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a short note on buying books in bookstores
There is a thought I keep having, but not saying; this time, it was triggered by reading the second half of Chris Butcher's excellent pair of essays on the state of the manga industry in North American publishing. Butcher mentions, rightly, that if manga readers/booksellers etc want to see the current market of heavily teen-oriented manga titles evolve into a broader market that can support mature and literary manga, it's important for the manga sphere to help create the climate for it. Readers need to support titles they like by buying them, reviewers should actively talk about those kinds of titles, and booksellers should keep them on the shelves and not just make them available for pre-order. I agree absolutely on all points! Well-stocked stores with a diversity of material contribute immensely to book culture. Although I have limited discretionary spending money and could save a lot by restricting my purchases to the Barnes & Noble where I work, I make a lot of off-the-shelf purchases at wonderful indy comic book stores in my area, because I have poor impulse control because I want to reward them for having books I'd like to read right on the shelf.
But--hey, all you manga and graphic novel fans, who I so often see bemoaning the lack of Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service or what-have-you, at the local chain bookstore, which is the only store within forty miles of you--you do realize you can order books into the store at major chains like B&N and Borders with no obligation to buy? Just because it's not on the shelf when you look doesn't mean that it's never been there, never will be there, or that they won't sell it to you. You can buy damn near anything that's in print from a large chain bookstore--they don't have all the books in print on the shelf because there are too many of them, and it costs too much, but not ordering for the shelf doesn't mean they won't order it for YOU.
It's a company policy at B&N, actually, that when a customer asks about a book not on the shelf, booksellers are required to offer to order it for the customer, regardless of whether that store normally carries that title. It's easy, it's free, the store is happy to do it, and with big chains, you can rest easy knowing that if you order something to look at it and don't want it, you're not fucking them over. They make this option available because they can afford it, and it is not troublesome to them when customers exercise it. Big chains also do notice and care when people ask about books they don't have in stock--if they see enough interest, they'll consider actually putting that title on the shelf as well as getting it specifically for you, same as independent stores. But, like indy stores, they can't read your mind! If you turn around and leave without ever saying anything, they're never going to waste effort and money stocking books with no apparent audience.
I certainly don't want to discourage people from supporting good indy bookstores and comic book stores, and again, I agree with Butcher that it's important for the stores to try to have the stock there before someone asks about it, but if you as a customer want to look before you buy, and the book isn't on shelves, one of the things big chains can afford to do as big chains is to give you that look-first option even for the elusive titles.*
And if you're just going to go home and order from Amazon, because you didn't see something you want on the shelf? Please consider the possibility of financially rewarding the retail location--chain or indy--which has allowed you to look at your leisure with, no purchase required--you know, that retail location that takes the financial risks and penalties of providing a building with lights and heat and air conditioning and trained staff, all to give you the option of physically handling books. If you like to read, consider supporting book culture.
*I should point out that the awesome indy stores near me will also order things for me without requiring that I buy them; but I try not to impose on their goodwill and tight margins, and do my best to only order from them books I know I want to buy.
But--hey, all you manga and graphic novel fans, who I so often see bemoaning the lack of Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service or what-have-you, at the local chain bookstore, which is the only store within forty miles of you--you do realize you can order books into the store at major chains like B&N and Borders with no obligation to buy? Just because it's not on the shelf when you look doesn't mean that it's never been there, never will be there, or that they won't sell it to you. You can buy damn near anything that's in print from a large chain bookstore--they don't have all the books in print on the shelf because there are too many of them, and it costs too much, but not ordering for the shelf doesn't mean they won't order it for YOU.
It's a company policy at B&N, actually, that when a customer asks about a book not on the shelf, booksellers are required to offer to order it for the customer, regardless of whether that store normally carries that title. It's easy, it's free, the store is happy to do it, and with big chains, you can rest easy knowing that if you order something to look at it and don't want it, you're not fucking them over. They make this option available because they can afford it, and it is not troublesome to them when customers exercise it. Big chains also do notice and care when people ask about books they don't have in stock--if they see enough interest, they'll consider actually putting that title on the shelf as well as getting it specifically for you, same as independent stores. But, like indy stores, they can't read your mind! If you turn around and leave without ever saying anything, they're never going to waste effort and money stocking books with no apparent audience.
I certainly don't want to discourage people from supporting good indy bookstores and comic book stores, and again, I agree with Butcher that it's important for the stores to try to have the stock there before someone asks about it, but if you as a customer want to look before you buy, and the book isn't on shelves, one of the things big chains can afford to do as big chains is to give you that look-first option even for the elusive titles.*
And if you're just going to go home and order from Amazon, because you didn't see something you want on the shelf? Please consider the possibility of financially rewarding the retail location--chain or indy--which has allowed you to look at your leisure with, no purchase required--you know, that retail location that takes the financial risks and penalties of providing a building with lights and heat and air conditioning and trained staff, all to give you the option of physically handling books. If you like to read, consider supporting book culture.
*I should point out that the awesome indy stores near me will also order things for me without requiring that I buy them; but I try not to impose on their goodwill and tight margins, and do my best to only order from them books I know I want to buy.
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It makes sense to me, though--any store that can afford it should offer to order in a firm clear voice, so unless, as you said, a store's been badly burned or is being managed by dumb people, a liberal ordering policy ought to be the norm. The ability to return almost any stock is hard indeed on publishers, but as long as it exists, customers should take advantage of the benefit!
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(Ironically, I rarely take advantage of it myself, mostly because I already spend to the limit of what I can afford on books and like to buy books in multiple locations. Stuff I want that I don't see, I'm willing to put off purchasing until that far-off day when I'm not as tight for money; in the mean time, there's never a shortage of books on the shelf that I want just as badly.)