Friday, March 25, 2011

Barnes and Noble--My Apology!




Last summer I decided to take a ‘short’ hiatus from blogging and focus more on my child and summertime fun. Thought I'd take a few weeks off and then hit it hard once again. Well, lesson learned the hard way! It's like breaking a diet and then trying to get started back. Now—almost one year later, I am finally attempting to pick it up once more. OK! No more summer hiatus here. If you are reading this, thank you for not giving up on me:)

My apologies to Barnes and Noble and those of you still wondering what ever happened as a result of my last post. And, to those wondering if I ever indeed received a response.

I did! And a very prompt one at that!

Mr. Jerry Warren called me on behalf of Barnes and Noble in response to my inquiry as to why they had ‘marked books’ in their stores. By marked, I mean books that bore an ugly black slash-mark on their tail edges.

(Please refer to previous post, 8/6/2010--‘A Venting Moment: Oh, No You Didn’t!’ for a detailed account of my discovery.)

Folks, Barnes and Noble has been redeemed! They are NOT responsible for the ugly marks. Mr. Warren traced this ugly mark back to its maker and found that it is the publisher that makes the mess! Can you believe that? A book’s own publisher? The horror!

Apparently these selected books—or ‘remainders’—are books that are in excess, for whatever reasons, and the publisher sells them to our bookstores at a reduced price. The black marks let the publishers distinguish the books as reduced in price and non-refundable.

I still think marking the edge of a book is simply the publisher taking the quick and easy way. Don’t tell me with today’s technology, there is not something less unsightly that can be done to mark these books as remainders! It is tasteless and a disrespect to the books and their buyers. Publishers are in the book business, after all! You don’t send your child off with a dirty face!

Oh, that they reconsider their ways!

A big thanks to Mr. Warren and Barnes and Noble for taking the time to look into this situation. And also for providing a helpful tip to anyone that may be bothered by those black slashes: Fine-grade sandpaper used ever so gently will remove the marks.

And now……we know!

I, for one, am happy that Barnes and Noble isn't the one behind the frustration, because I really do enjoy shopping there.


A lot!