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Downsizer Forum Index -> Small Business Questions, Ideas and Advice

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madcat

Joined: 24 May 2008
Posts: 1265
Location: worcester

Posted: Fri Jan 17, 14 9:06 pm Post subject:

I think the books in our Oxfam bookshop are too expensive and I never go in it.
We have a shop in the precinct by the cathedral where the books are free, it's a weird selection with lots of older and tatty books but it's still great. I take the occasional book in there too but mostly I keep or pass books on.
To be honest I mail order most new books which are always text books. Fiction is from the library or our free library at the boat moorings.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Fri Jan 17, 14 9:50 pm Post subject:
The point of Oxfam is to raise money for people in dire need, not to provide cheap books. Anyway, it's hard to know what to do in the little space you have Cathryn. Walter Henry's bookshop in Bideford is nice with out being much bigger. It's got lots of nice wood and tiles. You can't see much from their website though. https://www.hive.co.uk/shop/bideford/walter-henrys-bookshop/

earthyvirgo

Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 7972
Location: creating prints in the loft, Gerlan

Posted: Fri Jan 17, 14 10:09 pm Post subject:

I know you're asking about the interior, but I'm trying to remember what the window display is like Cathryn.

If you can get people through the door, you're half way there.

Something that'll make people smile ...

I've got some photos of gallery window displays somewhere (I'm thinking of entering Mostyn Gallery's Christmas window comp next ...errr, this year) - I'll see if I can dig them out.

EV

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Jan 17, 14 10:27 pm Post subject:

earthyvirgo wrote:

I know you're asking about the interior, but I'm trying to remember what the window display is like Cathryn.

Your shop should be your window display* then. Keep the height of the display low so that people can see over it from outside.

*Retailing cliche number 845. Good advice though, especially if it's a small shop window/frontage.

earthyvirgo

Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 7972
Location: creating prints in the loft, Gerlan

Posted: Fri Jan 17, 14 10:29 pm Post subject:

sean wrote:

earthyvirgo wrote:

I know you're asking about the interior, but I'm trying to remember what the window display is like Cathryn.

...or see through it

EV

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Fri Jan 17, 14 10:37 pm Post subject:

Jamanda wrote:

The point of Oxfam is to raise money for people in dire need, not to provide cheap books.

Indeed, but it's a valid point - if the customers only goal was to support people in need they'd just donate their cash. Putting the price of goods up doesn't necessarily mean you'll make more money out of them.

My favourite bookshop, which I rarely visit now because it was close to college, drew me in because it has a decent range of interesting and quite cheap books, that wouldn't be of much interest to everyone, upstairs. I always knew I'd be able to find something up there, in th quiet part of the shop. The mainstream bookfodder was downstairs, opposite the door.

Bebo

Joined: 21 May 2007
Posts: 12590
Location: East Sussex

Posted: Sat Jan 18, 14 9:30 am Post subject:

Foyles as it was 20 years ago.

Books floor to ceiling in every corner of a strangely laid out building so that every time you went you found a bit that you hadn't noticed before. widest selection of books ever, with some stuff that you just couldn't get anywhere else without ordering in advance. Great for engineering text books. Best range of sci-fi and fantasy books I've seen anywhere. Smelt of dust. I loved the place.

It's still a great bookshop now and probably does much better as its easier to find stuff and they've simplified how you buy things. The way it was will always have a place in my heart though.

marigold

Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 12458
Location: West Sussex

Posted: Sat Jan 18, 14 10:02 am Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

Jamanda wrote:

The point of Oxfam is to raise money for people in dire need, not to provide cheap books.

There are plenty of skint people in dire need of an education in this country and being able to buy cheap second-hand books is an important part of self-education. Yes, you can borrow from the library, but having decent books in the home should be possible for anyone.

As the books are donated and the bookshops are manned by volunteers there's really no need to charge the same as one would pay for the same book from a dealer. Charities can still make money and leave a bit of wiggle room for dealers and the general public to find a real bargain. If a book is priced much the same in Badgers or Oxfam, I'd buy from Badgers who have to cover all sorts of costs Oxfam don't.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Sat Jan 18, 14 11:41 am Post subject:
So, dancing chickens are bad but retail badgers are fine?

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Sat Jan 18, 14 12:46 pm Post subject:
Oxfam books in headingley. Categorised by genre. Music of all sorts played.

MornieG

Joined: 17 Jan 2013
Posts: 933
Location: Bromham, Wiltshire

Posted: Sat Jan 18, 14 12:51 pm Post subject:

marigold wrote:

Rob R wrote:

Jamanda wrote:

The point of Oxfam is to raise money for people in dire need, not to provide cheap books.

I help manage a Charity Shop and the managers are paid as there has to be someone to take responsibility even if it's just a little above minimum wage as in our case. We still have leases, services, waste removal and other costs which are not reduced just because we are a charity.

Our paperbacks are �1, childrens books generally 25-75p with hardbacks and reference books from �2. If we get vintage, first editions or signed copies we do check the prices with dealers and on line then put them out for a little less than the lowest price. If we don't make money we can't help disadvantaged people back into work.

I won't shop in Oxfam so I don't have an opinion on the price of their books. I do though buy all my books with a few exceptions from Charity and second hand shops. If I went into a bookshop I would go for the used books first. What about a book exchange ? If a customer buys a book from you they have the opportunity to bring it back when they have finished with it and you could give vouchers for say 1/3rd of the purchase price, depending on condition etc, for them to purchase again from you. You can of course refuse to buy it back if it's unsaleable.

Mo.XX

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Sat Jan 18, 14 7:13 pm Post subject:
Thanks for your all your comments, they are very helpful.

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 14 3:31 pm Post subject:

I used to go into a book shop in Honiton in Devon a few years back when I was with a 'girl' that way It was a typical book shop with thousands of books along little winding alleyways which I loved, I'm not sure if it is still going-with girl no more! I seem to remember they did a bit with antiques as well. I don't think it was a comfort loving shop, but the owner seemed to know what was in there and where it was.

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18415

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 14 7:24 pm Post subject:

Goodness ! My favourite in Carlisle turns out to be a substantial internet bookseller (I think).
https://www.abebooks.com/bookcase-carlisle/461831/sf
Is also called Bookends.
It has a massive classical vinyl section in the basement, and sheet music.
I love browsing in there, but find it expensive.

However, when I do buy books, I confess to being a horrible person who buys from Amazon because it's cheap and I am skint.
And the local library is ummm...., and the charity shops are full of potboilers/airport novels/Barbara Cartland for the ladies and Dick Francis for the chaps.

marigold

Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 12458
Location: West Sussex

Posted: Mon Jan 20, 14 8:14 pm Post subject:

gil, you can get any book in the county library on request which should give more choice. IIRC you are in Dumfries and Galloway https://www.dumgal.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1391 so the charge is 75p, but it's still cheaper than buying

I do all my requests online and they are delivered to whichever branch I choose, with the default being my "home" branch. Books can even be sent out on the mobile libraries in some ares.

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