So I went back to Borders. They send me coupons, I go back to buy books. It’s a lovely relationship. Bought the second FAT volume of Robert Aspirin’s Myth Adventures- haven’t even begun to read the first FAT volume. The covers are a bit outre, but colorful – and the books are H.U.G.E. This pleases me so muchly, because it means that once I climb into the book, I can stay for a long time. Nice.
Also, wordplay runs rampant, I suspect, through both books.Yes!
My blurbness is that this will be a short entry.
Went back to Borders on Sunday. The place was nearly empty. My guess is because it was a lovely day and we’ve had a meagerness in that area. And, in case you’re wondering, the wordform for the day includes “ness.”
Anyway, Borders wasn’t busy. I wanted to buy the new book Wild Trees, so I headed directly for the non-fiction wonderfulness display. Found the book.
But empty stores can turn into helpful-sales-people-time, which is OK with me, as long as they don’t pester. They didn’t. One sweet man trailed me (not unlike the woman of the week before) but didn’t annoy. He suggested quietly, he offered to fetch (his word) which made me nervous, so I counter-offered to follow. We did our dance thru the store and my original one book turned into six.
Nice. Now I have to die ANOTHER month earlier.
But here’s what was interesting. I had a coupon for 20% off one book, and I also knew that I was closing in on the $150 “Personal Shopping Day” amount. My helpful man was less helpful with the details of BordersRewards. Apparently, they are re-doing the program and things are changing. He needed help, so he called another sales person on their communication system (they all have earpieces and are ”connected”). She left her non-customer work (the store was still empty) and joined us at the front counter. Between the two of them, they knew marginally more than I did about how the program worked/works/will worked. This wasn’t their fault. I chose the “cusp” day to shop: the “big changeover,” which no one had explained to these nice people.
Upshot? They gave me my 20% off one book and told me that I could get “good” information by going to BordersRewards online. But not to worry, because they knew that I’d eventually receive an email with my Personal Shopping Day Rewards amount in it. When I finish this post, I’m going to visit the site and see what’s what.
They are such earnest people, and friendly, and they’re incredibly knowledgeable about their products. In spite of the hiccups in service that I’ve encountered, Bordersness will remain high on my choice of shopping adventures. Even if I do have to die sooner…!
First, I love Borders. The bookstore people. I love books. Borders would have to work pretty hard to make me not like a place where books gather. And to be honest, I believe they do a fine job of being booksellers.
Second, I have “x” amount of money and no job that brings more money in. Conditions are such that I cold outlive my money, but I don’t want to. I want to die the day I run out of money. Or the day after.
The other day, I went to Borders to buy the new Einstein book – by Walter Isaacson. Once I got there, ooooooooooooooooo books!! They jumped into my arms like hungry kittens. I’m not certain how to give you their titles; will work on that. Anyway, I soon had an armful, literally.
This is where things nearly went sour for Borders.
A friendly sales lady began to trail me. She offered to take the books from my arms. “They must be heavy, ” she said.
What, take my babies? Never! But I said, “No thanks, I’m fine.”
She offered to help me find something. I told her I was just wandering, finding things as I went. I stopped to look up a CD title in their computer. She was at my side. “Want me to take those now?” She peered at the books snuggled in my arms.
“No, thanks,” I told her. Does she think I’m shoplifting or something??
We travelled around the store this way. She never left me, she chattered about other sale items. She would not stop. After a while I told her firmly that I was fine, really, and if she needed to help someone else I could manage. The store was busy. People were queued at the information desk.
Maybe she was trying to avoid other customers. Maybe she didn’t trust me. Maybe no one ever told her that what she was doing was wrong, wrong , wrong. Finally I gave her the slip, in the SciFi section. I was so relieved to be on my own that I picked up two more books.
What was her worst mistake? As far as I’m concerned, it was the attempts to get the books away from me. I know she was trying to help. But customers should be encouraged to touch things. People who touch and then pick up an item are far more likely to buy it than those who only look at it. That’s basic sales. Yes, the books were an awkward load, and they were heavy. But I was managing. They were MY books; I would buy them. Put them down? Too easy to abandon them.
Her following, her yakking? Not so bad. But trying to take my babies away? Dreadful mistake.
Oh, about shaving years off my life: I spent $142. Maybe that wouldn’t have kept me going for years, but it would pay the electric bill, so I’ll either have to die a month sooner or sit in the dark.
Crap.
Just did my first SplashCast and will be adding my blogbeams channel here, soon.
In the meantime, more about the Nortons: Big bad Norton360 gave me agita today, when he flashed his red ENGINE ERROR warning each time I went to a website. Then he rejected Yahoo Mail, for certificate fraud. Seriously? Yahoo Mail?
I went to Help and I went to Support. Searches yielded nothing useful. So, I tried the tried and true. I shut the damn thing off. The computer, that is. Not Norton. Then I had some Reeses peanut butter cups, turned it back on. Everything was fine. Totally nuts.
Let’s hope it doesn’t happen again. This will be my final techrant. If you want more, go to techblogtalk. See the blogroll.
My next post will cover an eventful trip to Borders, and how I shaved another few days off my lifespan, because of it.
