 per share. (What this means is that if you liquidated everything and paid off all debts, each shareholder would get approximately $1.65.) The best performance for this company every year is the 3 months that include Christmas. It is estimated that this year they will earn about 93 cents per share for the time period, versus $1.01 last year. That 93 cents is an estimate that has been going down over the last couple of months as analysts feel the performance was less and less stellar. The next earnings release is due toward the end of March. Considering the face time being given to TV and such by folks related to the company to state there is no likelihood of bankruptcy, I suspect it is a strong possibility.

Yes...the kindle may do to book stores what the iPod did to record stores. The writing is one the wall (litterally...in the restrooms!).

Unless they care to create an environment that consumers care to hang out in, despite online purchases being more convenient, I don't see much future in physical book retailing.

No, it is certainly not a business I would want to be in. An interesting bookstore is one that carries a wide variety beyond the best sellers, but few can afford to do that. I don't generally like reading off of a screen, so am not a candidate for Kindle or the iPad or any of those things. My recreational reading and as much informational reading as possible is still paper media. I am obviously not of the upcoming generation. I have a library card, I buy things I want to read from garage sales, I trade books I have read for books I want to read at the used book store. I believe the last time I purchased a new book from a bookstore was a just released Michelin Guide before we went on a trip, and that has been about 5 years ago.

I prefer to browse books in the store, but I will go for the pdf version of almost anything, except a good "beach" novel.

dee shops Wrote:
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> smith0928, is this what you saw?
>
> [community.livejournal.com]
> 7211.html


Hi Dee,

Yep, that's what I found. I thought all the commentary was very interesting too from the employees. :-)

My reaction was that the employees were taking the 'change is good' bait hook, line and sinker. They want to believe that things will be better--it is human nature. Too little, too late in a dying industry. Steve is right, they need to focus on making the place a hangout that also sells books. And indeed they are beyond the help of mystery shopping because the issues are not in the stores so much as at corporate concept.

I don't go to book stores often ( I rarely read), but I did do a shop there the end of January. There is something I noticed that really would put me off to buying in a book store. I also shopped the coffee store in the back of the book store. While I was there, at over half the tables people had large stacks of books, magazines, and newspapers while they were eating and drinking coffees and mochas. Then when they were done, they just get up and leave their used pile of books, etc sitting there for a worker to put away.

Just in the 45 minutes I was sitting in the cafe, I saw a magazine get ripped and two books get small coffee splatters. Then someone buys these items supposedly new. If I wanted to read a used magazine I would go to the library. If I pay for it new, I don't want it to be ripped or spilled on. If I pay the money for a brand new hardback book it would most likely be for a gift. I expecet to get a book in new condition. I know people stand at the store and read through magazines, but that's not quite the same as someone having it at the table with them eating and drinking over it.

I like books, old - new - dogeared . . .

The Kindle and Sony readers have advantages. The Kindle has text to read aloud. A friend's mother was an avid reader but is now legally blind. She's technology challenged but has made friends with the Kindle she got for Christmas. Students can download text books for less money than purchasing, to say nothing of lightening the weight of their bookbags. An aside - this year the IRS allows a credit for the price of college books, supplies, equipment. Many parents and students bring in receipts for computers and e-readers.

Would be so so sad to see bookstores go away.

Hmm..I hadn't really checked out the Kindle, as I can read on computer or iPhone, but by mother is also legally blind. Thanks for mentioning that Mert,
I will have to check that one out for her.

I so liked that bookstore for their coupons etc., too bad it's gone belly up. The shops were poor payers considering the time involved entering the observations. The trade off of a pleasant afternoon reading/browsing got me every time and the forgotten paycheck, so long in the making, was an equally pleasant surprise.

I didn't feel that way about the report on the bookstore. For me it was 10 minutes to write. And the in-store varied from 10 minutes to as long as I felt like hanging out. I feel they pay promptly, too.

dee shops Wrote:
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> I didn't feel that way about the report on the
> bookstore. For me it was 10 minutes to write.
> And the in-store varied from 10 minutes to as long
> as I felt like hanging out. I feel they pay
> promptly, too.


I agree.

I am sorry to hear about the bookstore. Both my husband and I did these in a couple of different towns and were able to get quite a few Christmas gifts checked off our lists for the kids in our lives.

Liz

Oh, goody; a hair saloon? I never get the fun stuff. I'd love to have a martini with my perm. lol

I really like them, but they do not have many shops. After you are assigned a shop. And you do well, it becomes much easier to get more and self assign. I have done several shops for them. The schedulers at SC are great and they are easy to deal with in all areas. You should call and speak with someone if you are not being assigned to anything.

I liked the bookstore, and go often...they got Wifi, have decent drinks, and it's fun to hang out. I will miss shopping them as well.

I loved the bookstores, their main office is in my state. And they, like everyone else have fallen on hard times. They can't compete with the other bigger chain and are closing many stores. Some employees do need to be evaluated by the public every so often, because they just don't get it. I was checking the restroom in one store and was walking out when the door was shoved in my face, by an employee. No, I'm sorry or anything, just a stare that said, what are you doing in MY restroom. One employee even went as far as to tell me to go get the book I wanted out of the display window because he didn't feel like looking it up on the computer.

They lost the bookstore and the great Japanese restaurant, that went within a minute. I hang out in the bookstore, and they lost their Manager, haven't gotten bagels in 5 days, and their oven toaster is broke. I'm thinking "that" bookstore is going under.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/2010 07:39PM by Irene_L.A..

Bummer-loved the bookstore! : (

If you are trying to complete that series, go to www.half.com. I shop there often for books and movies. Owned by ebay. Really cheap used books and new books for a song. Sometimes I get "like new" books for $.75 plus media mail.

I've signed up for this company today but all they have is one retail for $10 in eastern KY. I'll keep checking back!