Another Observation Today

[teacake44]

Or some might want to class my observation as other? Looking in the window of Waterstones book shop today, though I might improve my knowledge with a good book??? I would think there are some good authors out there?

What I couldn't understand was nearly all the books in the window had either £4/ £5, off or some marked up at half price, but no were was there any price on the book.
Example: cost of book, £20, but now half price £10. or: cost of book £15, put £4 off = £10.
This means you have to enter the shop, wait in line, or outside until you're allowed in due to covid, just to ask the price. Is that just not stupid when they don't, at the moment want to many people in the shop at once.

Conclude at last, just put the dam price of the book, on the book in the window. Anyhow looking for answers why not?

[jno]

why would a shopkeeper want people to enter their shop? Tricky one...

[teacake44]

How many won't enter? I never enter a shop that refuses to display prices, because there's only one out come.

[pastafreak]

A lot of shops don't display prices. I'd think that if you're a regular reader, you'd have at least a vague idea of what books sell for. Just as if you regularly bought men's shirts in M & S, you'd know what to expect price wise.

[jno]

there aren't many shops that display prices in windows, at least not in my part of town. Not supermarkets, not bakeries, not bookshops, not even charity shops. Only poundshops, really. I suppose there must be some, but not where I am.

[Jackdaw33]

Why do pound shops need to display prices? Surely the clue is in the name.

[ichkeria]

That’s always been the case hasn’t it?
I never remember being able to price a book from a shop window.
On the other hand, half price is good? No?
And you’d have to enter the shop to buy anyway.
Your glass needs a top-up ...

[teacake44]

Supermarkets don't have display windows, Waterstones do. Most shops that have display windows is to display their products, and most along with prices. That I believe is the whole idea of having one.

[bednobs]

really? im trying to think of a shop that puts all the prices next to things in the window - could you name some?
in order to help you though, hardbacks are usually about £17 full price, Paperbacks £7 full price, academic book are up to hundreds, but not often seen in Waterstones window :)

[ichkeria]

Nope I don’t think so.
The display window does what it says: displays goods.
I think supermarkets have display windows don’t they? Why wouldn’t they? The one I’ve just been in does.
Shops want you through the door. Especially these days.

[ichkeria]

My post was to teacake

[Buenchico]

>>> or: cost of book £15, put £4 off = £10

If that's a book on basic arithmetic, I'm definitely not buying it!

[jno]

jackdaw, yes, that's how they get the price in the window...

[jno]

none of the supermarkets near me has display windows, ichkeria. I'm thinking of half a dozen of the ones nearby.

[Buenchico]

Waterstone's policy is that window displays are entirely at the discretion of individual store managers. (That's why some one Waterstone's store might have a big display concentrating on local history, whereas the Watersone's shop in a neighbouring town might have a major display centred upon the history of women's rights). So the policy of not displaying an actual price might only apply in your local Waterstone's branch and not be a national policy.

[alavahalf]

Really speaking in the current situation, you shouldn't have been sliding your nose across a shop window that 100's of others have slid their noses across previously !

[MynameisLuca]

I hate going into a store and there's no price on the items, when I see no price on the tags I just walk out as I know I can't afford it.

[Ken4155]

There is a decent Farmfoods store 5 mins from my home which advertises it's goods in the windows, complete with prices of said goods.
I'm with Teacake on this one. During the present shopping restrictions, it would be better for people to know just how much the products are. Otherwise, it encourages browsing, which in turn lengthens the amount of time prospective customers are queueing up outside.
Jackdaw, not everything in Poundland is £1.

[teacake44]

Exactly the point I was making Ken. Before this last lock down shops in my town and other shops in other areas relaxed the measures they had in place to limit the amount of customers in at one time, to a degree it returned to a free for all situation, after a visit yesterday to the town center most have reinstated such restrictions, all be it a bit late, apart from Waterstones crazy idea to increase footfall and a potential impulse sale, which is a fine idea in normal times.

[bobbinwales]

Most bookshops will sell 1000s of books. Listing all the prices in the window in big enough print sounds a bit of a nonstarter to me. But you can go online and look up waterstones prices before you go in, or check on your phone from there website while your outside

[bobbinwales]

//This means you have to enter the shop, wait in line, or outside until you're allowed in due to covid, just to ask the price. Is that just not stupid when they don't, at the moment want to many people in the shop at once//
Bu by making you queue up they dont have to many peopel in. If there systems dont suit you as you prefer to know prices before you browse then dont go or buy online. Simple.
Normally am in agreement with you teacake but not today on this